Looking for a 270mm gyuto

I'm looking for a new 270mm gyuto. I was debating between a takeda or watanabe. I was wondering if anyone had opinions on either and/or other recommendations.

LOCATION
What country are you in?
USA


KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
GYUTO
Are you right or left handed?
RIGHT
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
WA HANDLE
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
270mm
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No I don't want stainless at all.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Around $400

KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Work
What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)
Prepping vegetables,meat and fish.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
270mm fujiwara fkh gyuto
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch grip
What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)
Push and pull
What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)

Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
Nicer handle
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Either balanced or blade heavy.
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Edge retention does matter

KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Synthetic
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)



SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS

Welcome to the forums

Welcome! You won't do bad with either of your first choices...I would personally go with Watanabe but they are different knives and Wat just happens to be more in my style.

I love both Takeda and Watanabe gyutos. Takeda is lighter (comparing blades of the same size) and higher heeled. It is also less reactive, although once a patina set on my Watanabe, it got pretty non reactive. Watanabe's pro b#2 steel is easier to sharpen (Takeda is not difficult either, but Watanabe just sharpens so easy). For a 270mm i like Takeda best because it is lighter, but i just love the 210mm Watanabe to dice onions.
Mind you i'm just a home user.

Perhaps considering a middle weight also, the much covered Masamoto KS 270. All the 210 and 240 gyutos have sold out. There may only be one 270 left. It's becoming rare and one of the most consistently liked knife.

... If you find a 240, let me know!

Also, I'm a fan of the Watanabe style blade, a nice and heavy workhorse knife. I have a Toyama which is very similar.

What's the difference in profile between the 2?

Takeda's profile vary a lot from blade to blade. Watanabe has a flatter profile.

Watanabe 210mm and 300mm side by side (last one was traded):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wrmvh0eys88c4zk/IMG_4355.JPG?dl=0

For a nicer handle on a watanabe, are you thinking of a good stock handle or adding a custom handle later?

I prefer the keyaki or ichii handles - more of a hardwood handle than a standard soft ho wood handle. Very simple and elegant.

Here's a shot of four watanabe gyutos, the two darker with ichii (yew) wood and two lighter with keyaki (zelkova or elm). Shinichi sometimes uses ichii on larger knives.

Jkts said:

For a nicer handle on a watanabe, are you thinking of a good stock handle or adding a custom handle later?

I prefer the keyaki or ichii handles - more of a hardwood handle than a standard soft ho wood handle. Very simple and elegant.

Here's a shot of four watanabe gyutos, the two darker with ichii (yew) wood and two lighter with keyaki (zelkova or elm). Shinichi sometimes uses ichii on larger knives.

View attachment 34822

Click to expand...

What's the knife at the top? It looks like a beast!

The top is a 300mm, then 270, 240, and 210.

Are the Toyama Blue #2?

Tzg18 said:

Are the Toyama Blue #2?

Click to expand...

Yup

At your price range, you are right about where you can get a watanabe 270 mm blue steel gyuto with a keyaki handle.