240mm vs 270mm wa gyuto?

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Awesome. :)

I was somewhat apprehensive taking the 270 home in my checked luggage... now that I've put some mileage on it I can't believe I haven't been using a longer chef's all along. It feels perfect.

Congrats, and I can't wait to see the result of your "project"!
 
Works if you don't eat a lot of greens. I'd say at least 50% of what I cut is a big green leaf (especially since they wilt down so much).
 
tk59 said:
It really has more to do with the size of the stuff you are cutting than the size of the person, unless you're pretty short. I find short people have to do wierd things ergonomically to get long knives to work sometimes esp if the counters are tall for them. When do you need/want a long knife? Huge chunks of meat, large melons or squash, shredding large amounts of leafy greens, etc. Unless you do a LOT of this kind of stuff, it is really not particularly useful to get anything longer than a 240. If you stick to precut meats, small onions and potatoes, etc, you don't even need anything over a 180 mm.
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+1

Feeling like "Little Lucretia in the Land of the Giants" here. I'd say that it has less to do with height than with the length of your arms. Just got a 210, and think it's probably a good size for me. I would be able to use a longer knife for slicing, but tip work would be difficult--the arm positions would start getting awkward. Another issue--small wrists. Longer knife = higher torque. A shorter knife feels easier on my wrists for regular use. And cooking for 2, most prep is on smaller items/quantities and just about everything can be done with my 170 santoku (I know, roll your eyes, moan and groan, but I really like that knife.)

The size Oivind gave (180-225 Home) is the same advice I got from the folks at EE, BTW.
 
I've posted before about how much I like my 195mm Sugimoto gyuto. Plenty of knife for me as a home cook, blazing through my limited prep with consumate ease.
 
Lucretia said:
+1

Feeling like "Little Lucretia in the Land of the Giants" here. I'd say that it has less to do with height than with the length of your arms. Just got a 210, and think it's probably a good size for me. I would be able to use a longer knife for slicing, but tip work would be difficult--the arm positions would start getting awkward. Another issue--small wrists. Longer knife = higher torque. A shorter knife feels easier on my wrists for regular use. And cooking for 2, most prep is on smaller items/quantities and just about everything can be done with my 170 santoku (I know, roll your eyes, moan and groan, but I really like that knife.)

The size Oivind gave (180-225 Home) is the same advice I got from the folks at EE, BTW.
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I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't tried it. I have a 210mm gyuto and a Santoku both ux10. I wanted to make sure I got the custom right. I am 6'3 and the 270mm feels like it was made for me very very comfortable.
 
SameGuy said:
Awesome. :)

I was somewhat apprehensive taking the 270 home in my checked luggage... now that I've put some mileage on it I can't believe I haven't been using a longer chef's all along. It feels perfect.

Congrats, and I can't wait to see the result of your "project"!
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That makes two of us on the project. I can't wait. Thanks.
 
I wish it were possible for people to take a testdrive with knives. I started with a 220 mm, but now like 270-300 mm knives. Something I found curious, I have recently taken orders for 2, 350 mm, and a 330 mm, is also in the works.
 
Not that it adds anything to the conversation but I saw chuck239 holding an over-sized 300 mm honyaki gyuto a while back and i coulda sworn it was a 210.
 
at what point does that become a sword? or is it just the pattern that makes a sword?
 
tk59 said:
Not that it adds anything to the conversation but I saw chuck239 holding an over-sized 300 mm honyaki gyuto a while back and i coulda sworn it was a 210.
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+1 no offense Chuck, but that knife looked like a petty in your hands.
 
Personally, my sweet spot in knife length is around 255: I have a Takeda and a Masamoto, both 255ish "240mm" gyutos and love them. 270 seem just a bit awkward for this home cooker.
 
For me my preferred length depends on the profile, weight, and overall feel of the knife. My two go-to knives are my 230mm Carter IP gyuto and my DT mid tech "270", actual edge length 260mm. Both feel great, and even though one is obviously quite a bit longer than the other, I use them interchangeably.

There are many 230 mm knives that feel "shorter" than my Carter, simply because they have comparatively too much curve/belly in the edge. For example, my Carter feels like a lot "more" knife to me than an almost identical length German production knife.

Of course, I'm a home cook, and the difference of 30mm of edge length isn't that big of a deal to me since I only routinely cook for 3-5 people at a time. I could get by with a German production knife, but like many here I simply choose not to, because I'm a knife nut. :)

Ideally each person should hold and get a feel for knives of different lengths and profiles before buying expensive customs. Get a few Tojiros and Fujiwaras in different lengths and styles, try them out, then sell them here for a negligible loss once you know what you like. After all that, you'll have a much better idea of what to order in a custom :doublethumbsup:
 
I really should test drive bigger knives at Jon's sometime. I know I will be happy with the 270mm glad I didn't go any smaller. Just wondering personally how big a gyuto I can comfortably use the tip on for finer work before I get to a size I would only want for chopping and slicing.
 
I bought the Sakai Yusuke Swedish Stainless Wa-Gyuto Knife 270mm Octagon I was test driving off of Rick "Pensacola Tiger" I wasn't expecting the offer, but very grateful.
Every time I use it I get a big smile and feel like the skies are parting. I used it today to make a big batch of Greek pasta salad for my wife and apple slices for the kids. Always looking for an excuse to use it. I still can't wait for my Rodrigue and sure I will find other great lasers on my journey. This knife will definitely be a keeper. It just feels right. It does whatever I ask effortlessly.
 
I agree with what a few folks have said in the thread:

Pro tends to go bigger: 240-300.
Home can get away with smaller: 170 (Santoku?), 180, 210, 240 all OK.

And also agree witht he poster that mentioned the type of food you're typically cutting matters. At home it's usually pre cut meats (steaks come pre-cut, individual chicken breasts, etc.) and for things like potatoes it's often <6 at a time.

I certainly understand the efficiency argument for 270-300mm knives though. But IMO that goes out the window a little bit when you're only cutting a few things and you have to balance relatively small work areas. I've been working my way through 4 different 240's and I find myself wanting to buy a 210 because I often feel for the job I'm doing that day I could easily get by with something a little smaller.

It's personal preference IMO.
 
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