240mm Thin, but durable beater

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pownedju

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
16
Location
Wilmington, NC
TL;DR
I need a stainless 240mm gyuto "beater" to use for large volume work. I prefer thinner knives, so I would like to get the best combination of thinness and durability (chip resistance). Would also like decent edge retention. Currently looking at the Gesshin Uraku VG1, but it's out of stock. Is there anything else out there similar to that?

LOCATION
USA

KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs 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?
Either, I own both.

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
240mm

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Yes

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
-$200



KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
-Pro

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.)?
-Slicing, chopping, and mincing vegetables. Portioning proteins.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
-Pinch

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/Pull cut.

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.)
-I currently own mostly lasers like Shibata and Takamura. I want something still thin, but not as fragile as those.

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)?
-No finish preference, but I do love a hamon line.

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
-Lighter knife, with rounded spine/choil.

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)?
Food release is a benefit, but not a primary concern. Want to avoid wedging in dense foods, and cracking carrots.

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
~2 weeks



KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Rubber at home, but poly at work.

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes

SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
Would like something that does not need additional thinning OOTB. Slight convex grinds are a bonus.
 
Last edited:
i think this will be pretty ideal, taking account of budget, this is as good as it gets, stainless clad with sld coe steel

i would also recommend a takamura chromax, but those i haven't seen one in 240

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The Akifusa looks like a good option. I’ve done some googling and see that it is an OEM knife thats sold under many brands. Do you know if this is one of them? https://www.chefknives Togo .com/hasrgy24.html

If not, do you know anywhere that has them in stock with the western handle?
I know that they are sold under different brands but it also seems like each have a different F&F. I chose the Akifusa because of that, actually. I guess you can also see that reflected in the price difference.

So, no, not all of them are exactly the same knife.

Another great thing is that the SRS15 is a steel that gets a super sharp edge without too much work and holds ir for a very long time, same applies to the ATS34 from Kisuke Manaka, which is high treated up to 65HRC.
 
The Gesshin stainless at JKI? Just noticed a 20% discount if you buy the stainless 150mm as well.
I came to the conclusion after talking with Jon that they would not be thin enough for my liking. The price has been very tempting still. I thought about buying them as backups or loaners anyway.
 
Another suggestion is the Kei Kobayashi knives. They are very thin with a R2 core, but they are not frail like the Shibata Koutetsus.

Nigara Hamono are also thin behind the edge yet they can take heavy use. Also available in R2/SG2 or AS, depending on your preference.
 
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