Gyuto heel height

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I prefer 46-49mm on a 210 or 240 Gyuto, I find when using a 50mm+ Gyuto your speed and dexterity is reduced. I've found a taller knife is good when cutting tall foods, eg a large cabbage. The height of the knife helps with even cutting, reduces steering, gives your fingers something to feel and guide.
But most food is, within a few cuts, broken down to a small height, then most of the cutting is done with these small food pieces.

Knuckle clearance is important, some chefs I worked with had "yam fingers" (a school friend of mine is still called "Yams" 😂) and that's where you definitely need a taller knife. Luckily I have the hands of a retired handkerchief model so I don't need that 50mm+ yam clearance.
 
Generally speaking:

210: 47-50
225: 50-52
240: 51-55
270: 55-60

With a little bit of allowance for handle size and profile. There's definitely a place for a nimble shorter heel gyuto, e.g. 210x44, if the handle is shaped and sized right, but it's not what I gravitate towards.
 
I'm tall and since counters aren't too high usually I prefer not so low knives. But it also heavily depends on the profile of a knife.
For 230-270mm I usually go 53-57, 58 is pretty much the maximum for me.
I have a 240 Wakui which is 48/49mm and is fine thanks to the profile. A 230mm Vintage Y. Tanaka around 52mm which works also really well.
For Nakiris anything under 52mm is too low.
Not a fan of Gyutohikis. Either Gyuto or sujihiki, petty.
 
A lot of people here like taller gyuto for some reason -- almost more nakiri x gyuto. The Japan specs for each respective size are pretty good for working knives, and what I prefer after trying some oversize knives. For shorter knives I don't have to move my wrist as high off the cutting board so less strain, but taller knives, and especially Chinese chef knives, have that slam through food feel. So for me, 210mm x 42-43mm (more gyuto in a gyuto or petty style, vs gyuto x santoku), 240mm x 47-50mm, 270mm x 51-56mm, 300mm x 56-58mm, 330mm x 60mm, 360mm x ~65mm, all sizes I've tried, as well as stuff like 240mm x 65mm, 210mm x 51mm, etc
 
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Seems preference is key and I think some of that has to do with your size and the size of the blade. I am more a cleaver guy so I like the height. I have a 213 x 52 and would say a 210 would need a 50+ for me. Also have a 260 x 61 and around this length a 60+ is ideal for me. I am 6’ with large hands and always feel like the counters are too low so that might be part of what I like about taller blades too.
 
for most uses:
240 gyuto: 50mm
210 gyuto: 45 - 50mm

I have used 240s with 54-55mm heel height, like Toyama. I enjoy it for specific uses like processing a bunch of leaves, large vegetables, etc. But anything over 52mm starts feeling less nimble and less versatile. I enjoyed my Kochi with 52mm but prefer my Gengetsu with 49-50mm.

For 210s, I like both 50mm and 45mm tall, for different uses. 45mm feels just like a 240 with 50mm - versatile, nimble, good for anything. A 50mm tall feels better for veggie processing, or whenever I want a 210 that feels big relative to its lenght.

I also enjoy old-school Sakai yo-gyutos - say, 200x40mm and 230x45mm. But they feel less versatile and more adequate to protein-centric meals.
 
Choppin said:
for most uses:
240 gyuto: 50mm
210 gyuto: 45 - 50mm

I have used 240s with 54-55mm heel height, like Toyama. I enjoy it for specific uses like processing a bunch of leaves, large vegetables, etc. But anything over 52mm starts feeling less nimble and less versatile. I enjoyed my Kochi with 52mm but prefer my Gengetsu with 49-50mm.

For 210s, I like both 50mm and 45mm tall, for different uses. 45mm feels just like a 240 with 50mm - versatile, nimble, good for anything. A 50mm tall feels better for veggie processing, or whenever I want a 210 that feels big relative to its lenght.

I also enjoy old-school Sakai yo-gyutos - say, 200x40mm and 230x45mm. But they feel less versatile and more adequate to protein-centric meals.
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Well stated. I only own 1 gyuto taller than 52mm and I think it’s for the same reason.

I recently sold a Birgersson that was such a sweet cutter performed excellent and has to be the low bevel champ but still it was 60mm tall and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much nicer it would work for me if it was 52mm or so.
 
labor of love said:
Well stated. I only own 1 gyuto taller than 52mm and I think it’s for the same reason.

I recently sold a Birgersson that was such a sweet cutter performed excellent and has to be the low bevel champ but still it was 60mm tall and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much nicer it would work for me if it was 52mm or so.
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What are the specs of your new Shi.Han?
 
labor of love said:
Well stated. I only own 1 gyuto taller than 52mm and I think it’s for the same reason.

I recently sold a Birgersson that was such a sweet cutter performed excellent and has to be the low bevel champ but still it was 60mm tall and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much nicer it would work for me if it was 52mm or so.
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MCX Birgersson is nice 54mm
 
That said I did grabbed the last one… But if I can get @ethompson s wrought iron Birgersson drop I might only keep one
IMG_4347.jpeg
 
I like shorter (lengthwise) knives. For me, 180-210mmL and 45-50mmT are good numbers for gyuto's. I prefer 45-48.

I'm a home cook. I like a gyuto to be easy to wield, handy, but capable. I don't have knuckle clearance issues at these heights nor do I feel any kind of performance compromise.

I think you can still pack a lot of geometry into these dimensions.
 
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labor of love said:
Well stated. I only own 1 gyuto taller than 52mm and I think it’s for the same reason.

I recently sold a Birgersson that was such a sweet cutter performed excellent and has to be the low bevel champ but still it was 60mm tall and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much nicer it would work for me if it was 52mm or so.
Click to expand...

Huh he must be making them taller these days. My Birgersson is 224x53
 
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