Do I need a 240mm sujihiki or should I go with a gyuto? Already have a shirogami 210mm gyuto, a R2 180mm bunka, and a 150mm petty. Got the itch. Looking to explore blue steel.
any suggestions?
any suggestions?
Sujihiki?
- Thread starter henkle
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I'd be tempted to say go for a 240 Gyuto and then a 270 Suji after if you want.
Half a year ago I wouldn't have been too fussed about a 240 gyuto, as I've tended to use smaller Japanese knives, but have been getting into 'proper' sized gyuto a bit more recently.
(p.s. you may get more people seeing this if you put in the regular Kitchen Knife forum, though I'm not sure if you can move it, or if Mods have to do that.)
Half a year ago I wouldn't have been too fussed about a 240 gyuto, as I've tended to use smaller Japanese knives, but have been getting into 'proper' sized gyuto a bit more recently.
(p.s. you may get more people seeing this if you put in the regular Kitchen Knife forum, though I'm not sure if you can move it, or if Mods have to do that.)
BillHanna
Gotta get ready for ARM
How important is heel height to you? For some weird reason, I want heel height in my nakiri, but not my gyuto. You could say I don’t want a a gyuto; I only want suji/petties.
35-45 is my range, but it seems 50+ is more popular.
If you’re with me get a suji; if you’re not get a gyuto.
35-45 is my range, but it seems 50+ is more popular.
If you’re with me get a suji; if you’re not get a gyuto.
What do you envision using the suji for? If it is too slice and carve large pieces of roasted flesh, go 270mm and teach yourself to use the whole length of the blade with nice long strokes.
I'd go for the gyuto first unless you cut a bunch of protein. For most cooks, a 240 gyuto will get more use than a suji and will do a good enough job as a slicer to hold you over until you eventually get a suji. But if you do go for a suji, as others have suggested, get a 270 (unless you're one of those weirdos who uses a suji as a gyuto).
If you decide on a suji try to figure out if you "want", or "don't want" (in my case), any tip flex ... some can be fairly flexible at the tip (grind) ...
FWIW - have to agree with most of the comments that a longer gyuto is likely the way to go strictly from a general usefulness standpoint ... but sometimes you just gotta try different things.
Try using your 210 gyuto specifically for what you might want the suji for - i.e. try draw strokes - tip only (imo) & then the whole blade ... hopefully doing a specific slicing task should give you a good idea if you really want a shorter blade instead ... just my $0.02
FWIW - have to agree with most of the comments that a longer gyuto is likely the way to go strictly from a general usefulness standpoint ... but sometimes you just gotta try different things.
Try using your 210 gyuto specifically for what you might want the suji for - i.e. try draw strokes - tip only (imo) & then the whole blade ... hopefully doing a specific slicing task should give you a good idea if you really want a shorter blade instead ... just my $0.02
You don't need anything but a big knife, a small knife, and maybe a bread knife. If you want to try a bigger knife than what you've got, I'd echo comments above that a 240 gyuto or 270 suji makes more sense than a 240 suji.
Have you considered a 240 mm kiritsuke? You can use it as both a chefs knife and a slicer, my 240 moritaka kiritsuke was my first carbon steel japanese knife and i used it for everything from carving briskets to prepping veg and anything else i could
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270 is a good standard suji; 240 is a bit small for slicing especially if it runs short such as Sakai products. 240 suji is an excellent pro tool, line knife or protein trimmer. Maybe try a narrow gyuto and see how you like it, 47mm height for 240 length or something like that. Totally depends on your technique, I used to like narrow height gyuto a lot.
dafox
Senior Member
I'd try the gyuto first, then you will know if your a 240 user. If it's too big for you then a 240 suji will probably be just right. If your a 240 gyuto user then a 270 suji will probably be a better fit.
At home I use my 240 suji more than the 270(s). Portioning a beef or pork Tloin, slicing steaks and chicken breast, all manner of trimming and a host of other tasks. All done better with a suji than a gyuto. At work, 270 is the minimum I use. Every home cook worth his salt "NEEDS" a 240 suji. 
Mine is a Tadasuna (laser) and acquits itself quite well.
Suggest you look to Tad, Suisin IH, Gesshin Ginga and others.
Mine is a Tadasuna (laser) and acquits itself quite well.
Suggest you look to Tad, Suisin IH, Gesshin Ginga and others.
I would posit that a 240 suji is a little on the short side for the jobs it is meant to take on for most users in a professional environment, it would be more suitable to a home cook. That said, a 240 gyuto would be a better direction in order to discern your comfort level with larger cutlery in my opinion.
Shortly after getting my Masamoto KS 240mm suji I learned that you could special order a 270mm. Soon after that Koki made it a stock item. For a few years I regretted buying the 240mm, but I have come to like it very much. As a home cook it works for me..
That doesn't mean that I don't still dream of a Martell 300mm suji, but for me, a 240mm works.
That doesn't mean that I don't still dream of a Martell 300mm suji, but for me, a 240mm works.
Yes.
HI, thanks for the advice. Being a home cook, in a small Hong Kong kitchen, I pulled the trigger on a 240 mm Akira-Saku Blue #2 sujihiki from Chubo. I will report back after it arrives and it gets some use. Mostly, as Montezumaboy suggests, just want to try something different.
Definitely let us know how you like it. That line is nice.
Defo looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Akira-Saku!
My Akira-Saku sujihiki arrived the other day. Very nice steel. Nicely polished below the kurouchi finish. The handle was a bit narrow for me on first glance, the weight was blade forward, but after cutting with it the balance seemed perfect with a pinch grip. Very sharp OOTB. Grind very consistent, F&F of blade and handle well done (the only noticeable flaw is where the handle meets the tang, but minor.) All in all, for a buck-50 I'm very happy. Turns out I did need a sujihiki.
WaTFTanaki
Well-Known Member
Hope you enjoy. I am home cook and have 2 sujis. A mazaki and Wat pro both in 270. They are the only knives I almost never use because a gyuto suffices 99% of the time. Yanagi yes. Petty yes. Nakiri yes. Even honesuki’s with chicken. Sujis almost never. Unless I am taking apart a giant block slab of pork or wagyu I ordered in bulk they don’t see much use.
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