The Perfect Utility Knife

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AT5760

AT5760

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What characteristics make the "perfect" utility knife?

Yeah, yeah I get it - it depends. I'm talking about that knife that you would break out for discrete, small tasks throughout the day. Chop some herbs to add to a salad, making a small batch of salsa, a couple pieces of fruit/vegetables for a snack, etc. My go-to for quite a while has been a Gihei 165mm petty. It's plenty tall for board work and has enough length for most smaller tasks.

My thoughts are probably stain resistant, at least 150mm but no need to go above 200mm. Beyond that, I guess a lot of grinds and profiles could work.

What do you look for in this type of knife? If you've got a favorite, what makes it perfect for you?
 
I can't seem to put away my Wat 180mm gyuto. Perfect for all the little jobs and will do most of the big ones.

It lives in my catering kit during the "season", has made it into the home kitchen and I most recently found it on my camper rack.

A Haburn 180mm (tall) petty and a 180mm Gesshin Ginga gyuto have also pulled the same duty.
 
I am also a fan of the Wat Pro 180 gyuto but this one takes its place for this role:

https://knifejapan.com/homi-kajiya-santoku-bocho-165mm-aogami-2/
I am really enjoying this knife. Not stain resistant by definition but I've had no issues with it or it's brother nakiri and I use them for everything from limes to onions.
 
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I like Aritsugu A-type 180 petty in gokinko for utility role. I actually like that it is not too tall like the gyutos are since for me utility role assumes very different tasks, sometimes a butcher for example and being shorter at the heel becomes useful in some situations.
 
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180 edge length would be perfect for me, and the grind...ill say thin Hamaguri.
 
180 Gesshin Ginga yo-gyuto (AEB-L) - I use mine precisely for the tasks you mentioned. This and a 240 gyuto do 90% of prep at home.

I like the height - 39-40mm - which is more than tall enough for board work but also narrow enough to do petty tasks like slicing and trimming. I also like the thin grind, makes it more versatile for all kinds of tasks. The length feels right for me - anything shorter and feels like it's not enough. Between 180 and 195 is optimal IMO.

My 190 Heiji suji (semi stainless) is also used on some occasions but the grind is thicker so not as versatile (more like a pure slicer).

A 180 Watanabe gyuto sounds great also. A bit more height, a bit more heft, if you prefer it that way.

If you prefer a bit more length, get a thin, convex ground 210 stainless Sakai gyuto. They are usually around 195-200mm long and 40mm tall. This one comes to mind, but it's OOS: Takada No Hamono Silver#3 Stainless Steel Kasumi Gyuto Magnolia Octago . A 210 Ashi Ginga wa-gyuto would be a similar option.
 
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Two knives I use a lot: a Misono 440 180 'slicer', a long petty; a Masahiro VC 180 gyuto, which is a bit wider than common with this size.
 
I have a 210 Munetoshi suji that is great in that role. Just tall enough for board work, takes a great edge, tough, and easy to sharpen. Also in rotation are things like a 180 Takamura R2, gyuto, a 165 Sukenari R2 petty, and a Shibata R2 Bunka
 
Looking at the suggestions here, I guess the main things to consider are (1) heel height and (2) profile.

Since you are using this to chop veggies on the board, I would suggest a minimum height of 35-37mm. Suggestions here vary from that up to 53mm (Homi Kajiya). More height = better for cutting vegetables, but less comfortable for other tasks (peeling fruit, trimming and slicing protein, coring fruit and veggies, etc).

The profile goes hand in hand with the heel height. Gyuto, suji, santoku - utility knives can have any of these profiles.
 
I think steel should be a consideration, too. How much acidity? How tough do you want it to be? I like a relatively tougher, easy-to-sharpen knife for this role. I find the Ashi Ginga too narrow; 53 is pretty tall.
 
Great comments so far. I agree with the comment on heel height. For me, I want a knife of this type to be at the upper end of what is comfortable for in hand work. I've got a Masahiro VC 180 and it's just a little too tall for me in that role.

On steel, I'm wondering if this is a good application for wear-resistant "super steels." The shorter edge length means lots of board contact on the cutting edge and a knife of this type is one that you just want to be ready for use at any time.
 
Harbeer (@HSC /// Knives ) made me a damn fine utility knife. 150mm full tang petty in Zwear. I love it. My wife does too. My 180-210 petty knives were always too big for her. She is very comfortable with this one. Got a matching 90mm paring knife too. Highly recommended. Both are great for in handwork and for small butchering and trimming tasks.

PXL_20230725_181626852.jpg


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PXL_20230725_182356189.jpg


PXL_20230630_175715398.jpg
 
My perfect utility knife for petty things would be my 180mm gyuto with a 38mm heel.
That said I could not do without a small sheep foot paring knife and peelers for vegetables.

I do like to use a 210mm sujihiki (35mm heel) now and then but honestly could live without it.
 
stringer said:
Harbeer (@HSC /// Knives ) made me a damn fine utility knife. 150mm full tang petty in Zwear. I love it. My wife does too. My 180-210 petty knives were always too big for her. She is very comfortable with this one. Got a matching 90mm paring knife too. Highly recommended. Both are great for in handwork and for small butchering and trimming tasks.

View attachment 257500

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Click to expand...
that’s really nice. love the edge/ heel guard.

do you know the heel height on the 150?
 
Interesting topic and responses here. I've got a 110mm x 15mm and a 120mm x 38mm. I really can't stand the short one. It never feels comfortable. I actually have no idea how to hold it correctly. It feels weird to just hold the handle like a hammer. The taller one I can pinch grip, or at least choke up on without issue. But, judging by the comments, maybe I should try something much longer.
 
For me it's my 7" cook's knife in 52100 from Tony LaSeur.
180mm x 39mm
It's tough and pointy and does all the things I don't like to do with a gyuto.
LS Cook.JPG


In Tony's words:

"The narrower blade will allow that knife to almost double as a boning knife, it will give you more agility to follow tighter turns along ribs, silver-skin, or melon rinds, for example. The handle is meant to be comfortably held in a variety of grips. The tip is stiff. The heel is still tall enough to give finger clearance for chopping on the board."
 
I actually really get on with regular 150 pretties, but I have a few non standard knives that I like a lot.

IMG_1242.jpeg


L to R

Shigeki Ginsan 150/35
Tojiro Suji 210/38
Shi.Han 160/40 Custom tall Petty
 
stringer said:
Harbeer (@HSC /// Knives ) made me a damn fine utility knife. 150mm full tang petty in Zwear. I love it. My wife does too. My 180-210 petty knives were always too big for her. She is very comfortable with this one. Got a matching 90mm paring knife too. Highly recommended. Both are great for in handwork and for small butchering and trimming tasks.
Click to expand...

That parer:love:
 
My petties also get regularly used. The top 3 by me, the bottom 2 by my wife.


From top to bottom:
Watanabe (special, yellow steel)
Dan Prendergast
Moritaka
Shigeki Tanaka
 
AT5760 said:
@MowgFace that ShiHan looks like a great profile at that size. How does it perform for you? Do you ever wish it was closer to 175-180?
Click to expand...
All 👏🏾 the 👏🏾 time 👏🏾.

I got it for my wife for our wedding, though and it’s perfect for her. We’re it for me it would be exactly as you describe. I do love the knife though.
 
I rock a nakiri for 99% of these little tasks. 165 Munetoshi has been getting a lot of love lately as that first reach knife, Shindo nakiri is always a favorite. I can use the rounded tips or heel of the knife for pretty much anything I need.

Ogata 180 bunka (SG2) is my go-to for tasks that are going to be lots of citrus or left out on the board. It's basically just a K-tip nakiri which is why I dig it. I'm very curious about a 180 Wat gyuto though.
 
Qapla' said:
What do you think of these?

https://japanesechefsknife.com/coll...mono-180mm-or-210mm-2-sizes-double-bevel-edge
Click to expand...
Quite common among Japanese retailers to simply refer to Swedish stainless where I would like to know which is being used. 19C27 (AEB-H) and 13C26 (AEB-L) are very different. 19C27 has been developed for industrial purposes, i.c. cutting steel. Large, regularly distributed carbides.
Very different from the almost carbon-like AEB-L. Offering lots of bite, even when perfectly dull. Highly abrasion resistant. With the ones I've seen, sharpening was no fun, but I guess much may depend on the HT is was given.
 
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