Which 270mm gyuto?

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Bert2368

Bert2368

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3rd in my ongoing series of asking your opinions on which knife to get- (Then possibly buying something else altogether?!)

$250 US is max budget, would prefer under $200.

I like a 270mm blade chefs knife.

I still do some larger prep jobs for my own use, canning or pickling.

The 270mm Henckels was my "go to" knife during my restaurant work era. It's about the length that feels right when looking at a big pile of food needing to be cut smaller. But it is just too THICK and HEAVY. And way too SOFT.

I can sharpen fairly effectively, have an assortment of stones and other related tools. Harder steels and narrow bevel angles are not a problem.

I have come to like the thinner J style blades. In particular, I like my 165mm #2 white nakiri. Wish I'd known about them 35 or so years back... Like the JCK 270mm sujihiki and Tojiro 165mm petty as well.

I am sure I do NOT want an all reactive steel blade. Full etainless, Carbon steel core stainless clad or a semi stainless are OK. As much as I like the blade SHAPE and EDGE on my carbon nakiri, I don't care to have another carbon/carbon clad or mono steel carbon knife.

"Damascus" is pretty. I don't need or want it, would rather have a plainer looking, higher quality tool than a super pretty one I need to baby the finish on.

Coming to appreciate the Japanese wa handle more.

The Japanese version of the western handle (with the useless bolster ommited) is also OK for me.

Looking at this stainless clad carbon 270mm gyuto:

http://epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=97243

And this CarboNext 270mm gyuto:

https://japanesechefsknife.com/prod...210mm-to-270mm-3-sizes?variant=19706881572961

So what else can you all think of that's a good fit yet within my price range...
 
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If you don't mind used, i believe there is still a Tanaka on bst.
 
Also, I’ve been enjoying Mac Pro quite a bit lately. Full stainless,, sharpens quite easy. Some thinning vastly improves the performance.
 
I like a laser or laserish knife in 270. The size gives it enough ass for prep work. You might could find used GGinga, Kono HD or SIH in your price range.
 
Tanaka Blue2 Nashiji from KnS if you don't mind the curved profile. Thin but not a laser.

+1 on LOL's suggestion of thinner Wakui which offers a flatter profile. It's worth asking the vendor if they are thinner knives as there are some thicker ones around. My hammered Wakui has a lot of workhorsey goodness (not at all what I was expecting, but it was a nice surprise), but this is probably not what you are after.

If you like a really flat profile, maybe a Yoshikane? Some are said to be quite thin (although my SKD hammered is a workhorse). Once again, it's worth asking the vendor. I seem to recall someone saying that Bernal had some thinner versions?

I didn't really like the steel in my Carbonext. It does get sharp easily but it gets blunt easily too. On the upside, it will give you hours of sharpening practice.

If you want to go very cheap, a Fujiwarra Kanefusa FKM (AUS8) is a good beater. Mine performs much better after I gave it a good thinning. Edge retention is nothing special but not terrible for the price. I use mine as a loaner to introduce people to good knives (after which I loan them something like a Tanaka Nashiji and they are hooked).
 
Yeah pardon me. I was referring to wakui hairline which is thin. Nashiji wakui is also thin behind the edge but with a thicker blade. They both fall through food easily.
I’m not sure if the wakui hammer pattern is even available in 270mm but it sounds like a winner as well although beefier blade.
 
I recently picked up a Gesshin uraku 270 gyuto from JKI for kicks. I’ve been very pleased with it. Sounds like it might fit the bill. Comes with a nice saya too
 
Bert2368 said:
It says "stainless monosteel" and "not too hard, not too soft".

Any idea which SS at what hardness?
Click to expand...

No clue on which steel. It’s not disclosed. If I had to guess on hardness I’d say somewhere around 60 though. But it’s just a guess. It’ll hold a pretty fine edge though
 
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