# Thoughts on 180mm Gyutos



## MarkC (Sep 9, 2019)

I have been thinking of adding a 180mm Gyuto to my rotation. I realize that most of the topics on the board tend to be how to get bigger knives but for more delicate work, vegetables, fruit, working in smaller areas on smaller boards I was wondering if any have thoughts on this size and any particular makes that they would recommend?


----------



## ryanjams (Sep 9, 2019)

I find the size super useful as a line knife, or for small, quick jobs. Mazaki 180 petty was my longtime go to, at almost 40mm tall and a bit oversized it's almost as big as my ginga 210 gyuto but very nimble. Speaking of, I had a stainless Ginga 180 that was great, sold it off to a coworker who didn't have any decent knives but ended up replacing it with the 210 shortly. Wakui looks like another great option, haven't used this size from him but extrapolating from my experience with other Wakuis I wouldn't hesitate to jump on one. Tanaka vg10 with the western handle would be my budget pick, big fan of those as well. That's another one I passed along to a friend in need of a solid blade, but often considered replacing. Takamura r2 would be worth a look for delicate work, but it's definitely not as tough/forgiving as the Ginga. If you have the budget and don't want any flash it'd be hard to top the Ginga for this purpose. Won't keep an edge like Takamura but it holds up alright and Ashi stainless is nice and easy on the stones ime.


----------



## Lauge (Sep 9, 2019)

I have the Mazaki 180 petty, and it's a bit too low for my chubby fingers to be used for chopping on the board. The Munetoshi 165 petty, on the other hand, feels like an actual mini-gyuto that I can work with on a cutting board, and I can highly recommend getting one.


----------



## Barmoley (Sep 9, 2019)

I used to use https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...0-wa-gyuto-no-box?_pos=4&_sid=5bc0a4f6f&_ss=r as my small gyuto and it worked very well for me. Especially when traveling and staying in at apartments or houses. I find this size very useful when you don't have space. Now, I have a 180x45 custom that I use for this purpose and it also works very well. 40mm or so at the heel makes it possible to use it on the board.


----------



## chinacats (Sep 9, 2019)

I live in a small space and use a 190 Laseur... works great once you get used to the lighter weight and slightly difference balance point.


----------



## dafox (Sep 9, 2019)

I have had or have quite a few 180 guutos and use them a lot. Some of them have already been recommended, I would also recommend a couple of budget knives, Fujiwara Kanefusa FKM and Misono moly, both AUS8 stainless. The FKM Is more robust, I keep an 800 grit edge on it (Shapton pro 1000) and use it for butchery and small tasks like making an omelette including dicing cheese; it also has a larger handle. The Mosono moly is more nimble, thinner, lighter with a smaller handle, I keep a 2000 grit edge on it (Shapton pro 2000) and use it for more delicate tasks like cutting the skin off if a cucumber and slicing it for a salad, and mincing a few herbs. Both available at JCK.


----------



## valgard (Sep 9, 2019)

Love 180-190 gyutos, especially combined with a larger gyuto (230-250) for bigger stuff. Have a small one at hand for small meals typically.


----------



## CiderBear (Sep 9, 2019)

What are the pros and cons between a 180mm gyuto and 180mm santoku?


----------



## MowgFace (Sep 9, 2019)

I have two Tanaka 180-190 Gyutos. One Yo Ginsanko, the other Wa Blue Damascus. 

I like them a lot, but they are completely interchangeable with my 210s. 

I don’t really see any difference in the few mm difference in length. It’s the heel height that really changes things. 

My 210s are:
Ashi Ginga
Tsukiji Masamoto
Masahiro
Kaeru

The only one that really feels any different is the Kaeru due to its girth.


----------



## Barmoley (Sep 9, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> What are the pros and cons between a 180mm gyuto and 180mm santoku?



What do you mean??? Santoku is obviously a girl knife








Both can be used in place of each other, gyuto usually has a more useful tip, so could be a bit more versatile, not always though.


----------



## parbaked (Sep 9, 2019)

I use 180mm at home. Good size for my board and sink.
I have 4 very different ones:





UX10 & Hiromoto AS santokus; TF Maboroshi gyuto and a TL (LaSeur) cook's knife

Even my suji and yanagiba are only 210mm...


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 9, 2019)

^^^^ Nice handle on that Hiromoto

I personally find 180 gyutos a little restrictive, but I think a lot depends on your cutting style ie chopping vs push/pull cuts. I would say a shorter Santoku is more useful than a short Gyuto. YMMV


----------



## HRC_64 (Sep 9, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> What are the pros and cons between a 180mm gyuto and 180mm santoku?



Santoku is around 45-48mm tall
Gyuto is around 38-43 tall

Meanwhile, also in 180mm size:

Petty around 32-35 tall
Funayuki/Deba is ~55mm tall


----------



## milkbaby (Sep 9, 2019)

As a home cook, I like using 160-190 mm guyto/bunka/chef's knife when I am working on a small cutting board. Larger knives don't work as well on a small board for me, especially for rocking and guillotine & glide techniques.

No particular suggestion from me, though I would suggest checking if you will have enough knuckle clearance for any option you consider as it could be a problem depending...


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 9, 2019)

HRC_64 said:


> Santoku is around 45-48mm tall
> Gyuto is around 38-43 tall
> 
> Meanwhile, also in 180mm size:
> ...


Not sure about those numbers. Plenty of 180 Gyuto's out there close to 47mm+ height eg TF Denka/Mab etc.


----------



## MowgFace (Sep 9, 2019)

Corradobrit1 said:


> Not sure about those numbers. Plenty of 180 Gyuto's out there close to 47mm+ height eg TF Denka/Mab etc.


In general, i do find HRC to be correct. There for sure are exceptions though.

Both my 190 Tanakas are in the 45-48 range, although i understand Tanakas tend to run tall 99% of the time. I do have a pretty old 240 Tanaka Gyuto, that is MUCH thinner than what is being produced now, 50mm at the heel and is actually Lefty-ground. 

My Tsukiji Masamoto, and Ginga 210s are both in the 43ish range


----------



## ACHiPo (Sep 9, 2019)

I really like the little 180mm TF gyuto I brought back from Japan. I use it more than my 240mm Blazen, although the bigger gyuto comes in handy occasionally. I'm looking forward to getting a good 210mm knife. My 8" Henkels chef's knife used to be my go-to, but I've been forcing myself to use my more recent Japanese knives to make sure I know which size I want Mareko Maumasi to make my "last and final" chef's knife.


----------



## Ivang (Sep 9, 2019)

I like them, great size for line knives


----------



## daddy yo yo (Sep 9, 2019)

Tough to decide for a particular length. I would say it depends on the available board and counter space. So, in general I would grab a 240, but I also love my 210s and even shorter blades. I really like to pick whatever I am in the mood for... At my gf's place, we only have a smaller board and the kitchen is tiny, so I usually have a 180 there.


----------



## parbaked (Sep 9, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> I really like the little 180mm TF gyuto I brought back from Japan.



I thought you bought that little 150mm Denka Urushi from TF...I almost grabbed it last April...


----------



## ian (Sep 9, 2019)

I've been resistant to buying a 180 gyuto, since I'm worried about the lack of any flat spot. Huge bellies turn me off, at least when it comes to knives.

I enjoy the Maz 180 petty, though, and my 180 nakiri, and would probably like an appropriate santoku too. A 180 gyuto with a super flat profile might be good, though, although maybe you'd just call that a santoku...


----------



## daveb (Sep 9, 2019)

I keep a 180 gyuto in my catering kit for last minute jobs. Good to have when your work space is about the size of a cafeteia tray. Mine's a Suisin IH, also have a Wat that may get to play this season.


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 9, 2019)

ian said:


> I've been resistant to buying a 180 gyuto, since I'm worried about the lack of any flat spot. Huge bellies turn me off, at least when it comes to knives.
> 
> I enjoy the Maz 180 petty, though, and my 180 nakiri, and would probably like an appropriate santoku too. A 180 gyuto with a super flat profile might be good, though, although maybe you'd just call that a santoku...


The TF 180 gyuto profile is a pretty good compromise. Nice low tip to extend the flattish area.


----------



## MarkC (Sep 9, 2019)

Anyone have any experience with Mutsumi Hinoura 180mm knives?


----------



## parbaked (Sep 9, 2019)

MarkC said:


> Anyone have any experience with Mutsumi Hinoura 180mm knives?


His iron clad Shirogami 2 gyuto is a great knife. His 150mm petty knives are nice and tall too!
Wakui is another good Sanjo style option if you prefer stainless clad Shirogami 2.


----------



## Chuckles (Sep 9, 2019)

I love 180 gyutos. Use them at home and it’s my go to choice for gifting to home cooks.

My favorite is a mr. itou with a stag handle. The Harner and takeda in the pic were fun too.


----------



## Chuckles (Sep 9, 2019)

Stephen Fowler, suisin high carbon, carter. The suisin is a great knife for the money and is super durable because it is not super hard.


----------



## Chuckles (Sep 9, 2019)

Itou







If any 180 Gyuto experts see this, I would love to figure out who made this and how I can get one.






Watanabe is a very classic and classy option for this size as well.


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 9, 2019)

Chuckles said:


> Itou
> 
> View attachment 60763
> 
> ...


Was that mug a gift from your wife? Love it


----------



## McMan (Sep 9, 2019)

Chuckles said:


> Itou
> 
> View attachment 60763
> 
> ...


I knew this one looked familiar... not that I've ever seen it in person--I wish!
It's a Machida Itsushi.
Out of Stock ATM:
https://www.aframestokyo.com/machida-itsushi-santoku-gyuto-183mm-multiplex-layer-bohle183990.html


----------



## Chuckles (Sep 9, 2019)

It’s her mug. She has kind of taken ownership of the knife too. 

Holy Smokes that was a fast knife ID!!! Thank you. I see another with the same handle configuration. Nice to have something to stalk again.


----------



## Alder26 (Sep 10, 2019)

I feel like a 180 gyuto is a fantastic choice. My work kit most of the time includes a 240mm gyuto, a 180mm gyuto, and a 150mm petty. It allows for a versatile profile for every size task. It may seem redundant to have so many similar profiles, but when you have to do a repetitive task it makes a difference. Also 180mm is ideal for home cooking


----------



## K813zra (Sep 10, 2019)

I think a 180mm gyuto is a fantastic tool to have in your knife kit. I almost never actually need anything more than my 180 FKH (but it is fun to have other knives). Though I do keep it along side my KS which is considerably larger. I think they are a wonderful one-two punch.


----------



## gman (Sep 10, 2019)

i have a 180 kurosaki gyuto that i bought for my wife, to try to wean her off of using a 150 petty for everything. i have to say, it didn't work. there is very little that a 180 gyuto can do that a 150 petty can't (other than scoop product off the board), yet plenty of product that has me reaching for something bigger. i'll admit that 240 is more knife than many home cooks need, so maybe the sweet spot is 210? that's probably what i'll be looking for next.


----------



## MowgFace (Sep 10, 2019)

gman said:


> i have a 180 kurosaki gyuto that i bought for my wife, to try to wean her off of using a 150 petty for everything. i have to say, it didn't work. there is very little that a 180 gyuto can do that a 150 petty can't (other than scoop product off the board), yet plenty of product that has me reaching for something bigger. i'll admit that 240 is more knife than many home cooks need, so maybe the sweet spot is 210? that's probably what i'll be looking for next.



I think you're right that there is plenty of overlap in usage, between the knives in question depending on your cutting style. 150 Petty -> 180 Gyuto ->210 Gyuto. Your specific knife/handle style the true edge length can be pretty damn close as well. My Tanaka Yo-Ginsanko 180 is actually 190, and my Ginga 210 is more like 204.

In regards to a 180 specifically, for me, there is nothing that immediately draws me to a 180 over a 210. With most of my knives being 240 Gyutos (surprise, surprise i know) whenever a smaller knife is needed i just pick whatever knife sounds good at the time. 

Mowgs


----------



## DitmasPork (Sep 10, 2019)

Just started trying out a 180 gyuto last night, first time for me using a gyuto of this length. So far digging it, but will know more in a few days after putting it through a bunch of meals.


----------



## ACHiPo (Sep 10, 2019)

parbaked said:


> I thought you bought that little 150mm Denka Urushi from TF...I almost grabbed it last April...


Oops you're right--it's even shorter than 180. Cute lil' guy. Handy.


----------



## CiderBear (Sep 10, 2019)

Now ya'll made me want to buy a 180mm gyuto. I borrowed @daveb's Watanabe for a test run and I liked it for what it was. I thought it might have been too santoku-like without a pointy tip, so if I were to get want I think I would want something with a pointier tip.


----------



## Xenif (Sep 10, 2019)

I feel like everyone secretly loves their 180 but tell people they love their 240 to defend their manhood.
I found it hard to find the right profile and tip that I like in that length. I ended up with a Maz 180 petty, like shape and tip but as someone mentioned before the heel height is not for everyone. I also strongly considered a Takamura gyuto in that size.


----------



## parbaked (Sep 10, 2019)

The Misono Swedish carbon 180mm gyuto is also a sweet little knife for not a lot of coin...


----------



## XooMG (Sep 10, 2019)

I am fond of my Comet 18cm if I'm not cutting cabbage or other big ingredients.


----------



## Namaxy (Sep 10, 2019)

Like this conversation. Does anyone else feel like height determines the use? I like a very tall, but short knife for mincing shallots, garlic etc. I have an old Yoshikane petty that's only 150ish, but 44mm tall. By contrast, for slicing small tomatoes, I have a less than 30mm tall Tanaka.


----------



## MarkC (Sep 10, 2019)

Namaxy said:


> Like this conversation. Does anyone else feel like height determines the use? I like a very tall, but short knife for mincing shallots, garlic etc. I have an old Yoshikane petty that's only 150ish, but 44mm tall. By contrast, for slicing small tomatoes, I have a less than 30mm tall Tanaka.


I think you are on to something. Too tall at this length and you lose some of the nimbleness of the knife. Too short and you lack clearance.


----------



## MrHiggins (Sep 10, 2019)

parbaked said:


> The Misono Swedish carbon 180mm gyuto is also a sweet little knife for not a lot of coin...


That's my wife's favorite knife. Nice little knife, for sure.


----------



## XooMG (Sep 11, 2019)

Namaxy said:


> Like this conversation. Does anyone else feel like height determines the use? I like a very tall, but short knife for mincing shallots, garlic etc. I have an old Yoshikane petty that's only 150ish, but 44mm tall. By contrast, for slicing small tomatoes, I have a less than 30mm tall Tanaka.


My cooking is very limited and slow, but yeah I like taller blades when cutting small or thin stuff that can climb like green onion, garlic, &c.; and I like narrower blades when I want the knife to make minimal contact.

I think that preference doesn't happen in a vacuum though; height and thickness also translate to weight and flexibility, and those can sometimes be more important factors.


----------



## Matus (Sep 11, 2019)

As a home cook who rarely has larger volume I use my Bryan 195 gyuto a lot. Yes - I do have a 270 Ikeda workhorse too (to feel like a man ), but the smaller gyuto is often all that is needed. Of course - unless I am just playing with my nakiries (and I somehow happen to have 3 of them at the moment), then even the Bryan gyuto must take a break


----------



## toddnmd (Sep 11, 2019)

I love my Harner shorty gyuto (180ish) more than I thought I could love a knife of that length. It's quite tall at the heel, kinda Krameresque in profile. Just feels right in my hand--like the western handle a lot. This was purchased when (way back) Lefty organized a batch. I had Butch make me a longer knife, but it just didn't have the same feel. I'm a fan of the XHP steel he uses.


----------



## Cbt (Sep 11, 2019)

For me 180mm is a very nice size for home use but it has to be tall. That's part of the reason why I skipped the Gyuto and went for a small Chinese cleaver, roughly 180mm in length.
Nevertheless I am currently looking for a 180ish gyuto to alternate with the cleaver because I find it to be very practical in a home kitchen


----------



## Canadian (Sep 11, 2019)

I also like 180mm Gyutos, but only if they have a very light handle i.e. stick tang.


----------



## dafox (Sep 11, 2019)

Canadian said:


> I also like 180mm Gyutos, but only if they have a very light handle i.e. stick tang.


What are a couple of examples?


----------



## DitmasPork (Sep 11, 2019)

Xenif said:


> I feel like everyone secretly loves their 180 but tell people they love their 240 to defend their manhood.
> I found it hard to find the right profile and tip that I like in that length. I ended up with a Maz 180 petty, like shape and tip but as someone mentioned before the heel height is not for everyone. I also strongly considered a Takamura gyuto in that size.



I used to be firmly in the 240 camp, most of my knives are that length—but lately I'm a convert to 225–210. I'll bring out the 240 or 270 if confronted with a mountain of something to cut down, but my 225 is now the primary length for me.

Will be using the 180 a lot more this weekend.


----------



## CiderBear (Sep 11, 2019)

DitmasPork said:


> I used to be firmly in the 240 camp, most of my knives are that length—but lately I'm a convert to 225–210. I'll bring out the 240 or 270 if confronted with a mountain of something to cut down, but my 225 is now the primary length for me.
> 
> Will be using the 180 a lot more this weekend.



I think 225mm is my new sweet spot too. I love my Kochi 225mm V2 so much - it feels a lot more smaller than my 240mm Hinoura - yet it still feels like a "real" knife. I wish it was a more standard offering (I haven't tried a 210mm though - I briefly owned a TF 210mm nashiji that I absolutely hated).

I'm about to order a custom 225mm from the smith whose big knife I've been PMing you about, Xenif


----------



## Brian Weekley (Sep 11, 2019)

“If I could only have one knife”. Seriously, I could probably do everything I need to do with this knife. It’s a Takeda 180mm AS Sasanoha. Classic Takeda, it will rock, chop and slice to an amazing degree. Amazingly stiff for its thickness and blisteringly sharp with ease. Very nice in confined spaces. Great food release. A little shy in the knuckle clearance department ... 46mm but fine at the edge of a small board. One of my favourites in my non-rotating block and first into my small roll when I cook at friends homes.


----------



## MarkC (Sep 11, 2019)

Brian Weekley said:


> “If I could only have one knife”. Seriously, I could probably do everything I need to do with this knife. It’s a Takeda 180mm AS Sasanoha. Classic Takeda, it will rock, chop and slice to an amazing degree. Amazingly stiff for its thickness and blisteringly sharp with ease. Very nice in confined spaces. Great food release. A little shy in the knuckle clearance department ... 46mm but fine at the edge of a small board. One of my favourites in my non-rotating block and first into my small roll when I cook at friends homes.
> 
> 
> View attachment 60832


Nice knife. Unfortunately, there are always good comments on older Takeda's but new ones seem to be all over the map. I have always liked that they are a bit taller. 46mm for a 180mm knife seems about perfect to me.


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 11, 2019)

DitmasPork said:


> I used to be firmly in the 240 camp, most of my knives are that length—but lately I'm a convert to 225–210. I'll bring out the 240 or 270 if confronted with a mountain of something to cut down, but my 225 is now the primary length for me.


Thats about where I am.


----------



## Barmoley (Sep 11, 2019)

Shorter knives can be very good when designed as a shorter knife from the get go. Many of the shorter knives are just scaled down versions of longer knives and in that case they don't work as well. The profile of a shorter knife needs to be different for it to work well as the main knife. It needs to be taller and flatter, then it can substitute a longer knife pretty well. For myself 225-230 that is flatter and taller can easily substitute a longer knife and would probably be my preference. The custom 180 I have is also excellent, but it is 45mm tall, so pretty tall for it's length.

Do most who like shorter knives use them with the same grip as longer knives?


----------



## DitmasPork (Sep 11, 2019)

Corradobrit1 said:


> Thats about where I am.



Reasons for my shift is that much of the large scale cooking I do is for family feasts when visiting Hawaii, where mom has tiny cutting boards; also 225 affords me enough blade length for how I cook.


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 11, 2019)

Barmoley said:


> Do most who like shorter knives use them with the same grip as longer knives?


I use a 2 finger pinch grip with my longer/taller 210+ gyutos and a 1 finger grip with shorter gyutos/petties for a little more control when less force is needed


----------



## Brian Weekley (Sep 11, 2019)

Pinch grip for all but slicing then index finger on top for slicing thinner cuts ... up to 2”. Tennis racket style for greater than 2”. One of the nice things about my Takeda is that it tracks nicely when slicing ... carving? ... thicker cuts. Me thinks that’s to do with excellent food release and a very sharp edge. One of the nicest things about the Takeda is the ease with which it’s edge can be touched up. I carry an old Arkansas pocket stone in my roll and can tune the edge if needed in seconds. I prefer that to a steel.


----------



## parbaked (Sep 11, 2019)

Barmoley said:


> The profile of a shorter knife needs to be different for it to work well as the main knife. It needs to be taller and flatter, then it can substitute a longer knife pretty well.



That sounds like a santoku!

[QUOTE="Do most who like shorter knives use them with the same grip as longer knives?[/QUOTE]

With shorter knives, I use a modified pinch where my thumb is on the ferrule or bolster instead of on the emoto or blade. This gives a bit more knuckle clearance and allows me to use the entire length of the blade. I find on longer, blade heavier wa-handle knives, I pinch the blade and don't use the heel portion of the edge much at all.


----------



## Barmoley (Sep 11, 2019)

parbaked said:


> That sounds like a santoku!



It could be a santoku, I am dubious where the santoku stops and gyuto begins a lot of overlap for sure. To me it is the shape of the tip that makes them somewhat different, but for some knives I wouldn't be able to tell what it is.



parbaked said:


> With shorter knives, I use a modified pinch where my thumb is on the ferrule or bolster instead of on the emoto or blade. This gives a bit more knuckle clearance and allows me to use the entire length of the blade. I find on longer, blade heavier wa-handle knives, I pinch the blade and don't use the heel portion of the edge much at all.



I think many do this to both shorter and longer knives, on 240+ people grab deeper on the blade and the heel is used very little if at all, while the blade is being effectively shortened because of how much length is taken up by the grip. On shorter blades we hold differently extending the usable edge length.


----------



## MarkC (Sep 11, 2019)

Like most tasks, there are many ways to attack the issue and get the job done. If you go by this board, it seems the dominant way to approach meal prep is to go bigger and bigger with gyuto style knives. If you look at knives a few years ago, there did not seem to be as wide a preference for longer knives and more recently really tall knives. In the quest to use one knife for everything, it seems like we are trying to add the height and flat spot of a nakiri to a knife that can also rick and have a very thin edge and tip.

What I like about comments on this thread is that people are asking whether a smaller gyuto perhaps paired with something else (nakiri, bunka, or just a longer flatter bigger gyuto) might be a more efficient way to attack prep. It has given me reason for rethinking some of my own preferences. I wonder if some of this is due to the changes in diet and meal preferences with vegetables taking a larger place on the plate.


----------



## HRC_64 (Sep 11, 2019)

Both of these are great shapes:
180x35 Suji/Petty/Gyuto Hybrid 
180x55 Funayuki

That being said, see Salty's classic video on Knife size...
to appreciate why the '240' is a 'standard size' as well


----------



## ian (Sep 11, 2019)

HRC_64 said:


> Both of these are great shapes:
> 180x35 Suji/Petty/Gyuto Hybrid
> 180x55 Funayuki
> 
> ...




The explanation in the vid is a bit limited to me. I don’t rock, and a 240 suits me because there are many situations where I want to cut more produce at once than is comfortable with a 210. More length = more ability to stack things side by side. Also, it’s easier to use on big items, like halving cauliflower, without getting your fingers all up in the product’s business. Anyway, whatever, this is all obvious.


----------



## HRC_64 (Sep 11, 2019)

ian said:


> ...there are many situations where I want to cut more produce at once than is comfortable with a 210...



At the end of the day, a 180 and a 240 work very well together...so my vote is for "both"


----------



## Mute-on (Sep 11, 2019)

Love a 180 gyuto. I actually prefer it to a 210. The next size up that has greater utility is 225-240. 

I have a Kato WH, Hinoura and Mazaki in a 180. Prefer the Kato, but not used the others extensively. 

A 180 matches a 165 Nakiri and a 150 petty very nicely for an extremely versatile home use combination, particularly if space is at all limited.


----------



## Brian Weekley (Sep 11, 2019)

64 ... Agreed! There is a place for both and more. That’s one of the appeals of Japanese style knives. Different styles and sizes with each having a role to play. Not to forget that the Gyuto itself is a relatively recent westernized invention. I have a non-rotating block in my kitchen. These are knives that I reach for all the time. Big news ... no 240 gyutos in my non-rotating block. My 180mm Takeda gyuto is one of those in my non-rotating block. Always there and first to go into my small roll when I cook for others. Why ... for what I cook and the numbers I cook for the 180 gyuto works great. I also have a rotating block which accommodates my recent purchases in turn and some oldies but goodies when I want to remenisce (sp). I have many 240 gyutos and I rotate through them with pleasure. My knife drawer contains many other knives that I reach for when the occasion demands. Deba’s, Yanigaba’s, kiritsuki’s, honeski’s, western style Wustoff’s, Victorinox paring, chefs and specialties like Kramer this and that. Finally a box or two of knives in boxes waiting for something. The point of all of this ... a sharpened spoon can butcher a cow if required. All the rest is circumstance and personal preference. Life is good!


----------



## Michi (Sep 11, 2019)

I got by with an 18 cm Wüsthof chef's knife for several decades, doing pretty much everything with that. For a lot of prep work, I find 180 mm sufficient.

I now use a Saji 180 mm Bunka for smaller jobs.



It still has enough heft to feel solid, and the heel is tall enough to do serious work. And it's a fun knife to use. I reach for a 210 mm or 255 mm when I'm doing bulk stuff, or really need the length to slice through something large in a single clean cut.


----------



## JoBone (Sep 11, 2019)

I got a masamoto 180 for my wife and really liked the size, so I purchased a TF 190. The 190 is a nice size for me, it works well with my limited counter space and I can rest easy knowing I have a bigger knife than my wife.

For some reason, I got in a kick and purchase 4 240s within a few months; they don’t work well with my counter space so I tend to prefer smaller knives at home. When I thin out my collection, I won’t start with the 180-210s...


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 11, 2019)

JoBone said:


> TF 190.


Does that have the finger notch? I find TF's with this feature reduce the useable edge length 10-20mm. So a 210 is really a 190 or 200


----------



## MarkC (Sep 11, 2019)

Michi said:


> I got by with an 18 cm Wüsthof chef's knife for several decades, doing pretty much everything with that. For a lot of prep work, I find 180 mm sufficient.
> 
> I now use a Saji 180 mm Bunka for smaller jobs.
> View attachment 60848
> ...


Nice comment. I purchased a Wat Nakiri and it is what got me thinking about this. It seems like some people are buying big Gyutos to get a tall flat spot and they want a tapered tip to do finer work. I am going to try using the Wat for major chopping work, which by the way it is great at, and use a smaller Gyuto for smaller more controlled work. Both knifes will be relatively short at 180mm giving me the ability to work in smaller areas. Now just need to pick the Gyuto.


----------



## Keat (Sep 12, 2019)

On the topic of 180 gyutos, the 180 Shig Western Kitaeji on BST right now is about as awesome as it gets. If I had that knife, I'd figure out how to love the size.


----------



## gcsquared (Sep 12, 2019)

I have a Watanabe blue 1 honyaki 170mm mini gyuto / tall petty. And recently received a Dalman 185mm honyaki gyuto. The difference might seem small, but 15mm does really make a difference for a blade of this size.

I feel like I can use the Dalman like I would a normal gyuto, while the Watanabe behaves a lot more like a petty.


----------



## Canadian (Sep 12, 2019)

dafox said:


> What are a couple of examples?




Pretty much any wa-gyuto w/standard ho handle. 

Or Sabatiers w/rat-tail tang (Nogent).


----------



## HRC_64 (Sep 13, 2019)

gcsquared said:


> I have a Watanabe blue 1 honyaki 170mm mini gyuto / tall petty. And recently received a Dalman 185mm honyaki gyuto. The difference might seem small, but 15mm does really make a difference for a blade of this size.



The heel height is another one, a 37 vs a 47. these will have very different performance tradeoffs.


----------



## DitmasPork (Sep 14, 2019)

180 French gyuto taking down a punnet of Brussel sprouts.

For me, main advantage of a 180 is it's a minimalist setup, is not needing a petty when prepping. Wouldn't want a 180 gyuto to be too tall, or it would feel too Santoku-esque.

The 180 will never replace my 220–240 gyutos, but very useful.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2VRXQvgGYC/

[Note: this is time-lapse, I don't cut that fast.]


----------



## ian (Sep 14, 2019)

Dude, you pummeled that punnet.


----------



## DitmasPork (Sep 14, 2019)

ian said:


> Dude, you pummeled that punnet.



The magic of fast motion video!


----------



## MarkC (Sep 17, 2019)

So I thought I would update where I ended up on this topic. I purchased Mutsumi Hinoura 180mm. Stats are 185mm X 50mm and weighs in at 160 grams. I have only had it for a short time but really like the knife. But the thing I was curious about seems to be true for me. I am slowing down, working on my technique a bit more (I can get sloppy), utilize the full blade more, feel like I can control my tip work better. I appreciate my 240's but there is a place for this knife and I think it may be a good way to work on my skills.

https://imgur.com/VVV7VEH


----------



## CiderBear (Sep 17, 2019)

@MarkC nice!! Is that the iron clad aogami super from CC? I kept looking at the stats, and I think the height sounds perfect for a shot gyuto


----------



## MarkC (Sep 17, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> @MarkC nice!! Is that the iron clad aogami super from CC? I kept looking at the stats, and I think the height sounds perfect for a shot gyuto


No, it is a stainless clad version. I am not as concerned about being able to thin stainless knives as some on the board. The only place that had them in stock when I ordered was Portland Knife House (also in Phoenix). Their website was under rebuild but very helpful on the phone and via email. Very good service and would recommend. I used the knife last night to make a large batch of ratatouille (the cartoon version with all the little rounds) and the knife was fun and very good. I followed your lead and purchased a Wat nakiri a couple of weeks ago and am enjoying the two 180mm knives so far. 

The 180mm idea may not be for everyone but I think for many things I am doing they may be the ticket for now. Thinking about adding a petty to round things out. Struggling with size on that decision as well.


----------



## CiderBear (Sep 17, 2019)

@MarkC You can't just mention having the Wat nakiri and not show them side by side man


----------



## MarkC (Sep 17, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> @MarkC You can't just mention having the Wat nakiri and not show them side by side man


https://imgur.com/gallery/grEBkw0


----------



## ian (Sep 17, 2019)

MarkC said:


> The 180mm idea may not be for everyone but I think for many things I am doing they may be the ticket for now. Thinking about adding a petty to round things out. Struggling with size on that decision as well.



I suggest 180mm. 

(Really like my current 180 petties, though, and have a custom from Heiji on order.)


----------



## MarkC (Sep 17, 2019)

Thinking it might be a bit long.


----------



## parbaked (Sep 17, 2019)

I think a 137mm x 32mm petty pairs well with my 180mm x 48mm gyuto: TFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTF


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Sep 17, 2019)

Love that custom handle. Perfect combo meal deal. TFTFTFTFTF


----------



## MarkC (Sep 17, 2019)

parbaked said:


> I think a 137mm x 32mm petty pairs well with my 180mm x 48mm gyuto: TFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTF
> View attachment 61285


Beautiful. Have been thinking about 150mm so your 137 seems right on point.


----------



## CiderBear (Sep 17, 2019)

@MarkC I really like your duo! Thanks for showing me the Hinoura next to the Wat!


----------



## OnionSlicer (Sep 27, 2019)

parbaked said:


> I use 180mm at home. Good size for my board and sink.
> I have 4 very different ones:
> View attachment 60723
> 
> ...



I'd love to hear how those 4 compare in your experience. And that LaSeur looks real classy.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Sep 27, 2019)

I find many makers have a hard time achieving decent height and having a pointy tip with 180's. So many resemble santokus to me. 

Because of that, I am more drawn to a 165mm+ bunka.

That being said, I have a 180mm Tanaka wa R2 damascus gyuto that I grab for a service board knife frequently.


----------



## Keith Sinclair (Sep 28, 2019)

My only K tip is a 180 Kochi. I grab it all the time as a home blade. It is impossible to rock chop with that knife. Forward push & chopping it is a weapon.


----------



## Michi (Sep 28, 2019)

Keith Sinclair said:


> My only K tip is a 180 Kochi. I grab it all the time as a home blade. It is impossible to rock chop with that knife. Forward push & chopping it is a weapon.


My 175 mm (actual length) Saji bunka is the same. Definitely not a rocker.

Below are the Saji, a 210 mm Shun Hiro, and a 250 mm Masamoto KS. Obviously, the Shun is the one I use for rock chopping and most general work. The Masamoto is great for slicing, chopping, and push cuts. It can be used to rock, but isn't great at it: a bit too long and bit too flat. But fun to use for larger quantities. The Saji is what I use for smaller casual jobs, such as cutting slices of salami, cheese, smaller vegetables, such as radishes, and similar produce.


----------



## DitmasPork (Oct 1, 2019)

Just added this 180 Takamura gyuto to my kitchen, won it yesterday during the raffle of the MTC open house. Awesome knife.


----------



## dafox (Oct 1, 2019)

DitmasPork said:


> Just added this 180 Takamura gyuto to my kitchen, won it yesterday during the raffle of the MTC open house. Awesome knife.


I also have one of those, it's been getting a lot of use. I like it!


----------



## DitmasPork (Oct 1, 2019)

dafox said:


> I also have one of those, it's been getting a lot of use. I like it!


Thrilled to get it. Gotta say that I’ve been very much a 240, workhorse, carbon guy—digging this little stainless very much. Great bang-for-buck blade.


----------



## CiderBear (Oct 24, 2019)

Digging this up, because I think it'd be pointless to start another thread on short gyutos: How does everyone feel about a 210mm Sakai? (so about 205mm edge length)

Does any of you use one? I keep imagining that it's an inbetween size - too long for something you can comfortably do with a 180mm gyuto, and too short for something you can do with a 225mm one.

What's your onion on this?


----------



## K813zra (Oct 24, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Digging this up, because I think it'd be pointless to start another thread on short gyutos: How does everyone feel about a 210mm Sakai? (so about 205mm edge length)
> 
> Does any of you use one? I keep imagining that it's an inbetween size - too long for something you can comfortably do with a 180mm gyuto, and too short for something you can do with a 225mm one.
> 
> What's your onion on this?



My ginga is 210 (204) and length wise I don't really notice much of a difference with my 180s, generally speaking. It is very, very flexy compared to its 240 sibling though! I don't find knife length to be an issue as a home cook, typically. 165, 255, w/e.


----------



## CiderBear (Oct 24, 2019)

K813zra said:


> My ginga is 210 (204) and length wise I don't really notice much of a difference with my 180s, generally speaking. It is very, very flexy compared to its 240 sibling though! I don't find knife length to be an issue as a home cook, typically. 165, 255, w/e.



Thanks for your input! With a 205mm knife, what are the pros and cons between a laser profile like your Ginga VS a Sanjo choker?


----------



## McMan (Oct 24, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Digging this up, because I think it'd be pointless to start another thread on short gyutos: How does everyone feel about a 210mm Sakai? (so about 205mm edge length)
> 
> Does any of you use one? I keep imagining that it's an inbetween size - too long for something you can comfortably do with a 180mm gyuto, and too short for something you can do with a 225mm one.
> 
> What's your onion on this?


More like 195mm... Sakais tend to be 15mm shorter.
I think sometimes differences in lengths can get blown out of proportion--the difference between, say a 180 and a 195 is half an inch. For me, that's not super significant. The difference between 210 and 270, that's significant.
I like 180mm, I like 195mm, I like 210mm, I like 240mm...


----------



## dafox (Oct 24, 2019)

I have a Suisin Inox honyaki 210, 205mm gyuto. I mostly use it for cutting sushi rolls, and for fine vegy prep like taking strips of cucumber skin off to leave green stripes then finely slicing the cucumber for an Asian cucumber salad.


----------



## K813zra (Oct 24, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Thanks for your input! With a 205mm knife, what are the pros and cons between a laser profile like your Ginga VS a Sanjo choker?



I don't have a lot of experience with sanjo blades in general tbh (mostly with sakai and echizen). Having said that, height, stiffness and food separation come to mind. The ginga (and kono) are good at in hand stuff, for me, as well, which lends to their petty like feel. Larger 210's feel more like a proper gyuto, to me, if that makes sense. 

But that is just the preference of a home cook with limited experience.


----------



## MowgFace (Oct 25, 2019)

My Ginga is like 203. The length isn’t what gets me, it’s the heel height. I love the knife, it’s just more effectively a short suji, or line knife with the 42mm height for me.


----------



## CiderBear (Oct 25, 2019)

Thank you for the perspective. I almost forgot that the difference between 214mm (my Morihei Hisamoto which I adore) and 205mm is only a little less than a cm, not like the Morihei and, say, 245mm Hinoura or 244mm Watanabe.

I guess the next thing to take into account is blade height and weight. I love my morihei at 54mm and 200+g. I'm not sure if I would like something 49mm tall and only weight around 160g.

But I won't know unless I get to try one, arghhhhh


----------



## daveb (Oct 25, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> But I won't know unless I get to try one, arghhhhh



If you put that to music it would be our theme song


----------



## MarkC (Oct 25, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Thanks for your input! With a 205mm knife, what are the pros and cons between a laser profile like your Ginga VS a Sanjo choker?


I can't give you an apples to apples comparison on size but I have an Ashi Ginga 240mm and a Matsumi Hinoura 180mm. I use the knives very differently due to their profile and weight. I prefer the Matsumi. The weight of the knife, the grind that seems to have food just fall off of it is a joy for me. Even though the Ashi is longer, I tend to use the tip more and for finer work. For my style of prep and cutting, I tend to reach for the Matsumi. I just love the knife.


----------



## HRC_64 (Oct 25, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Thank you for the perspective. I almost forgot that the difference between 214mm (my Morihei Hisamoto which I adore) and 205mm is only a little less than a cm, not like the Morihei and, say, 245mm Hinoura or 244mm Watanabe.
> 
> I guess the next thing to take into account is blade height and weight. I love my morihei at 54mm and 200+g. I'm not sure if I would like something 49mm tall and only weight around 160g.
> 
> But I won't know unless I get to try one, arghhhhh



The advantage of something like 200x43 is the small footprint when you put it down.
Also, its can be made with a better slicing characteristic (flat profile).

Both of these are useful in a line-kife, or a "utility" knife @home.

215x54 is actually a great profile on a 210 because it has proper
hand clearance, most w/ lesser height are more like santoku 46-47
they are stuck in "uncanny valley" of being neither her nor there.


----------



## CiderBear (Oct 25, 2019)

HRC_64 said:


> The advantage of something like 200x43 is the small footprint when you put it down.
> Also, its can be made with a better slicing characteristic (flat profile).
> 
> Both of these are useful in a line-kife, or a "utility" knife @home.
> ...



I agree with your assessment on the profile completely. The 54mm height and pointy tip makes the knife really fun to use, plus it's got a bit of heft to it, too, so it still feels like using a "pwoper" knife.






I'm just a bit hesitant that a 205x50 knife at 160g would feel more like a giant petty and not a small gyuto. Hmmmm.

I don't know why I even care about blade height tbh. My hand size is probably in the 2th percentile here...

@daveb I should turn that like into a ringtone

@MarkC thank you. How much does the Hinoura weight?


----------



## MarkC (Oct 25, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> I agree with your assessment on the profile completely. The 54mm height and pointy tip makes the knife really fun to use, plus it's got a bit of heft to it, too, so it still feels like using a "pwoper" knife.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


160 grams. 190mm from the handle to the tip / 49mm tall.


----------



## rob (Nov 29, 2019)

While not the obvious choice for bulk prep i love my 180mm knives.

Light,nimble and great for more detailed work. Also fun to use and ideal for changing things up.


----------



## Benuser (Nov 30, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> What are the pros and cons between a 180mm gyuto and 180mm santoku?


Tip on gyuto is higher. When a santoku isn't only used for push-cutting, expect the tip to get damaged. E.g. when used for 'guillotine and glide'.
Make sure the gyuto isn't too narrow. 
I like the Masahiro VC a lot.


----------



## Michi (Nov 30, 2019)

Benuser said:


> When a santoku isn't only used for push-cutting, expect the tip to get damaged.


I agree; that's my biggest gripe about Santokus. A tall Gyuto of the same length will do everything a Santoku will do, but better. And, if I really want to go for the full-on veggie chopping experience, a Nakiri is the knife to use instead. With a Santoku, I can't rock well, I can't glide on the board well, and I can't chop well unless I don't mind accordions.

A Santoku tries to be too many knives at once and ends up being only "so-so" at the things you would do with the knives it is trying to replace. It's a compromise that almost works, but not quite.

If you can have only one knife, it shouldn't be a Santoku, IMO. Gyutos are lauded as the one "universal" knife for a reason.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Nov 30, 2019)

I have a few knives I used as line knives when I was running ala carte. Lately I've been relegated to running banquets and have much larger cutting boards at my disposal, so these have been collecting dust, unfortunately.


----------



## M1k3 (Nov 30, 2019)

Michi said:


> I agree; that's my biggest gripe about Santokus. A tall Gyuto of the same length will do everything a Santoku will do, but better. And, if I really want to go for the full-on veggie chopping experience, a Nakiri is the knife to use instead. With a Santoku, I can't rock well, I can't glide on the board well, and I can't chop well unless I don't mind accordions.
> 
> A Santoku tries to be too many knives at once and ends up being only "so-so" at the things you would do with the knives it is trying to replace. It's a compromise that almost works, but not quite.
> 
> If you can have only one knife, it shouldn't be a Santoku, IMO. Gyutos are lauded as the one "universal" knife for a reason.



Gyuto/Chef Knife, jack of all trades. Everything is specialized in comparison.


----------



## chefwp (Mar 13, 2021)

rob said:


> While not the obvious choice for bulk prep i love my 180mm knives.
> 
> Light,nimble and great for more detailed work. Also fun to use and ideal for changing things up.


I get you, if I am doing just a couple quick things and the items to be cut isn't huge, I reach form my shorter Hitohira Bunka every time, it is actually a joy to use, although I haven't had it long, before that I reached for a 180mm gyuto, but it is no longer with me.


----------



## Michi (Mar 15, 2021)

My favourite "casual" knife is a 180 mm bunka by Takeshi Saji. It's the perfect knife for those quick and small tasks. Such as cutting some salami for a sandwich, or taking off a few slices of cheese, or chopping a few garlic cloves or pickled gherkins.

It does amazingly well at anything small, better than a 210 (or, heaven forbid, a 240) mm gyuto.

I also have a Yoshikane SLD 150 mm petty. It's a seriously good knife. But I don't enjoy using it anywhere near as much. It has low heel height (it basically is shaped like a short sujihiki), is very light, and—even though it is thin and sharp—it doesn't go through something dense, such as semi-hard cheese or salami, anywhere near as easily as the bunka.

If I could keep only one knife, it would be a 210 mm gyuto. But the 180 mm bunka would be a close contender.


----------



## big_adventure (Mar 15, 2021)

I generally just use longer knives, but if length is a concern, I use a 165 nakiri (have two on the strip) or 165 bunka (one). A 180 gyuto mostly wouldn't appeal to me - too low generally at the heel, not as flat as I like in profile. I have a Muteki that measures 201x50 and that's about as small as I'd like to go for a gyuto shape. I very rarely rock cut, so large bellies are neither necessary nor desirable, and my hands are pretty massive (10 7/8ths inches from thumb to finger spread), so small knives get devoured.


----------



## Keith Sinclair (Mar 15, 2021)

This is the 180 that got for Janice as upgrade to Takamura R2. Off bst for around 160.00.

TF Nashiji with rosewood wa & exposed machi.

We both use it with high heel & tapered tip can do all kind cuts & chopping with it. It's my go to 
for chopping garlic & ginger. Was cutting capers, sweet onion, & dill pickles for tartar sauce for our fish burgers tonight. Handy little blade


----------



## Ochazuke (Mar 15, 2021)

I can’t believe this thread got revived again. 
Oh well, it’s a great place for me to say how much I love 180mm gyuto. Most of y’all must have families or something. For a single home cook, 180mm is my favorite!


----------



## 4wa1l (Mar 15, 2021)

I'm all for the 180mm gyuto. My first nice Japanese knife was this 180x43mm Masakage gyuto. Coming from using smaller utility knives it actually felt like quite a substantial knife at the time. Now I'll generally choose a bigger knife as I'm more comfortable with them but for most of my uses at home the 180 was/is sufficient. I still use it all the time especially for smaller jobs.


----------



## HumbleHomeCook (Mar 15, 2021)

I have a 165mm Suncraft Senzo bunka that I love using. Light and nimble and can actually handle a lot of the tasks I perform. Space is a bit of a premium in my kitchen so really long knives are not appealing. I do have a 210 gyuto and will no doubt add more but for now, I ordered a Tadafusa Nashiji 180mm gyuto from Epic Edge this weekend and very much looking forward to it arriving and seeing how we get along.


----------



## DavidPF (Mar 16, 2021)

big_adventure said:


> A 180 gyuto mostly wouldn't appeal to me - too low generally at the heel


It seems odd to me that gyutos would be proportionally less tall when they're not as long. If I bought a 330 mm gyuto (of course I never would, because I wouldn't really be able to use it anyway...) but if I did, I _wouldn't_ be hoping for it to be 90 mm at the heel or something.


----------



## Duukt (Mar 16, 2021)

DavidPF said:


> It seems odd to me that gyutos would be proportionally less tall when they're not as long. If I bought a 330 mm gyuto (of course I never would, because I wouldn't really be able to use it anyway...) but if I did, I _wouldn't_ be hoping for it to be 90 mm at the heel or something.


Seems like a lot of gyutos seem to scale up or down based on the length because they try to keep the profile the same. If they kept the height the same or didn't scale it by the same height to length ratio, the knife would look and feel different or would lose the flat spot. The ZKramer's being a good example where they keep the height the same and the flat spot gets shorter on the 8" and disappears on the 6" model.


----------



## DavidPF (Mar 16, 2021)

Duukt said:


> The ZKramer's being a good example where they keep the height the same and the flat spot gets shorter on the 8" and disappears on the 6" model.


I get what you're saying... I'd think it would make sense (for knives with a real flat spot) to have it flat for approximately a certain percent of the overall length - bigger knife, bigger flat spot. I guess this would mean it looked out of proportion in other ways, but at least it would be usable for its purpose. 

Those tiny cars (Smart and so on) don't have a four-inch diameter steering wheel, and you don't have to be under three feet tall to drive one.  The human-sized parts have to stay human-sized, within reason. I think the same general idea applies to knuckle clearance on gyutos - otherwise the knife stops suiting its main purpose.


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Mar 16, 2021)

My new 195 is effectively about 185, once the finger is in the notch. Its only 2mm shorter than my 210 which is 51mm, so some makers can still maintain height as the edge length reduces. This should be a fun knife in the new campervan.


----------



## MarcelNL (Mar 16, 2021)

makes sense, I recently wondered about length in relation to grip style and concluded that grip must have an effect, and nobody wants to bang his knuckles on the board so there likely is a threshold for minimum workable height


----------



## DavidPF (Mar 16, 2021)

It might benefit some knife makers to design semi-workable gyutos at 120 mm and 360 mm - never actually make them, because nobody would buy them - and then work those features towards the middle, instead of designing only at their preferred size and then progressively mangling it to make other sizes.


----------



## Barmoley (Mar 16, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> makes sense, I recently wondered about length in relation to grip style and concluded that grip must have an effect, and nobody wants to bang his knuckles on the board so there likely is a threshold for minimum workable height


Grip definitely makes a difference and most people can adjust to varied heights and lengths. @JBroida has a video somewhere on how to use a relatively short at the heel knife without banging your knuckles on the board as long as the knife is long enough. Any knife can be used, might not be as efficient, but not impossible.


----------



## tcmx3 (Mar 16, 2021)

DavidPF said:


> I get what you're saying... I'd think it would make sense (for knives with a real flat spot) to have it flat for approximately a certain percent of the overall length - bigger knife, bigger flat spot. I guess this would mean it looked out of proportion in other ways, but at least it would be usable for its purpose.
> 
> Those tiny cars (Smart and so on) don't have a four-inch diameter steering wheel, and you don't have to be under three feet tall to drive one.  The human-sized parts have to stay human-sized, within reason. I think the same general idea applies to knuckle clearance on gyutos - otherwise the knife stops suiting its main purpose.



Ive been in a porsche boxster with a person who won an NCAA championship... for basketball. they fit no problem. absolutely tiny car.

anyway I dont have a ton to add I think 180 is a fantastic size. Ive been really enjoying smaller knives lately after years of a pretty strong bias against them. as long as it's >45 or so mm I can manage.


----------



## DavidPF (Mar 16, 2021)

It doesn't have to be ultra-tall, it doesn't have to be any kind of ideal, it just has to be enough to "qualify" for being generally usable on a board. (I would probably add "by a lot of people, not just for the tiniest fingers in the world".)


----------



## why-am-i-bleeding (Mar 18, 2021)

McMan said:


> I knew this one looked familiar... not that I've ever seen it in person--I wish!
> It's a Machida Itsushi.
> Out of Stock ATM:
> Machida Itsushi Santoku Gyuto 183mm Multiplex Layer Bohler K990 [out of stock]


Epic


----------



## LawChef (Jul 19, 2022)

rob said:


> While not the obvious choice for bulk prep i love my 180mm knives.
> 
> Light,nimble and great for more detailed work. Also fun to use and ideal for changing things up.
> 
> View attachment 65750


Hi Rob - all gorgeous kives. what are they? Especially the smaller one on the far right. Thx


----------



## rob (Jul 19, 2022)

LawChef said:


> Hi Rob - all gorgeous kives. what are they? Especially the smaller one on the far right. Thx


Thank you.
From L-R DP custom knives, Jelle Hazenburg, Mert Tansu, Jelle Hazenburg. Here a couple of other photos.


----------

