# 180mm Gyuto's



## Dave Kinogie (Feb 26, 2018)

So I'm looking to add a 180mm Gyuto to the collection. I really don't have a strict preference on steel, cladding, etc. I do prefer a flatter profile, but I'm really just looking to hear of your favorites and really any 180's you've had hands on experience with. 
I love the idea of a Murray Carter Funayuki, but especially since he stopped offering them with those generic old school round handles, the price on them has gotten a bit brisk. 
Anyway, I don't want to name drop any further before hearing what y'all have to say.


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## valgard (Feb 26, 2018)

Of the accessible ones I've tried Tanaka B2 KU is surprisingly good, like really good. It's more 190mm but who cares.


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## parbaked (Feb 26, 2018)

^ That or the Watanabe with an upgraded handle, if you want something with a little more heft...
http://www.kitchen-knife.jp/pro/gyuto.htm


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## kmtyb (Feb 26, 2018)

I been using Mazaki kasumi 180mm gyuto past few weeks and its has been great! I purchased it first week of Feb for $220 after 15% discount and now its almost $70 cheaper. Great deal!


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## chinacats (Feb 26, 2018)

My thought on a smaller knife would be to keep it thin, something like a Gesshin Ginga.


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## Corradobrit1 (Feb 26, 2018)

I just received a TF Denka 180mm gyuto with western handle direct from Japan. I told them what my specs were ie thin, flat through the last third of the blade and with a nice cladding line. I got what I wanted except the choil is a little thicker at the heel but is very thin behind the edge over the remaining 175mm to the tip.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Feb 26, 2018)

Laser Yo-Gyutos too? If "yo", Takamura and Ryusen make some very pretty ones in 180mm.


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## Sleep (Feb 26, 2018)

valgard said:


> Of the accessible ones I've tried Tanaka B2 KU is surprisingly good, like really good. It's more 190mm but who cares.



+1

I gave mine away to a friend and really miss it! Fit and finish a bit rough but amazing value for money.


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## Marcelo Amaral (Feb 26, 2018)

parbaked said:


> ^ That or the Watanabe with an upgraded handle, if you want something with a little more heft...
> http://www.kitchen-knife.jp/pro/gyuto.htm



+1. Stainless clad, great steel and reasonable price.


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## Dave Kinogie (Feb 26, 2018)

Sleep said:


> +1
> 
> I gave mine away to a friend and really miss it! Fit and finish a bit rough but amazing value for money.



I do like the Tanaka's, they're low height on the heel though. 

Was looking at the Shihan, it's beautiful, 52100 mono and tall, I believe 47 at the heel, not cheap by any means though.


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## Dave Kinogie (Feb 26, 2018)

valgard said:


> Of the accessible ones I've tried Tanaka B2 KU is surprisingly good, like really good. It's more 190mm but who cares.



Wait, the ones I'm looking at are the b2 Damascus.


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## valgard (Feb 26, 2018)

Dave Kinogie said:


> I do like the Tanaka's, they're low height on the heel though.
> 
> Was looking at the Shihan, it's beautiful, 52100 mono and tall, I believe 47 at the heel, not cheap by any means though.



I don't think Tanakas fall into the low heel category, mine is like 47mm which is not low at all for 190mm.


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## Dave Kinogie (Feb 26, 2018)

valgard said:


> I don't think Tanakas fall into the low heel category, mine is like 47mm which is not low at all for 190mm.



No, that is exactly what I'm looking for. The one listed on japanny is listed as 40 though, like a big petty. On Amazon it's listed as 45 though, that would also be fine.


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## Sleep (Feb 26, 2018)

Yeah mine was quite tall for the length. 47mm sounds about right.


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## inzite (Feb 26, 2018)

TF denka 180 or 195 either santoku or gyuto


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## daveb (Feb 26, 2018)

chinacats said:


> My thought on a smaller knife would be to keep it thin, something like a Gesshin Ginga.



I picked up a GG used on bst. Keep it with event stuff for small work in cramped spaces - just like one has at a catered event. Height is perfect, more agile than a 210. Like.


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## fatboylim (Feb 27, 2018)

Kato 180 Gyuto... if you can find one! And you cannot have mine.


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## HRC_64 (Feb 27, 2018)

daveb said:


> I picked up a GG used on bst. Keep it with event stuff for small work in cramped spaces - just like one has at a catered event. Height is perfect, more agile than a 210. Like.



I think 35-41 is fine on a 180 as you get flatter profile
w/o having to force a belly or drop tip into the profile.

A 210 GG came up for sale on BST and it was only ~200x41 or so.
so, yeah...get whatever works. 

at some stage petty/gyuto is a hybird in this range (180-195)
... its all in the eye of the beholder


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## K813zra (Feb 27, 2018)

I have a few 180's and like them a lot! Tanaka B#2 Damascus is wonderful! Watanabe is another one that is is great. However, I really like my Takamura Migaki. It is nice and pointy and high enough at the heel to feel gyuto like but low enough to feel petty like. 

Many choices out there. Good luck!


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## esoo (Feb 27, 2018)

Based upon my experience with the 195mm, I'd assume the 180mm Misono Swedish would be a nice blade. Plus you'd get the flower engraving.


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## JaVa (Feb 27, 2018)

This is so funny. Every time there's a knife questionnaire every one is pushing the 240 size like crazy (me included  ). But now someone is looking for 180 size and suddenly it's a full on 180 gyuto party. All you traitors!!! :lol2: 

It's agile and fun and yadyadayada?

But seriously I do love my 190 Tanaka VG10 dammy. My coworkers Tanaka 190 KU gyuto is a hoot too. Both are way too good for the price. Going by my Watanabe nakiri the 180 KU pro gyuto should be be great. Kinda wish I'd bought that instead of the nakiri.


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## Benuser (Feb 27, 2018)

esoo said:


> Based upon my experience with the 195mm, I'd assume the 180mm Misono Swedish would be a nice blade. Plus you'd get the flower engraving.



The Misono Swedish 180 is narrow, just as the 210. The 195 is here the exception. Consider the Masahiro Virgin Carbon instead.


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## bkultra (Feb 27, 2018)

JaVa said:


> This is so funny. Every time there's a knife questionnaire every one is pushing the 240 size like crazy (me included  ). But now someone is looking for 180 size and suddenly it's a full on 180 gyuto party. All you traitors!!! :lol2:



There a many members that go against the status quo and prefer 180 or 210mm, stainless steel, or god forbid a santoku (read: girl's knife):biggrin: . They just know they are the silent minority and don't bother trying to convince us we have it wrong... like we do to them


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## fatboylim (Feb 27, 2018)

JaVa said:


> This is so funny. Every time there's a knife questionnaire every one is pushing the 240 size like crazy (me included  ). But now someone is looking for 180 size and suddenly it's a full on 180 gyuto party. All you traitors!!! [emoji38]2:
> 
> It's agile and fun and yadyadayada?
> 
> But seriously I do love my 190 Tanaka VG10 dammy. My coworkers Tanaka 190 KU gyuto is a hoot too. Both are way too good for the price. Going by my Watanabe nakiri the 180 KU pro gyuto should be be great. Kinda wish I'd bought that instead of the nakiri.


Many of us go the 240mm and 180mm gyuto combo, plus petty. That said, I sneaked in a 210 just for fun.


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## Benuser (Feb 27, 2018)

bkultra said:


> There a many members that go against the status quo and prefer 180 or 210mm, stainless steel, or god forbid a santoku (read: girl's knife):biggrin: . They just know they are the silent minority and don't bother trying to convince us we have it wrong... like we do to them


Has nothing to do with a silent minority.
I generally will suggest 240 as a standard. I have plenty of chef's between 230 and 270 and bought a relatively wide 180 to try a steel and like it for small tasks at home; I rarely use a petty, and have previously sold all 210s. Still believe a 240 is the most versatile one, and certainly as a one and only.


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## JaVa (Feb 27, 2018)

My eyes, my eyes!!! :bigeek:

A 210 gyuto??? A santoku??? 
Sacrilege!!! 

...So all the dirty little secrets are starting to sneak out?
Shame on you! 

...And for the record I do not own a 210 Takamura! My conscience is clear! :angel2:


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## StonedEdge (Feb 27, 2018)

My choice in the 180 gyuto category would be Watanabe mostly because it will handle and feel like a slightly bigger gyuto than it actually is


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## K813zra (Feb 27, 2018)

Idk I find a 180 narrow gyuto to be quite versatile. I can do every task in my kitchen with my FKH. Not most, all. I still use my KS more but that is beside the point. I could live with a 180 with relative ease. In fact, I did so for a long time and before that I did everything with a 165mm petty. My travel knife is still that exact 180mm FKH.  

In the case of a 180 or even 210 I prefer narrow and a slicer like profile is even better.


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## Keith Sinclair (Feb 27, 2018)

240mm my favorite size for work. Most the knives sell to students & cooks are that. At home have some small knives that get used a lot. White steel petty, small WS Carter, 180mm Kochi K tip. With all the wacky profiles & full heel bolsters in the knife world that are out there, don't know how anyone can trash Santoku's. Ever wonder why some of the top Japanese master knife makers forge santoku's. :cool2:


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## bkultra (Feb 27, 2018)

keithsaltydog said:


> With all the wacky profiles & full heel bolsters in the knife world that are out there, don't know how anyone can trash Santoku's. Ever wonder why some of the top Japanese master knife makers forge santoku's. :cool2:



Women need knives too :sofa:


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## Keith Sinclair (Feb 27, 2018)

Yep there is a video of Teruyasu Fujiwara talking about Mothers handing down knives to their daughters.  Just saying nothing wrong with santoku design.


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## Dave Kinogie (Feb 28, 2018)

Thanks for all the suggestions, also this thread has been funny as hell. 

I do feel like anything at or below a 210 gyuto is shunned, but I've found over the years of using a vast spectrum of knives, I personally gravitate towards 210's, at least in an at home setting. I know a lot of people say they're uncomfortable with 240's +, but for me it couldn't be further from the truth, there are many nimble full length knives and although somewhat embroiled in nostalgia, an original KS is maybe my favorite knife of all time and that comes in over 250. But... I still just prefer 210's. And I love longer, taller petty's even though I feel like it's almost the most unneeded knife aside from a nakiri, which happens to be my favorite style, whether impractical or not. 

The thing that sucks about 210's though, is a lot of them seem to really alter the awesome profile of it's 240 counterpart, which is what it was probably originally designed as and then shrunk, but never proportionately, or maybe disproportionately. So is it worse with a 180? 

But I digress, cause that's why I started this thread haha. Anyway, keep the rec's and the Santoku trashing coming. :laugh:


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## daveb (Feb 28, 2018)

Nothing wrong with Santoku. Like riding a moped - can be fun but you don't want your friends to see you doing it.....


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## Dave Kinogie (Feb 28, 2018)

daveb said:


> Nothing wrong with Santoku. Like riding a moped - can be fun but you don't want your friends to see you doing it.....



Lmao, I swear someone just quoted the same to me on FB the other day... :laugh:


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## Jville (Feb 28, 2018)

Yeah, i used to think i could buy a moped, untill i learned to ride a motorcycle. Then, i was just like uh id rather ride a motorcycle. Anyways, one of my favorite knives for the house is a 240 kono ginsan, which everyone hates on for being so short. Anyways it feels like a 210 and i love it for the house.


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## QCDawg (Feb 28, 2018)

240s are my go to. 270s are my 2 handed sword. 180s (be they petties, nakiri or gyuto) are my daggers. Well used Mazaki petty here.. and a Shig 180 thats just finding its way..https://photos.app.goo.gl/1nHxgmbnMWi38Hov1


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## Benuser (Feb 28, 2018)

daveb said:


> Nothing wrong with Santoku. Like riding a moped - can be fun but you don't want your friends to see you doing it.....



A short gyuto with a low tip isn't too different from a santoku.


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## DamageInc (Feb 28, 2018)

I have an extra thick Catcheside 180 monosteel that I use more than almost any other knife. It's a great little beast. Mine is nearly identical to the one in this video.

[video=youtube;6dCZIXpTRpI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dCZIXpTRpI[/video]


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## K813zra (Feb 28, 2018)

daveb said:


> Nothing wrong with Santoku. Like riding a moped - can be fun but you don't want your friends to see you doing it.....



Idk. Here a scooter is not so useful but when I lived in the city in Spain I had one and it was a very useful means of transportation. Many of my friends had them and many of my students as well. Cheap, good on gas and free parking that you don't have to drive around for an hour to find unlike with a car...Not a moped but close enough.


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## StonedEdge (Feb 28, 2018)

What about a tall petty??


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## jimbob (Feb 28, 2018)

My watanabe 180 guyuto in arts-34 could easily pass as a santoku. Either way it works at treat!


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## HRC_64 (Feb 28, 2018)

this is doi santoku profile, also not bad


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Feb 28, 2018)

HRC_64 more funayuki than santoku like...


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Feb 28, 2018)

@daveb they see me with an edge that ain't rollin', they hatin' ...


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