# Brief review of a 240 gyuto by MSicardCutlery



## ampersandcetera (Jun 23, 2022)

I don't have pics of the used knife because it lives on the mag-strip at work, but here's the original thread for reference SOLD - Left Hand 240mm 52100 Gyuto I've got some free time this afternoon and figured I'd post a review, since he's been really active in the community lately. This is solely my opinion, and I have not been asked to give a review by the maker.

I picked this up on a whim because I was curious about a lefty-biased grind and the price was right, and I'm glad I took a chance on it. OOTB Edge was pretty good, but I did immediately put it on the stones and get a feel for the HT and how easily it sharpened--like most 52100 knives I've used it sharpened up very easily and held a great toothy edge for my whole shift on the line. What impressed me most about the knife was the fit and finish: really comfortable rounding on the spine and choil, clean handle install, and overall a very clean and well-finished piece, especially for under $200. Nice distal taper, but a bit thicker at the tip than I usually prefer. I wish I had the tools to measure that for you but I do not. I'd compare it to my Yoshikane Tsuchime SKD or even my Steelport in terms of F&F, so it's surely punching above its weight in that regard.

It's a workhorse weight and grind, for sure, and I had no problem using it for every task on the line--hard vegetables, herbs, portioning proteins, cutting bread, etc. I really put the thing through its paces, and I got no chipping and very little edge rolling after a full week of service with just some light honing on a Mac ceramic rod. With no frame of reference for a "left hand biased" grind, other than having to adjust to the occasional 70/30 righty knife for most of my life, I think I had about 10 cuts with some mild steering before I made some natural adjustment and stopped noticing the bias entirely. After developing a working patina within a few days of use, I found food release to be above average, again on par with my Steelport (same steel), better than my Toyama SS 270 (which is quite righty biased), and not quite on par with my Yoshikane 240 or Toyama nakiri (which are the best performers in my collection by a huge margin, IMO). It's also reminded me of how much I enjoy 52100 as a knife steel--tough, easy to maintain, and enjoyable to sharpen. I think if I had the chance to rebuild my kit all over again, I'd just get all of my knives in 52100, Blue #2, and SKD and not bother with anything else.

It wedged a bit with some larger/sturdier veg, especially as I cut closer to the heel, and I did have some initial sticking at the tip while doing some onion/shallot and celery brunoise. So I decided to use it to practice my thinning and gave myself an excuse to buy a Shapton 500. After a couple sharpening sessions with 5-7 minutes of thinning each time on the 500 (with extra attention to the tip and first 1/3 of the blade), I've grown to really enjoy using the knife for everyday work tasks. Now that the tip is a little thinner and I've eased the shoulders a bit, I'm getting much less wedging and minimal stiction, and it still feels like a tank of a knife. I trust it to take a beating on the line, it cleans up with minimal patina maintenance, and it usually can go 2-3 shifts without needing a light touch up on a 1000 grit stone. This will be my hard-use knife for a good long while, and has freed up some of my more expensive pieces for when I'm not pressed for time or can't be bothered to bring my whole knife roll to work or a catering gig.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend checking out @MSicardCutlery if you're looking for a good workhorse piece at a ~$200 price point and you don't want White#2. I'm sure as he continues to produce his prices will go up to reflect the F&F. I will definitely be on the lookout for new stuff coming from him in the future.

Thanks for reading.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jun 23, 2022)

I have one of Matt's creations making its way south to me right now.

Great guy to work with!


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## labor of love (Jun 24, 2022)

Very nice read! I’m also left handed and am expecting something from him soon. I’ll return to this thread to include my thoughts after some use.


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## Matt Jacobs (Jun 24, 2022)

thank you for the review, I keep almost pulling the trigger on his work, infact as a lefty you got the one I was going to buy
How would you compare the thickness to the Steelport? I had one for a bit and while I think the heat treat may have been the best I have used on a knife, it was just too thick for me to continue to use. I decided to sell it rather than thin because I wasnt sure how chippy the steel would be at that hardness.


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## Delat (Jun 24, 2022)

Matt Jacobs said:


> thank you for the review, I keep almost pulling the trigger on his work, infact as a lefty you got the one I was going to buy
> How would you compare the thickness to the Steelport? I had one for a bit and while I think the heat treat may have been the best I have used on a knife, it was just too thick for me to continue to use. I decided to sell it rather than thin because I wasnt sure how chippy the steel would be at that hardness.



He seems to do different grinds, I’ve mostly seen very thin, lightweight lasers from him. The thicker workhorse seems to be more of a rarity.

I’d love to try one out if he ever adds some visual interest, like ku/tshuchime/etched sanmai + a more interesting handle.


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## esoo (Jun 24, 2022)

Delat said:


> He seems to do different grinds, I’ve mostly seen very thin, lightweight lasers from him. The thicker workhorse seems to be more of a rarity.
> 
> I’d love to try one out if he ever adds some visual interest, like ku/tshuchime/etched sanmai + a more interesting handle.



He does do some other handles: Arizona Custom Knives


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jun 24, 2022)

Matt Jacobs said:


> thank you for the review, I keep almost pulling the trigger on his work, infact as a lefty you got the one I was going to buy
> How would you compare the thickness to the Steelport? I had one for a bit and while I think the heat treat may have been the best I have used on a knife, it was just too thick for me to continue to use. I decided to sell it rather than thin because I wasnt sure how chippy the steel would be at that hardness.


I just completed working with Matt on a full custom. It was a great back and forth exchange. Matt is very open to creating something to your desires provided you can lay the groundwork for him. I had a fair idea of the dimensions and grind I was after and we went from there.




Delat said:


> He seems to do different grinds, I’ve mostly seen very thin, lightweight lasers from him. The thicker workhorse seems to be more of a rarity.
> 
> I’d love to try one out if he ever adds some visual interest, like ku/tshuchime/etched sanmai + a more interesting handle.


Matt does both forging and stock removal and I've seen a couple offerings with different finishes. I know he also has some sweet handle material. Maybe give him a shout and see what he can offer?


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## labor of love (Jul 21, 2022)

Received my Msicard gyuto yesterday. Pretty impressed especially for the price. I’ll be able to comment more after a few days of use.


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## D J (Aug 2, 2022)

I've had a 220mm for a month or so now. The first week was spent finding the edge angle which best suited the knife, all up I did 3 sharpenings. The first was to low and was a prickly edge. The 2nd was higher than the first but still a little prickly (except for the tip it was good from the first to the last) the 3rd was a bit higher again and it was a good smooth edge from heel to tip. The knife has a good solid feel and I've been choosing it over my beater. So after about 3 weeks of use, some of which has been a little bit rough. There is still no need for a resharpening. I'm really happy with the performance of my knife
220mm Gyuto 52100 steel


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