# Alexander Bazes 225mm Gyuto review



## Matt Zilliox (Apr 8, 2020)

Hey all,
My first review. Alexander Bazes 225mm Gyuto. I just fell in love with this knife right away, and now I've spent some time with it, I like it more and more! I'm not one to write up reviews, but I took a leap of faith in the BST with this knife and have been beyond surprised at how good it is! I just had to hype this guy up some.





Asymmetric grind gyuto
225mm x 54mm overall length 365mm
iron clad hitachi blue 2 steel hardness approx 62-63
thickness: 4mm - 2.6mm at mid blade
218g
rosewood and copper handle

This knife is very thin behind the edge, much like my Halcyon Forge. The asymmetric grind is elegant, and useful as a righty. Flat on the left and slightly convexed on the right. Its very nice. I would not have guessed. I have not noticed steering issues as a result. I am putting a bit more micro bevel on the flat side to compensate.




Its jumps through food! I tested it on a butternut and it forgot to hesitate, just slid through! I took a pic and sent it to Alexander for the IG. Today was sweet potato and yams, garlic and shallot, kale and asparagus. Quite a variety. It performed well on everything, but is most eye opening on starchy veggies. It slides right through, no breaking, glassy smooth on the tongue kinda cuts. really fun. Some stiction, but better than I'd have thought. The bit of convexity probably helps with food release, as its not at all sticky. On shallots and garlic, the slightly chunky tip is not ideal, but not much of a setback. Rock chopped the garlic just fine. 




It pushes and pulls well, and has a substantial flat as well as a nicely shaped tip for rocking cuts. Plenty deep for clearance. It's very well balanced, the handle is quite comfy, its balanced just in front of the choil. (sorry, forgot choil shot, tomorrow in better light)




Aogami 2 is one of my favorite steels to use and sharpen. The iron is lovely and has nice layered patterns to be found. This steel is hardened well, as its quite thin at the edge and I've not noticed any edge issues, no rolling, no chipping. It holds its edge very well so far, but I've not had it long. It sharpens and polishes really well, very satisfying. The fit and finish is top notch. 





2 potential negatives:
no makers mark,
tip is a bit thick for intricate work.

My overall impressions are very good. It performs right up there with my Raquin and Haclyon Forge, and has an aesthetic I really love. If its a maker you are thinking of trying, I would say do not be afraid of the fit, finish, or performance. The profile is also very intuitive and works well for many tasks. The brass bolster is stunning, on an otherwise very handsome handle. This knife is the whole package.


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## soigne_west (Apr 8, 2020)

Nice write up. I’ve been following him for a while and have been interested in his knives. He does stunning work. It’s nice to hear some perspective on him as a maker. Thanks for sharing.


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## Gregmega (Jun 9, 2020)

Thanks Matt. Tell ya what- if you ever need to move this, look no further. I’ve always been interested in his work.


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## daddy yo yo (Jun 9, 2020)

Wow, I absolutely love that blade!


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## osakajoe (Jun 9, 2020)

Glad to see this. Alex is a good guy and was curious to see what others thought of his knives.


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## Matt Zilliox (Jun 9, 2020)

Still my top choice, the Heldqvistmide is right there with it, but this thing is just so good at most everything. and its really fun to polish


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