GYUTO | CHEF KNIFE | wooden saya & bamboo gift box | 20cm blade | Kotai

This is Kotai's Gyuto (chef knife) with a 20 cm blade.

The Gyuto is the Japanese equivalent of the chef knife, nimble and well-balanced for a comfortable grip, able to cut anything except bones and frozen food.

• 100% handmade
• Ultra-sharp Japanese 440C high-carbon stainless steel
• Hidden full tang
• Black pakkawood handle
• HRC hardness: 59-60
• Weight: 198g
• Perfectly balanced
• Stainless
• Wooden Saya (sheath or blade cover) included with each knife
• Lifetime warranty

This knife is a hybrid between a Japanese and a German blade profile, the slightly curved belly allows a rocking motion for effortless chopping and mincing while the lowered tip makes precision work easier.

The “Tsuchime” 槌目 (hammered) pattern creates tiny pockets of air between the blade and the food being cut. This ancestral Japanese method reduces drag, thus preventing food from sticking to the blade.

Its 1.8 mm thin blade allows precise and sharp cuts, never crushing even the most delicate food to preserve its full flavor.

Technical details:
Blade length / total length: 20 cm (8") / 33 cm (13")
Weight: 198 g (7 oz)
Thickness at spine: 2.0 mm
Blade angle: 15˚, 50/50 symmetrical grind
Blade material: 440C high-carbon stainless steel
Blade hardness: HRC 60 +/- 1
Steel heat treatment: Cryogenic
Handle material: Black hand-polished pakkawood
 

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Kotai was born as a bridge between Asian and Western cook cutlery. Lightweight, precise and ultra-sharp like a Japanese knife, yet stainless, robust and very durable like a German knife. All the advantages without the disadvantages, no compromises. "Kotai" means "solid" in Japanese; durability and performance are the defining values behind Kotai's creations.

Many would argue that Japanese knives are the best in the world, so why do so few Western chefs use them? After moving to Asia from his hometown in France - and determined to continue his passion for cooking - Kotai founder Jeremie Plane set out on a journey, but found that the knife world was basically split in two:
On one side - Japanese knives - sharp and beautiful, but also very delicate and high-maintenance.
On the other - Western knives - durable and rust-resistant, but not nearly as sharp as their Asian counterparts.

"I thought there had to be a better alternative. I became obsessed with the idea and started talking to countless bladesmiths, designers, steel engineers, professional chefs and regular home cooks. Some of them shared my frustration and joined the project."

Two years and a million prototypes later, KOTAI was born: light, precise and razor-sharp like a Japanese knife, yet stainless, durable and easy to maintain like a German knife. In short, a Japanese knife for the bosses of the West.