Takamura Gyuto VG-10 Tsuchime 180mm (7.1″)

Takamura Gyuto VG-10 Tsuchime 180mm (7.1″) is a perfect pick for professional chefs and home enthusiasts and, above all, an ideal choice for budding chefs who are just venturing into their craft. Why? It excels at easy maintenance, boasts superior sharpness, it’s easy to sharpen and retains an edge for a very long time.

The core of the knife is made of VG-10 steel, currently the most popular steel in Japan. It is produced by Takefu Special Steel Company, a relatively small company that 60 years ago managed to strike the right balance between various elements that today constitute the most widespread Japanese steel. VG-10 is a stainless steel with a relatively high content (1%) of carbon (C), 15% of chromium (Cr), 1% molybdenum (Mo), 0.3% vanadium (V) and 1.5% cobalt (Co). The combination of Cr, Mo and V forms many hard carbides that make the steel resistant to abrasion, which in turn also means better edge retention.

Gyuto is the Japanese version of the classic Western Chef’s knife. It can be used with a variety of different cutting techniques to take on a wide range of kitchen tasks. Gyuto stands for “beef sword” in Japanese and was initially used to cut meat. Today, gyuto is one of the most indispensable knives in a kitchen and can do just about everything, obviously also cut a large chunk of beef.

Hammer imprints (tsuchime) are visible on the top part of the blade. In addition to the aesthetic, the recesses/dimples on the blade also have a practical function: the air in the clefts acts as an anti-stick coating between the knife and the food and reduces the drag during cutting.

A subtle line is visible on the bottom part of the blade, marking the transition point between the hard core and external, softer layers.

The knife was fitted a western-style (Yo) ergonomic handle made of durable laminated pakka wood, secured to the tang with three stainless rivets. The bolster gives the knife a gentle transition from the handle to the blade and provides a comfortable and firm grip during use. Because of its symmetrical shape, the handle fits perfectly in both palms. It makes the knife slightly heavier, but the distribution of weight between the handle and the blade enables extremely comfortable work and easy handling of the knife.

Takamura Hamono:
Takamura Hamono is a smithy located in Echizen (Fukui Prefecture) owned by the Takamura family for over 60 years. It is now headed by the eldest son Terukazu Takamura, who took over from his father Toshiyuki (who took over from his father, the smithy’s founder Isamu Takamura-san). The knives Terukazu-san has been making since 1985 are known for their outstanding geometry, sophistication in design, and sharpness. Their quality was recognized in a consumer test report Smartson in Sweden, where they beat the competition. Takamura Hamono has gained notoriety since the knives became the #1 choice of world-renowned chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, René Redzepi, Mark Best, Hiromi Yamada, and the TV personality Martha Stewart (just to name a few!).

All of this makes Takamura knives very difficult to obtain and the wait time is very long due to a limited production capacity. Nevertheless, the craftsmanship and sophistication of their products make the wait well worthwhile.