Tojiro Gyuto Zen 180mm (7.1″)

TOJIRO Gyuto Zen in 180mm blade length is a handy, multi-purpose, low-maintenance and affordable chef’s knife. 

Definition of Zen: 1. a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation⁠ 2. a state of calm attentiveness in which one’s actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort⁠ 3. the name of a series of knives by the Japanese smithy TOJIRO, identifiable by traditional magnolia wood handles and sleek polished blades.⁠

BLADE SHAPE:
The 180mm (7.1″) size works well in professional kitchens with limited workspace, or is the go-to length for home cooks.

STEEL:
VG-10 (V for Vanadium, G for “gold” as in “gold standard”) is made by Takefu Special Steel Company, a relatively small steel company that around 60 years ago managed to find just the right balance of different elements to create the most popular Japanese knife making steel today. VG-10 steel is stainless steel with relatively high Carbon (C) content (1%), 15% Chromium (Cr), 1% Molybdenum (Mo), 0.3% Vanadium (V)  and 1.5% Cobalt (Co). The combination of Cr, Mo, and V forms a lot of hard carbides, making the steel abrasion resistant, which translates to long-lasting, smooth sharpness. Heat treated to the hardness of 60-61 HRC.

LAMINATION:
The excellent VG-10 steel with the hardness of 61 HRC is clad into 2 layers of softer stainless steel. The outer two layers of softer stainless steel form a “shinogi” line along the entire edge of the blade. Shinogi line represents the border between the harder, inner steel and the outer two layers of softer steel.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (50/50 symmetrical) blade.

BLADE FINISH:
The blade features a clean, highly polished (also called migaki) blade. 

HANDLE:
The blade extends into a traditional Japanese round Wa handle made of the common wood for Japanese handles – magnolia wood – with a black plastic ferrule. The handle is suitable for left and right-handed users.

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
TOJIRO is one of the top 5 largest Japanese kitchen knife manufacturers. They are renowned across Japan and internationally for their top-quality knives for a reasonable price. TOJIRO’s focus on advanced technologies, together with their insatiable dedication for constant improvements of their knives and materials, makes TOJIRO’s knives a must-have in any kitchen. TOJIRO’s main focus? Sharpness! A big bonus is their great team which we are always very eager to meet and talk to! 😊