Sukenari ZDP-189 Gyuto 240mm (9.4") Rosewood Handle

• Style : Gyuto (Chef's Knife) with Kiritsuke Tip
• Length : 240mm (9.4")
• Weight : oz
• Special Feature : Hairline Finish / San mai
• Blade Steel Type : ZDP-189
• Handle material : Rosewood with Buffalo Horn Ferrule
• HRC : 66
• Bevel Angle Ratio : 50/50
• Cover : Not included

Sukenari, following in their trend of using the latest high-tech cutlery steels, have produced their ZDP-189 line which is based on the cult following of Cowry-X of years past. These knives are roughly as hard as mizu-honyaki white steel typically gets while having better edge retention. Many high carbide steels are difficult to achieve a very keen edge with, but ZDP-189 manages to combine the ease of deburring of carbon steel with high abrasion resistance which makes it a very attractive choice for high-performance settings.

Hitachi ZDP-189 is the spiritual successor to Daido Cowry-X, which is no longer in production. Its extremely high carbon and chromium content contribute to its high hardenability and difficulty of manufacturing, increasing the cost of production. The extremely high percentage of alloying elements leads to a high carbide density, up to 36%, which affects not only hardness but durability and edge stability. The edge retention of ZDP-189 is remarkable and it can take a keen edge more easily than HAP40, while not retaining that edge quite as long as HAP40. As with most high-carbide-density steels, edge stability and therefore resistance to chipping will be greater at higher edge angles of around 15 degrees per side. We recommend every time you sharpen these knives that you thin the knife to maintain performance but finish it with a secondary bevel at roughly 15 degrees to increase stability.

San-mai (lit. three sheets) is a style of manufacture common for Japanese knives. A more practical translation is "three layers", referring to the core hardened steel being jacketed with soft steel. These style of knives may seen being referred to as "clad" or "kasumi", which has some overlap with a similar style of manufacture called Ni-mai or "two layers". Ni-mai is commonly found in single bevel knives where the soft steel is only on one side of the knife with a small portion spilling over to the other side.

Sukenari was founded during the Showa period in Toyama Prefecture and since its inception has been driven to produce quality cutlery through hands-on craftsmanship at every step. Sukenari's philosophy is that any tool should perform as an extension of oneself and this commitment to quality shows in each facet of the knife from rounded, polished choil and edges to impeccable grinds and an incredibly consistent heat treat.

The Gyuto (lit. Cow Sword) is an adaptation of the French chef knife profile for the Japanese market. While the name cow sword would imply that this knife is meant only for meat, its versatility is the same a santoku and can be used as a general-purpose knife for any task. Many would consider a gyuto or chef's knife to be the one essential knife for any kitchen with all other knives being secondary. Compared to a German style chef's knife, a gyuto will have a somewhat flatter profile: this profile lends itself well to push-cutting which is common for Japanese chefs, as opposed to rock-chopping. Gyuto also tend to be thinner at the edge as well as the spine than most European chef's knives and as a result, have the less lateral toughness and care should be taken not to torque the blade while cutting to minimize the risk of chipping.