ZDP-189 Gyuto Silver Tsuchime 210mm (8.3") is a perfect knife for versatile use for chefs who prefer medium size multi-purpose knife, suitable to cut meat, fish and vegetables. The heart of the knife is made of ZDP-189 steel, which we selected because systematic testing has proven its superior qualities and long-lasting sharpness. BLADE SHAPE:Gyuto is the most versatile and useful blade shape in the modern kitchen. It has a wide profile for easy food transfer and tends to be fairly flat towards the heel, enabling easy and fast chopping on the cutting board. A pointed tip allows piercing and precise, delicate work. A slight curve between the tip and the midsection makes the belly great for rocking the blade back and forth when cutting. It can be used for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. STEEL:The steel ZDP-189 contains as much as 3% Carbon (C), which is one of the main elements contributing strength and typically found in amounts of up to only 1% in other types of solid steel, while the Chromium (Cr) content, which prevents corrosion, amounts to nearly 20%. It also features 0.60% Tungsten (W), which considerably increases the abrasion resistance of steel, 1.4% Molybdenum (Mo), which helps to preserve the strength and power of steel under variable temperatures, and 0.10% Vanadium (V), the key element in increasing steel strength. Heat treatment produces steel with a hardness of 65-67 HRC. ZDP-189 composition: C 3.00 % | Cr 20.00 % | W 0.60 % | Mo 1.40 % | V 0.10 % | Mn 0.50 % | Si 0.40 % The pure carbon content of ZDP-189 makes it one of the most edge retentive alloy in the knife industry. What makes the ZDP-189 steel remarkable is that it can be hardened up to HRC 65-67 without any problems of chipping. Manufacturing processes of this steel make it one of the toughest steels available on the market today. Serious users and professional chefs prefer to use knives made from ZDP-189 steel because of its superior cutting performance and longer edge retention. LAMINATION:The steel is laminated, meaning that the core is made of very strong steel and covered with an external layer of softer stainless steel. Such a blade remains sharp for a very long time: its softer external layer makes it easier to sharpen, and it also protects the core steel from external factors. BLADE FINISH:The blade is finished with a mirror polish hairline finish, which is suitable for finest cuts. The single hairline, running along the length of the blade (just above the edge of the blade), marks the separation between the softer and the harder, core ZDP-189 steel. A small batch of ZDP-189 gyuto silver blades from the Yoshida Hamono smithy has been finished with delicate hammer marks, creating a subtle tsuchime finish that embodies the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic philosophy that finds beauty in imperfections, asymmetry, and authenticity, valuing uniqueness in things that are not considered traditionally flawless. HANDLE:This Gyuto was fitted a traditional Japanese wooden handle, called Wa. The wooden handle is made of Walnut wood and has an octagonal shape, which fits well into the hands of both left- and right-handed users. BLACKSMITH:ZDP-189 Gyuto Silver is manufactured at the smithy of Yoshida Hamono in Japan, a family company with an age-long tradition in manufacturing state-of-the-art tools and Japanese swords, i.e. katanas, by hand. Yoshida Hamono has a great deal of experience forging ZDP-189 steel in the traditional manner. See the photo story from our visit to their smithy in 2016.
