Just got my first serious knife! Makoto Ryusei 240mm Gyuto

Posted Jan 7, 2019, 2:19 PM UTC

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I'm an enthusiastic home cook who has used a 10" Victorinox Fibrox for years, and after spending some time lurking here I finally took the plunge! I ended up with the (relatively) new Makoto Ryusei gyuto from CKTG, opting for the 240mm because I have big-ish hands and am used to a longer knife. Since this is my first J-knife, I can't really compare it to any others, but I'm impressed.

It's super light and incredibly thin--it actually feels lighter in the hand than my Victorinox--but still feels completely rigid.

The thing that stands out most to me is how forward-weighted it is: the balance point is roughly in the gap between the two kanji of the maker's mark, nearly 6cm forward of the ferrule. A handle grip would be very uncomfortable here, but with a pinch grip this feels great, making it really easy to drop the knife through food. It almost makes the knife feel eager, like the way a muscle car feels when it's idling, but perhaps that's just my n00bish enthusiasm :)

The tip is very nimble and has no trouble with brunoise. There's not a lot of belly compared to what I'm used to, but the flat zone at the heel isn't huge, so push-cutting feels more natural than vertical chopping or rocking. The choil is finished nicely and feels very smooth. Out of the box, the edge is the best I've ever used, but per the CKTG intro video I suspect I'll be able to improve it once I dare to touch it with stones.

Fit and finish are great--this knife looks awesome! It's an AS core clad in stainless, so there's three nicely defined regions: hairline-finished stainless near the spine, matte ground stainless below that, and then the darker AS at the edge, which is already starting to show a patina. The ferrule and handle fit together perfectly.

Happy to answer any other questions--I'm in love :)