Gyuto or bunka

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Ya_boi_tim
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Gyuto or bunka

Post by Ya_boi_tim »

Hello, I've had an Itto Ryu 240mm gyuto for about eight months now. I love the knife, but even after thinning, I feel the knife is too large and too thick. I feel it's solid for breaking down proteins, but I want something a little shorter and thinner for veg prep. My old chef had a bunka that I loved to borrow. I used a 170mm bunka Saturday my coworker has. I cant tell you the brand, but I felt it was too short and the balance was a little more behind the grip than I preferred. Part of the reason I want the bunka is because I'm prone to push-cutting and I like the fine tip, plus replacing my gyuto for a gyuto seems redundant and I feel I'll neglect the Itto Ryu, but I'm open to whatever. I've also considered an oversized petty, but haven't found one that was in the size range I'm looking at. I break down whole animals, whole fish, and veg, so I'm looking for something that could faciltate all those, or just half those roles and leave my gyuto for the heavier prep items.
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Organic
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by Organic »

It sounds to me like you might like a K-tip gyuto (a 50/50 beveled kiritsuke). They have the fine tip and flatter profile that you like and they come in larger sizes than a bunka would.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/shkogy21.html
delmar
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by delmar »

My thought as well....a dual bevel kiritsuke or ktip gyuto. If you have the funds, the shibata is awesome. Thin too, laserish, which it sound like you want.

Your experience.with the itto Ryu is curious - the one I used was stock and pretty thin behind the edge.

Last, I'd wager the balance point issue with the bunka you tried had to do with limited blade length, which would push the balance point back towards the handle. This is often offset by using a smaller handle, but some bunka handles I have used are at or near 210/240 gyuto size.
cedarhouse
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by cedarhouse »

What about a 210mm gyuto? You will retain the flexibility of a gyuto but get it in a more handy package.

Besides thinner, what other attributes are you shopping for? Non reactive? Easy sharpening? Long edge retention? Big on character or strictly business? Japanese handled or western?

One knife that came to mind was the Takamura Migaki. It is super thin, very high performance, I found it to be super nimble size...

Another thought is the Kohetsu AS. I only ever used the 240mm but I could see that thing owning in a pro environment.
Ya_boi_tim
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by Ya_boi_tim »

cedarhouse wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2017 11:26 pm What about a 210mm gyuto? You will retain the flexibility of a gyuto but get it in a more handy package.

Besides thinner, what other attributes are you shopping for? Non reactive? Easy sharpening? Long edge retention? Big on character or strictly business? Japanese handled or western?
My issue with going to a 210 gyuto is rather petty. I have a fairly new gyuto (less than a year), so getting a smaller one could result in neglect of the old one, so at least getting a new knife in a new shape makes it more justifiable and dedicated to only certain prep.

Reactive isn't an issue, I make sure to take care of my knife every time I set it down, or someone else uses it. I prefer carbon for the steeper edges it can hold. Edge retention and ease of sharpening aren't a real issue, I bring my stones with me to work. Though that obviously cuts into prep time. I'd rather have something can hold a good edge for a while, and put forth a solid effort on the stones at home, when I can take my time, knowing it'll last, if that helps. I prefer Japanese handle. I already have a knife that has aesthetics, almost rustic with the hammered look. I just want something that cuts like a laser and makes my life easier, looks arent too important.

I agree about the bunka I used, the handle was almost as long as the Itto Ryu's.

Hand clearance is also a bit of a concern. I'm 6'4" with big hands. A kiritsuke or k tip gyuto seems like maybe a little more fitting. I'd like to keep it <$200 if that's feasible.
Julito
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by Julito »

Here's a profile and size you might be interested in: http://www.chefknivestogo.com/shba19gy.html

It is like a combination of gyuto and bunka. Longer than the 170mm bunka you used, fairly different from the gytuo you already have.

Something else that you might want to consider is changing the handle on a longer bunka. If the weight balance is an issue, having a very light handle would shift it forward a bit.
gladius
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by gladius »

Greetings and welcome to the forum. It sounds like a Kanehiro AS Bunka would be perfect, stretching your budget by 20 bucks, but worth every penny. It really is a great cutter using great steel by a top blacksmith with decades experience. It is one of my favorite small knives. It easily takes and keeps a killer edge.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kaasbu161.html
SteveG
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by SteveG »

+1 on the Kanehiro Bunka. Everything that gladius states is on point.
Ya_boi_tim
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by Ya_boi_tim »

Thanks for the input. I've only used white steel knives, whether owned or borrowed, so the Kanehiro piques my interest, as I've heard good things about AS steel. I think that's the one I'm going to go with.
Bensbites
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by Bensbites »

I have a yoshimitsu 210 bunka and really like it for my home cooks.
Chefspence
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by Chefspence »

I would second that shibata knife, though it doesn't state how tall it is. The regular shibata bunka is 50mm tall and in Steve's recommends page which counts for a lot in my book. I also like bens rec of the yoshimitsu bunka, maybe even the 170mm version. I hopefully will get one soon. Man, in your shoes you prob can't go wrong with kanehiro or the shibatas. I would be willing to bet you'd like he shibata the best. All I hear about it is that it's a TRUE laser in every sense, and gives the opposite of rustic to cut the redundancy.
gladius
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by gladius »

Chefspence wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2017 7:43 pm Man, in your shoes you prob can't go wrong with kanehiro or the shibatas. I would be willing to bet you'd like he shibata the best.
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They are both great performers...I like and use Kanehiro the most.
SteveG
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Re: Gyuto or bunka

Post by SteveG »

The Shibata 195mm Battleship knife that I have here for video is 45.4mm tall at the heel. It's a full on laser through the products I've tested thus far.

Specs on the 195mm Shibata Kotetsu:
Weight: 127gr/4.5 oz
Edge: 188mm
OAL: 330
Spine: 1.8mm
Height: 45.4mm

Like the other Kotetsu R-2 knives, it's pretty stiff given the relatively thin blade.
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