Awesome knife! Super thin,great steel and good geometry. The fit and finish is good,but not perfect (seems typical of Kurouchi finishes). Worth every penny!

Simply put,this is a fantastic knife made by a craftsman well deserving of the cult following he and his knives have. For those not familiar with Takedas,please do not be deceived by there seemingly rough appearance. While not as "polished" as other knives,the amount of care that goes into their creation is nearly unparalleled,especially for the price,and it shows in the knife’s performance. They are simply a joy to use,and can take everything I throw at them. They are the ultimate kitchen tool,and as such,they look the part.



Some knives are made by companies,some are made by artisans. Takedas are made by a master blacksmith who has been producing first-class working cutlery for decades. If I could give this a sixth star,I would.

A Best buy in my opinion! Very sharp out of the box. Unique hand made look,and very thin,but WIDE blade...I am pleasantly surprised that I can handle this large knife very easily. The width lets me chop with ease! I liked this one so much,I bought another Takeda...the Banno Bunka!

Lots of "WOW" factor for the Takeda...plus,I don’t think I’ll have to sharpen for a long time since the AS steel is such a hard,sharp edge.

The 240 gyuto is a multi-task knife,equally great with veggies or meats. I was surprised at its versatilty..a "jack of all trades" knife!

The knife is "iconic;" several people have recognized it at a distance,and begged to let them slice something with it. All were duly impressed!

First I cannot say enough about how incredibly easy the ordering and shipping was from cktg.com. Extremely prompt and arrived in excellent condition. The takeda was at first sight visually stunning,then when you pick it up you get the feeling like the handle was made for my hand and had a strange familiarity like i had been using it for years. the finish was as perfect as hand made can get. In the kitchen it is a work horse and cuts effortlessly. I am without a doubt going to be a return customer to cktg.com and takeda and encourage my co-workers to do the same.

Top quality knife for the money.I would say go with the 270 mm .I have many knives and the Takeda are special.

I have tried a number of higher end German knives before and Globals,but I have never experienced anything as sharp as this knife. It is in a league of its own. It is very thin and lite,but this didn’t take too long to get used to. It has greatly improved the amount of work I can do in one day. It is such a joy that I find myself seeking out things to cut. It is addictive.

This Takeda Gyuto AS is such a pleasure to use. Why? Outstanding geometry and edge retention. It doesn’t hurt that it’s made of one of the most desirable steels in existence plus it’s light and well balanced.



I’m able to make accurate,effortless,paper thin cuts with ease. While I could achieve a product something close to this with my German knives,it took a great deal more effort and the result was never as good for all the trouble. I truly enjoy cutting with this knife,and the Kurouchi finish has been a breeze to keep up with—because I understand that it needs to be cleaned and wiped off very shortly after use.



I appreciate that these knives are made individually by hand by a master craftsman. As is the typical trend with Takeda,I got a lot more knife than I paid for. Mine is 256mm. Notice that the 270 mm of this knife is nearly $65 more. Additionally,I asked Mark (of Chef Knives to Go) for a fat belly on the knife. He delivered big time. These knives are not knocked out by the dozens by automated machinery. Also,I disagree with others’ assessment that this knife lacks in fit/finish. The Kurouchi finish is what it is,and the rest of the knife is as fine as I’ve seen. The fit and finish are top notch.



If you’re looking for a Japanese gyuto,I’d also take a look at the Moritaka offered here,amongst others. The one offered here uses the same type of steel,i.e. Aogami Super Steel (AS) and also has a Kurouchi finish. I went with the Takeda due to a superior reputation in the knife/foodie forums. However,any lingering concerns about the Moritaka are nominal if you buy from Chef Knives To Go because of their class leading reputation for service after the sale. I’m putting my money where my mouth is as I’ll be buying Moritaka petty or yanagiba in the near future.



This Takeda Gyuto is not cheap. That said,it would be the first knife I bought if I needed to replace my collection. The only down side is the regret I feel over the cash I dropped on my Wusthof set that now sits unused taking up space on my counter top.

The Takeda Gyuto AS 240mm is an awesome knife. I like the wide blade that gives plenty of room for fingers and it"s also great for scooping up diced veggies. It is both super light and amazingly sharpe.

Just received my knife today,very exciting!

This thing is a work of art. Also it’s a featherweight especially given it’s size. Ordered with ease,knife arrived promptly and professionally packaged. This was my first purchase through this site and will definitely be making more purchases in the future.

This is a great knife! Because of its geometry,it’s sharper than most knives out of the box. Once you’ve sharpened it,the edged is nothing short of incredible. Very easy to sharpen: the bevel is already "pre-set" for you. It does require just a little more care than a stainless,but it is so worth it.

Amazing knife.

HANDS DOWN... of all the knives (that I own) THIS IS MY FAVORITE!! Nice knuckle clearance,can get wicked sharp,thin and super light!

It is difficult to express properly the overall quality of the Takeda Gyuto AS 240. It more than excels in all relevant aspects. I have been quite happy with my selection of Shun thinking that was about good as it gets. Quite wrong! As noted by numerous reviews the Takeda Gyuto is a marvelous addition to ones kitchen. It more than lives up to its outstanding reputation. Other reviews have extolled the sharpness and duration of sharpness - I can only concur. Although expecting the lightness - it was greater than expected - extra thin slicing is a breeze. I think my appreciation for the extraordinary quality of the Gyuto is my ordering three other Takeda knives - all other Takedas are likewise supreme - probably will order a couple more.

I’m never buying another kitchen knife unless it is Japanese made. The Takeda knife is a work of art. Beautifully crafted,near perfect balance and weight,the handle is perfect. The ordering process was painless and quick. I would recommend the Takeda knives to any cooking enthusiast or for someone who loves thier kitchen toys. If you want quality,you need to slash the cash. I will be buying more.

Beautiful knife,obviously hand made.

SCARY SHARP.

Not for chopping or rocking the blade to chop vegetables - the edge is somewhat brittle.

Perfect for slicing and dicing.

If you are willing to spend the money you will be impressed. I will buy another one with a heavier blade the next time my wife lets me splurge.

This probably the best knife that i have ever own. It is very sharp and has held it edge very well. It also has great weight to it. I’d recommend this knife or any other by him to anyone looking for a great knife that will never let them down. I look forward to purchasing more of his knifes in the future.

I have owned this knife for some time now,and have mixed feelings,although mostly positive. I love the wide blade,its versatile like a cleaver,but not so wide I cannot manipulate the food with my fingers. I like the finish of the handle,although I wish it were a little larger. The metal is super susceptible to rust,almost immediate with acidic product. The metal also seems a little soft. If you bend it,it will not snap back. Also,I find myself having to sharpen this knife more than most of my other knives,but maybe its because it is a go-to....

This knife is a work of art and I’m so happy I ordered it from CKTG!

I have not worked in a kitchen professionally for a long time,but I might still be if I had used a knife of this quality. I love the rustic finish and the fact that function was considered more than fashion (although I find it quite beautiful). The blade is easy to sharpen and stays sharp. The handle feels perfect in my hand,and it makes quick work of everything I have put to it. I am going to get the Banno Bunka next.

I have one word for this knife: BUTTER. That’s because everything you cut feels like pushing a butter knife through room temperature butter. Wafer thin,or paper thin slices of anything are now a breeze,even squishy tomatoes,hard crusty bread,and parmesan cheese. It’s such a joy to use that I have to stop myself from julienning to threads,or mincing to a puree. If you cook you MUST have this knife...and it’s a bargain at that price! Damascus steel for under $200? I thought it was going to be a cheap knock off,but this is the samurai-sword quality stuff. Also,arrived very fast and in perfect condition. Bravo!

This is my first Japanese knife and it was worth every penny. Don’t waste your money on a big expensive set of German knives,get a hand made Japanese knife and you’ll be much happier. It came crazy sharp,but after I ran it over a really good Ohira Suita stone I have from my Razors,this knife could be used for shaving! Not only that,its a joy to sharpen,really easy and takes an incredible edge. Check out the Natural Japanese sharpening stones on this site. They cost more,but worth every penny! I’ll be buying 2 more Takeda knives and then getting rid of my Henckels

Beautiful knife in almost all regards. Would have been a five if it weren’t for the disgraceful epoxy mess on the collar. Surely a master blacksmith knows epoxy won’t stick to steel. Took me hours of work to carefully and judiciously remove the epoxy to expose the otherwise beautiful wood handle and collar.

The Takeda Gyuto As 240mm is a great knife. It is light and sharp. It has become the knife of choice over the Shun’s we have for many of the daily cutting tasks. Liked it so much that we added another Takeda knife (170mm Mioroshi-Bocho) for lighter work.



Chef’s Knives To Go was quick and efficient with our purchases,providing quality goods in a trustworthy fashion.



We recommend the firm as a knife source and highly recommend the Takeda cuttlery products.



Lance & Diane

I got the 240 mm Takeda Gyuto for my birthday earlier this year. I’m a home chef who happens to love good knives. Out of about a dozen German and Japanese chef’s knives this has become a favorite. Most of the reasons were listed by the other reviewers (ex. thin,wide,and light blade; an extremely sharp knife that holds its edge; surprisingly comfortable to hold). In a few months of use,I’ve lightly honed the knife a few times on a smooth ceramic honing rod. This has been enough to bring the knife back to its original sharpness.



Given the knife’s hardness and thinness,I’m not sure how well it’d hold up to careless use and rough handling. I’ll never find out. Mine still looks and cuts as when it was new.

Just took delivery of this beats in time for a cooking video being held at my house. Although the blade is quite a bit taller than I’m used to,I find it impossible to bang my knuckles on the cutting board. The light weight makes routine cutting tasks fun and very efficient. It is by far the finest edge that I own (compared to various Shun and other carbon knives). Cutting across the grain of your cutting board is important- the edge is so fine that I found the edge cutting into the grain- not so with other knives. The appearance may put some off,but for me it is totally secondary to the stellar performance of the knife. It stands out nicely. There is another Takeda in my future! Last,but not least is Mark’s professionalism and CKTG’s top notch customer service!

Mine arrived from CKTG just a few days ago,and wow,how easy to use. It is quite sharp outr of the box,but its geometry seems to increase its feel of sharpness. I will strop and mirror polish the AS steel in about a month and really get it stupid sharp!! The Takeda blade really makes factory made knives seem inferior,and it wont be the last Takeda I purchase. Extrememly happy. Its a five star knife,and better than my henckels and wustofs by at least 100%

The Takeda Gyuto is a great knife for the money. It is a pleasure to be using carbon steel once again. The largest chef’s knife I can handle is my most useful kitchen knife & CKTG went out of their way to get me the exact length I wanted.



The blade is not as brittle as it looks,holds an excellent edge & is a breeze to sharpen. The knife is very well balanced with excellent blade geometry. The handle is very comfortable but could be a tad beefier but it is no biggie since I hold the knife with my thumb & forefinger on the blade. Maintenance is minimal. Clean & wipe dry with an occasional swipe on a ceramic rod. Rust resistance is excellent.



A fine companion piece to this knife is the amazing Takeda Honosuki made for CKTG. That one knife is so versatile that it replaced all my other knives from paring to boning & everything in between. It has a much heftier handle & wider blade (it is a boning knife) allowing me to get a good grip & bear down hard or light.



Great knives & outstanding customer service at Chef Knives To Go.

I posted a review several years back,and recently I was asked by a fellow cook,my feelings of the Takeda,and I thought back to my initial review,and thought I should update...



The blade is wide,but the knife is light and nimble,none-the-less. Handle fit and finish is perfect (despite many feelings about the epoxy),and has held up for years. I have seen three other 240mm Takeda gyutos and everyone has a different profile,so maybe knowing what you like (belly vs. flat vs. bird beek etc...) would help when ordering from Mark. The korouchi finish has held up nicely. Blade patinas quickly,with nice blue and pink hues.



I have noticed an overgrind at the heel,as well as an uneven taper on one side,down the spine. Plus,the no-spring bending still bugs me. I love that this knife can be thinned ridiculously,and holds a very steep edge (literally 1/4 inch + bevels). AS steel can be chippy. As far as carbons go,edge retention is great,especially considering the thin edge ( I would highly recommend wood boards for carbon steels).



I have purchased many new knives since this Takeda,yet it remains in the top of my daily rotation. Not sure it deserves a fifth star,but at least a more accurate review...

I purchased the Gyuto,Banno Bunka and Moritaka Petty 130 after considerable discussion with Mark.



The Banno and Petty were primarily for my wife as she does not like large/long blades.



Excellent service,fantastic products.



Comparing these knives to the Henckels four star that we had for 20 years is like comparing a family van to a Ferrari,although I would use a van if I had to.



The Gyuto 240 has become my go to knife. A razor out OTB,light and nimble.



I have used it for everything from vegtables to meat to bread. Cuts with far less effort and superior results. Well worth the money.

I love this knife. I posted a video on youtube titled my new 240mm Takeda Gyuto showing how sharp it was out of the box. I took a couple minutes and took it to 1000 and then 6000 grit and then ran it on horse leather with 1 micron and stropped it after each step with regular horse leather. 10 minutes worth of work and it was shaving my arms. I have been using it form a month now and it is still sharp as can be without even touching the blade up. I was worried about how tall the blade is but it really fits nice in my hand and didn’t take any getting used to at all.

This is a perfect knife. The hand loves to use it; the food longs to be sliced by it. This knife qualifies as a "surgical culinary instrument."

This is truly and amazing knife. Light weight,great balance and razor sharp. I would recommend this knife to anyone.

If you want a chef knife for life,this is the best option.

I don’t want to use my other knives.

Mark responded all my emails very fast (thank you for A+ service)

Be prepared to care it like a baby.

Hi.

I simply love this knife!!! Filet fish,meat,cutting up vegetables. Well balanced knife. Bring it on,I’m ready ;-)

Of all the knives I have owned,this is,hands down,the best. It is very comfortable to hold,it is very light,it glides through food with ease and it is a masterpiece of a blade. If something were to happen to this knife,I would not hesitate to drop another $330 on it again. It would not be long for me to add another Takeda to my arsenal.

Beautiful blade,incredibly sharp,nice balance and weight. Finish is not perfect out of the box,a blade chip near the tip and i have had to file the hessel of the knife to remove steel burrs and odd angles...minor details but still should not be overlooked by the manufacturer at this price. Shipping was fast,even overseas to Australia. Will order knives from chefknivestogo again. Thanks!

The biggest problem I have with this knive is trying to stop all my chefs wanting to use it all the time. 20 years in the trade and by far the best cooks-knife I have ever worked with!! Easy to sharpen to razor and well weighted. I use the Takeda handheld whetstone maybe once a fortnight. Special (time-out)care to cleaning and drying after each use is essential.

I’m a line cook and use my knives every week in a professional kitchen. I’ve had this knife for over a year. Feels great and looks great! There are some draw backs. I have to sharpen this knife a lot. I’m defiantly not a pro,but I do sharpen with my own stones and have done so for a while. Its hard to get an edge on this knife. The steel rusts almost instantly before your eyes. The spine itself looked a little bent out of the box but the edge was straight. The knife will bend easily with little pressure. I find my self reaching for other blades when it comes to doing anything important. I would love for this to be my go to knife,but that is not the case.

This is a fantastic knife with an amazing OOTB edge. I am still unable to use this knife without smiling; it is a complete joy to use. The blade finish is rustic which I love,the handle is great,and sharpening made extremely easy with a large bevel to follow. It is just an astonishing piece of blacksmithing that is worth every penny.

The bomb. A razor right out of the box. Love the look & feel of this knife.

This knife is expensive and needs to be wiped after each use. It is however worth every penny I use it everyday both at home and school. I took a 6000 stone to it out of the box and it was shaving my arm with ease and sticking into my wooden cutting board. I love that this is handmade. Do not buy unless you love the fact that it is handmade and will have imperfections. It has been three months since i sharpened it on a stone but although it is still extremely sharp in comparison to most sharpened knives,it needs a tune up.

Have used this knife for about 3 months now,almost daily. It’s an absolutely beast of a knife. Definitely the best knife I have ever used.



It’s a great weight,feels very good in the hand,the blade is incredible and holds a very sharp blade. Don’t let the price scare you away,this is definitely worth it. I have definitely noticed the knife has increased my speed,accuracy,and my over all knife skills.



Instead of spending your money on a set of mediocre knives. Buy,one really really good knife. It’s totally worth it!

I always loved my Henkels 4 Star,but this blade puts a whole new perspective on sharpness. I love my new 240mm gyuto. So sharp,the knife is halfway though the onion before I know it. You need to have a whole new respect for blades with these. I may not recommend these for people used to dull muscle building kitchen knives. You need finese skills and a lot of respect to use this one.

I purchased this knife on Mark Richmond’s recommendation some 12 months ago,and have been very satisfied. I am an enthusiastic home chef,with a reasonable array of Japanese blades,and the Takeda has become a firm favourite. Why?

For starters,it looks great - all business,but with a beautiful rugged hand finish.

It feels great in the hand - the octagonal handle is very comfortable,and ambidextrous,which is handy for a leftie like me. It is surprisingly light and nimble in the hand for a 240mm Gyuto - another plus.

However,the most important feature in my opinion is the outstanding cutting performance and edge retention. I am a big fan of Aogami Super Steel,and the Takeda just demolishes any cutting task with ease and precision. After a decent session,a light touch up on a ceramic stick brings it back to shaving sharp. What really surprised me was the edge retention over time. I have only had the Takeda back to the water stones once in a full year of use,with a light sharpening on 1000 and 6000 grit.

My sons have nicknamed this knife "The Boss",and who am I to argue!

Happy slicing,all.