A long, slender gyuto by Itsuo Doi was not something we carried for a long time, since the Sakai tradition leans heavily single bevel. When we finally asked Doi-san to build one, what came back exceeded what we asked for.
The blade is elegant and unhurried looking, built from Blue #2 carbon steel hardened to 62+ HRC and clad in soft iron applied in the san mai style. The inner core receives a classic Doi polish while the outer cladding takes a beautiful satin finish, and hand engraved kanji adds a traditional touch that suits the knife perfectly. Itsuo Doi is the son of Keijiro Doi, one of the great legends of Sakai blacksmithing, and spent nearly 50 years working alongside his father producing blades for chefs and serious collectors. The magnolia octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule is exactly the right complement to a blade this refined.
What Customers Are Saying: Five reviewers, five stars. One describes the sound the knife makes slicing through a carrot as barely audible, the blade whispering past a zucchini and coming to rest against the board with quiet finality, calling it the highest praise he can give a well made knife. A professional cook uses it for prep work and values the edge retention above all else, while another calls it very good at everything except the densest produce and one of a very rare type of gyuto. The consensus is that this is a knife that looks, feels, and performs like a serious tool.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after use. The exposed edge will develop a natural patina over time, which is normal and adds character. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade, apply camellia oil for longer term storage, and hand wash only.
The blade is elegant and unhurried looking, built from Blue #2 carbon steel hardened to 62+ HRC and clad in soft iron applied in the san mai style. The inner core receives a classic Doi polish while the outer cladding takes a beautiful satin finish, and hand engraved kanji adds a traditional touch that suits the knife perfectly. Itsuo Doi is the son of Keijiro Doi, one of the great legends of Sakai blacksmithing, and spent nearly 50 years working alongside his father producing blades for chefs and serious collectors. The magnolia octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule is exactly the right complement to a blade this refined.
What Customers Are Saying: Five reviewers, five stars. One describes the sound the knife makes slicing through a carrot as barely audible, the blade whispering past a zucchini and coming to rest against the board with quiet finality, calling it the highest praise he can give a well made knife. A professional cook uses it for prep work and values the edge retention above all else, while another calls it very good at everything except the densest produce and one of a very rare type of gyuto. The consensus is that this is a knife that looks, feels, and performs like a serious tool.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after use. The exposed edge will develop a natural patina over time, which is normal and adds character. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade, apply camellia oil for longer term storage, and hand wash only.
- Maker: Itsuo Doi
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
- Core Steel: Blue #2 (Aogami #2)
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- HRC: 62+
- Edge Grind: 50/50 (See Choil Photo)
- Engraving: Hand Engraved
- Handle: Magnolia Wood Octagonal
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Weight: 7.0 oz (200 g)
- Blade Length: 247 mm
- Total Length: 406 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2.9 mm
- Blade Height: 48.8 mm
Reviews
5 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) One and done, September 1, 2025 Awesome knife Craftmanship in the service of foodPosted By: Victor Legros - verified customer
17 people found this review helpful
There is not higher praise for a knife well made than the barely audible sound of the edge slicing effortlessly through a carrot, the side of the blade whispering as it passes trough a zucchini and the lightest of impacts as the cutting edge comes to rest at a full stop against the chopping board, with majesty, as if all in the world is complete.
And yet after a split second, this chord unique to a perfect knife dictates its own melody to your hand and the ballet goes on until nothing but a perfect julienne rests on the board.
17 people found this review helpful
There is not higher praise for a knife well made than the barely audible sound of the edge slicing effortlessly through a carrot, the side of the blade whispering as it passes trough a zucchini and the lightest of impacts as the cutting edge comes to rest at a full stop against the chopping board, with majesty, as if all in the world is complete.
And yet after a split second, this chord unique to a perfect knife dictates its own melody to your hand and the ballet goes on until nothing but a perfect julienne rests on the board.
Outstanding
