Shiro Kamo White #2 Gyuto 210mm

The 210mm gyuto is consistently one of the first Shiro Kamo sizes to sell out. Kamo-san works out of Takefu Knife Village in Echizen and received the Dento-Kogei-shi title - Master of Traditional Crafts - at just 47 years old. He is one of the few blacksmiths who excels at both grinding and forging, a genuinely rare combination, and keeps a small crew of just two other workmen, so every blade stays under his personal supervision. He also trained Syungo Ogata, one of the most exciting young blacksmiths working in Japan today, for seven years before Ogata struck out on his own.

This gyuto is built from White #2 carbon steel clad in reactive Damascus, developing real character as a patina forms with use. The face etching is well realized and reveals a lovely pattern from the cladding layers. It is a light blade that still feels strong and confident in hand, with excellent fit, finish, and out-of-the-box sharpness. The conventional blade shape with a fine tip and slight belly suits both push and pull cutting, making this 210mm a genuinely versatile size for most kitchens. The D-shaped sandalwood handle with a black pakka wood ferrule completes a knife that is a fun, accessible way to experience White #2 steel.

What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer of more than three years calls Shiro Kamo possibly the best performer for the money in his entire collection - thin, light, fast to sharpen, and an edge that holds up remarkably well, outperforming even his Masakage knives at half the price. He notes a little wear and play in the handle developed over three years of having oiled it only once, which he plans to address with a simple reinstall. A second reviewer praises the excellent balance and comfortable handle for right-handed use, but flags that this steel is genuinely reactive and needs to be wiped dry immediately - he also recommends the CKTG finishing sharpening service after needing a resharpen within a few months. A third reviewer, after six months, calls it arguably the best knife in his collection and remarkably underpriced for what it delivers.

Care Instructions: White #2 is a reactive carbon steel and will develop a natural patina with use - this is normal and helps protect the steel. Wipe the blade dry immediately after each use and avoid leaving it wet or in contact with acidic foods. Hand wash only. Apply a light coat of camellia oil for long-term storage. These knives have thin edge grinds and use hard steel, so they can chip if not used carefully - avoid bones, frozen foods, hard root stems, and garlic husks. Push or pull cuts put less stress on the edge than chopping through hard materials.

None of our standard sayas fit this knife; we suggest a blade guard instead.

Blacksmith: Shiro Kamo

Location: Echizen, Japan

Factory: Takefu Village

Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged

Edge Steel: White Paper #2 Steel

Cladding: Damascus

HRC: 61

Edge Grind: Even

Handle: D-Shaped Sandalwood

Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood

Engraving: Hand Engraved

Weight: 5.5 oz (156 g)

Blade Length: 218 mm

Total Length: 366 mm

Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm

Blade Height: 55 mm