• Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass
  • Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass – detail view
  • Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass – side profile
  • Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass – handle detail
  • Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass – blade close-up
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Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass

Gyuto 240mm SG2 Damascus Clad Gidgee & Brass

By Shigeki Tanaka

CHF 582.00
CHF 582.00
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Low stock: 4 left

A high-performance cutting tool from one of Japan’s finest blacksmiths. A classic piece from Shigeki Tanaka designed for professional chefs and passionate home cooks alike. Crafted from premium R2/SG2 steel with a high hardness of 64 HRC, ensuring great sharpness and edge retention. Forged beautifully thin and with exacting precision, the blade offers perfect balance and control, allowing for seamless transitions from slicing vegetables to cutting meat.

The blade's SanMai construction combines strength and flexibility, while the acid-etched forced patina finish adds a striking visual appeal. The matte polish further accentuates the knife's sophisticated aesthetic, making it a standout piece in any kitchen. Designed with a flat primary bevel and slight convexity on the secondary bevel, this knife delivers precision and efficiency in every cut, making it an indispensable tool for any culinary task.

We partnered with Jonas Johnsson of Isa Smedjan to give this beautiful blade a stunning custom handle. Crafted from luxurious Gidgee wood and accented with brass. The ergonomic design ensures a comfortable grip, while the rich, natural figure of Gidgee wood adds a touch of elegance. Combining beauty and functionality for the ultimate culinary experience. Whether you're a professional chef or an enthusiastic home cook, this Gyuto is your perfect culinary companion, delivering exceptional performance, durability, and style.

 

Product Specification
  • Blade Type:
  • Edge Length: 240mm
  • Spine Heel: 2.51mm
  • Spine Mid: 2.16mm
  • Spine Tip (20mm before): 1.81mm
  • Blade Height: 55.22mm
  • Weight: 221g
  • Cutting Edge Steel:
  • Steel class: Stainless
  • HRC: 64
  • Blade Construction:
  • Blade Finish: Acid Etched (Forced Patina)Matte Polish
  • Grind:
  • Handle Construction:
  • Handle Materials: Gidgee, Brass
  • Handedness: Ambidextrous

Blade type

Gyuto

牛刀

The Japanese take on the Western chef's knife, and the most versatile blade in a modern kitchen. A gyuto carries a long, gently curved edge — most often 210 to 270 mm — that allows both push cuts and a rocking motion, with a pointed tip for fine work and enough height at the heel to keep knuckles clear of the board. It handles proteins, vegetables, and herbs without complaint, which is why most cooks reach for it first.

Compared with a European chef's knife, the gyuto is usually thinner, harder, and lighter, ground to a finer edge that rewards good board technique and regular honing. That same thinness is the trade-off: the edge is less forgiving of bone, frozen food, and twisting cuts, and it asks for a little more care in maintenance in exchange for its keenness.

View full knife type guide →

Cutting edge steel

R2 / SG2

Powder metallurgy high-chromium martensitic stainless

Typical HRC
63–65
Corrosion class
Stainless
Production
Powder
Origin
Japan (R2 from Kobelco; marketed by Takefu as SG2)

R2 and SG2 are the same steel under two names — a piece of nomenclature that has caused unending confusion in the community. The alloy is produced by Kobelco / Kobe Steel and is supplied to Takefu, who markets it as "Super Gold 2" or SG2. About 1.40 percent carbon, 15 percent chromium, 3.0 percent molybdenum, and 2.0 percent vanadium make it a high-carbide, high-hardness powder stainless.

In a clad gyuto, santoku, or petty it runs reliably at 63–64 HRC, holds an edge for a long time, and is genuinely stainless. The trade-off is modest toughness — at 64 HRC the steel is on the brittle end of the modern stainless range, and very thin grinds can chip if asked to do too much. Sharpening requires a slightly slower hand than VG-10 but produces a refined edge once the burr is settled.

SG2 is the workhorse premium stainless of a long list of Sakai makers. Among the makers Modern Cooking carries, Shigeki Tanaka works in R2 / SG2. It sits in a direct comparative band with MagnaCut — better edge retention, less toughness — and the choice between them has become one of the live conversations in the modern kitchen knife world.

View full steel guide →

Blade construction

Laminated Steel

A category covering knives built from multiple layers of different steels forge-welded together. The hard cutting steel is sandwiched between softer outer layers (cladding) that protect the core, add toughness, and often contribute visual contrast.

The most common laminated constructions in the Modern Cooking catalogue are:

SanMai (三枚) — three layers: hard cutting steel in the centre, softer cladding on both sides. The traditional and most common form.

GoMai (五枚) — five layers: a hard core, two intermediate layers, and two outer layers. Adds visual depth and structural complexity.

KuMai (九枚) — nine layers: similar logic, with more cladding layers for additional pattern and structural variation.

GoMai and KuMai are often chosen not only for the additional layers and visual depth, but also because the intermediate layers can act as a nickel diffusion barrier — limiting carbon migration out of the core into the cladding during forge welding, and protecting the core's intended carbon content through the heat of the forging process.

In all cases the cutting performance is determined by the core steel; the outer layers are cosmetic and structural. The lamination contributes corrosion protection (when a stainless jacket clads a carbon core), reduced reactivity, and the visible boundary between core and cladding that gives the knife its character.

View full construction guide →

Grind

Flat

A grind in which the blade tapers in a straight line from the spine down toward the edge, with no curve or hollow in the bevel. The flat grind is the most common geometry on modern double-bevel kitchen knives because it balances cutting performance and durability: thin enough behind the edge to slice well, with enough steel behind it to stay strong.

A true full flat grind, running from spine to edge, is keen but can wedge in dense produce as the food meets the widening blade; many kitchen knives use a partial flat grind that begins lower on the blade to manage that. The flat grind's appeal is its predictability — it sharpens straightforwardly, behaves consistently, and asks nothing unusual of the user.

View full grind guide →

Handle construction

Hidden Tang

A construction in which the tang runs into the handle but stays concealed inside it, rather than showing between two scales. A narrower tang — a full-length stick or a shorter projection — is set into a drilled or burned channel in a one-piece handle and secured with adhesive, a friction fit, or a threaded fitting drawn up against the blade. This is the traditional construction of Japanese wa-handles and many European hidden-tang knives.

The design puts the handle material in charge of the look and feel: a single piece of wood, horn, or composite — often with a ferrule or spacers at the front — is shaped into any cross-section the maker wants, from the classic octagonal and D-shaped wa profiles to fully rounded Western forms. With no steel showing along the grip, the handle can be slim and light, and is frequently made to be removed and replaced, with the balance sitting toward the blade.

View full construction guide →

Shipping & Returns

Shipping

We process orders 5 days a week (Monday - Friday) and ship from our shop in Sydney, Australia. We ship with FedEx, UPS and DHL.

We are happy to offer free international shipping on a variety of orders depending on location and order value.

Free Shipping Regions and Minimum Order Values

For Australia and New Zealand the minimum is $500AUD. For the rest of the world it is approximately €1000EUR. The discount is applied automatically when you reach the minimum cart value at checkout.

Returns

If you're not entirely happy with your purchase, you can return it within 14 days of delivery for a refund. The item must be in its original condition with all original packaging.

  • Returns are accepted for 14 days
  • The customer is responsible for return shipping costs
  • A 15% restocking fee may be applied to change-of-mind returns
  • We do not accept returns on second-hand items for change of mind

Faulty or Damaged Items

You must notify us within 5 business days of receiving your order. Photographic evidence of damage is required. Once approved, Modern Cooking will cover return shipping costs.

Product Care

Cleaning: Clean by hand with warm water. Avoid wetting the handle when possible.

Sharpening: We advise using whetstones to sharpen your knives and a honing rod or steel to maintain the burr between sharpening sessions.

Reactive Steels: Reactive steels like Aogami Super, Apex Ultra or premium reactive German and Swedish steels are susceptible to rust if not properly cared for. Keep the knife dry between uses and when storing for longer periods, wiping the blade with Tsubaki oil or another food-safe oil is a wise choice. A patina can be a beautiful personal feature on your knife and helps to stop rust forming.

Handle Care: For non-stabilised wooden handles, apply Tsubaki oil or another food-safe oil from time to time. Food-safe wax can be applied to both stabilised and non-stabilised wooden handles. Never apply hot wax or oil as you risk warping or damaging the handle.

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