• Yoshikane SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle - Blade
  • Yoshikane SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle - Handle
  • Yoshikane SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle - Profile
  • Yoshikane SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle - Profile
  • Yoshikane SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle - Choil
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SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle

SKD Gyuto 240mm with Mono Olive Wood Handle

By Yoshikane Hamono

CHF 340.00
CHF 340.00
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With SKD steel at the core these blades from Yoshikane Hamono are some of the most durable, high-performance knives around. The SKD steel is hard, it’s very hard, we are talking 64HRC-65HRC meaning that these knives will take a very acute and razor-sharp edge and they will hold it for a long time. While SKD is not classed as a stainless steel, with its high chromium content, it does have very decent stain resistance and superior wear resistance and toughness than is found in most stainless steels. With a protective stainless cladding these blades offer a very nice combination of characteristics that both fans of stainless and reactive steel knives will appreciate.

The geometry on these blades is up there with some of the best you can hope to find in Japanese knives. Leaning in the direction of a workhorse geometry, at least as far as Japanese knives are concerned, the blade has a tapered spine that is 3.6mm above the heel of the blade and quickly thins out to around 2.5mm as it heads towards the tip. The profile is fairly flat and has a persistent shallow curve beginning about 30mm from the heel. The blade is thin behind the edge (0.5mm) resulting in a very sharp blade with a delightful cutting experience.

We have paired these amazing blades from Yoshikane Hamono with custom mono Olive wood handles that feature beautiful grain patterns a simplicity that pairs nicely with the nashiji pattern found on the blades cladding.

Product Specification
  • Blade Type:
  • Edge Length: 240mm
  • Spine Heel: 3.6mm
  • Spine Mid: 2.13mm
  • Spine Tip (20mm before): 1.4mm
  • Blade Height: 50mm
  • Weight: 182g
  • Cutting Edge Steel:
  • Steel class: Carbon
  • HRC: 64+
  • Blade Construction:
  • Blade Finish: Textured
  • Grind:
  • Handle Construction:
  • Handle Materials: Olive Wood
  • 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

SKD

JIS cold-work tool steel designation (almost always SKD11 in kitchen-knife context)

Typical HRC
62–65
Corrosion class
Semi-stainless
Production
Conventional
Origin
Japan (JIS designation)

When a Japanese kitchen knife maker says "SKD," they almost always mean SKD11 — the JIS equivalent of AISI D2, with about 1.5 percent carbon, 12 percent chromium, 1.0 percent molybdenum, and 0.4 percent vanadium. The less common SKD12 (≈ AISI A2) is occasionally specified, but for kitchen knife purposes the safe assumption is SKD11.

In a knife from Yoshikane Hamono or any of the other Sanjō makers known for SKD work, the steel runs at 62–63 HRC, holds an edge unusually well for its class, and is corrosion-resistant enough to be functionally low-maintenance — though strictly speaking it is "semi-stainless" rather than fully stainless. Sharpening is harder than VG-10 but produces a noticeably more refined apex once burr management is dialed in. Toughness is moderate; thin geometries reward a careful user.

The Yoshikane SKD interpretation has become almost a separate reference point in the kitchen knife community — heat-treated higher than typical, ground thinner than typical, and sold at a price that reflects both. If a buyer asks for "an SKD knife," it is worth confirming the maker and the exact JIS number.

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

Convex

A grind whose bevel bulges outward in a gentle curve from spine to edge, rather than running flat. That extra steel directly behind the edge makes a convex grind notably strong and resistant to chipping, while the curved geometry helps food release and lets the blade glide through dense ingredients with less wedging than a flat grind.

The strength comes at the cost of ultimate thinness and ease of maintenance. A convex edge has more metal behind it, so it is not quite as effortlessly keen as a thinly flat-ground edge, and it is harder to sharpen freehand — holding the curve takes a stropping technique or a deliberate hand rather than a single fixed angle. The reward is an exceptionally tough, smooth-cutting edge.

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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