• Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass
  • Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass – detail view
  • Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass – side profile
  • Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass – handle detail
  • Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass – blade close-up
  • Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass – view 6
  • Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass – view 7
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Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass

Black X Hado Gyuto 240mm SanMai, 135Cr3, Wrought Iron, Ebony and Brass

By Collaboration

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Joel Black

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The Black X Hado Gyuto is an exceptional knife, born from the collaboration of world-class craftspeople and designed exclusively for Modern Cooking’s MCX design studio. Limited to a rare batch of just ten pieces, this Gyuto exemplifies precision, artistry, and innovation. The blade is forged in the UK by the esteemed British blacksmith Joel Black, renowned for his craftsmanship and attention to detail. After forging, the blade journeys to Japan, where Hado Knives’ master sharpener Tadataka Maruyama applies his signature touch—an ultra-fine, flat grind paired with a chamfered heel and elegantly rounded spine. These details create a blade that balances performance with beauty, embodying the finest elements of culinary tool design.

The handle of this Gyuto is crafted in Austria by Tobias Hangler, bringing another layer of refinement to this extraordinary knife. Made from premium ebony and featuring a custom-fitted brass front bolster, the handle is shaped in the elegant tapered Rokkaku Hanmaru style, a Modern Cooking favorite for its ergonomic and aesthetic appeal. The blade’s classic pointed Gyuto profile, combined with a subtly radiused edge and tapered spine, ensures effortless cutting performance and a nimble, balanced feel in hand. Forged from 135Cr3, a high-carbon, low-alloy tool steel, this blade delivers exceptional sharpness and edge retention, making it a truely high performance, precision cutting tool.

This project is a celebration of the challenges and rewards of global collaboration, bringing together artisans from four countries—spanning the UK, Japan, Austria, and Germany—over a period of six months. Each knife reflects the collective expertise and dedication of its makers, from forging and sharpening to handle craftsmanship and design. At Modern Cooking, we are immensely proud to have worked with such a talented network of artisans, including Joel Black, Tadataka Maruyama, and Tobias Hangler. The Black X Hado Gyuto is more than just a knife; it’s a symbol of what’s possible when passion, skill, and collaboration unite. With only ten pieces available, this Gyuto represents a rare and extraordinary achievement in modern knife-making.

 

Product Specification
  • Blade Type:
  • Overall Length: 375mm
  • Edge Length: 240mm
  • Spine Heel: 3.42mm
  • Spine Mid: 2.44mm
  • Spine Tip (20mm before): 1.05mm
  • Blade Height: 56mm
  • Weight: 191g
  • Cutting Edge Steel:
  • Steel class: Carbon
  • HRC: 65
  • Blade Construction:
  • Blade Finish: Matte PolishTextured
  • Grind:
  • Handle Construction:
  • Handle Materials: Bog Oak, 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

135Cr3

Plain high-carbon tool steel

Typical HRC
62–65
Corrosion class
Carbon
Production
Conventional
Origin
AFNOR / DIN; closely overlaps 1.2008

Editorial note: despite the "Cr3" suffix, which superficially suggests a low-carbon case-hardening grade, 135Cr3 is in fact a through-hardening high-carbon tool steel. The name is occasionally a source of confusion when buyers see the steel listed in older catalogues alongside true case-hardening grades like 16MnCr5; in practice 135Cr3 is interchangeable with 1.2008 for kitchen knife purposes.

The editorial profile follows 1.2008: a respectable, traditional European high-carbon at 62–65 HRC, with moderate edge retention, good toughness for the hardness, and conventional patina behaviour. It is most often seen in French and German workshop production where the carbon-steel idiom is part of the maker's identity. Among the makers Modern Cooking carries, Yanick Puig, Milan Gravier, Guirec Péron, and Jonas Johnsson work in 135Cr3.

Also known as:1.2008

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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