WHAT SIZE GYUTO?

Summary

In this video, Gage from Sharp breaks down the differences between common Guuto knife sizes: 180 mm, 210 mm, 240 mm, and 300 mm. He discusses their uses, advantages, and trade-offs for various kitchen tasks, highlighting the 240 mm as the most versatile option. Gage shares personal insights on handling, grip techniques (like the pinch grip), and how knife length affects control and blade geometry. While the 300 mm knife offers immense cutting power, it can feel unwieldy for everyday use. Ultimately, Gage emphasizes that while longer knives provide more versatility, choosing the right knife size depends on personal preference and needs.

Takeaways

• 😀 A Guuto knife typically comes in sizes 180mm (7 in), 210mm (8.2 in), 240mm (9.5 in), and 300mm (11.8 in).
• 😀 A 180mm Guuto is great for smaller vegetables and intricate tasks due to its control, but may struggle with harder ingredients.
• 😀 A 210mm Guuto offers a bit more length and easier cutting for tasks like chopping sweet potatoes, though still shorter than the 240mm.
• 😀 The 240mm Guuto is more versatile, with both a flat spot and a sweeping tip, making it great for both rocking and chopping motions.
• 😀 While the 300mm Guuto may seem appealing for its versatility, it's generally too long and unwieldy for most everyday tasks, especially for delicate chopping.
• 😀 When using a knife, a pinch grip (holding the knife by the blade) is essential for control, but it effectively shortens the usable blade length.
• 😀 Using a pinch grip on a 180mm knife may reduce its effective length to around 5.5 inches, while the 240mm knife may feel more comfortable with its greater blade length.
• 😀 A longer knife, such as a 240mm Guuto, is often more versatile overall and easier to work with once you get comfortable with it.
• 😀 Shorter knives like a 180mm or 210mm can feel too small once you’re used to a longer knife, which may make certain tasks harder.
• 😀 Generally, a 240mm knife is more expensive than a 180mm or 210mm knife, as longer knives often come with a higher price tag due to their increased versatility.
• 😀 For a well-rounded knife kit, it’s good to have a small knife (petty), a medium knife (like a 180mm), and a longer knife (such as a 210mm or 240mm) to cover all your bases.

Q & A

What are the typical sizes of a Guto knife mentioned in the video?

The typical sizes of a Guto knife mentioned are 180mm (7 inches), 210mm (8.2 inches), 240mm (9.5 inches), and the less common 300mm (11.8 inches).

Why is the 180mm Guto better for smaller vegetables and intricate tasks?

The 180mm Guto is shorter, which means the hand is closer to the tip of the knife, giving the user more control over the blade for smaller tasks like chopping shallots and garlic.

What are the trade-offs when using a smaller Guto knife like the 180mm?

The trade-off is blade geometry. Smaller knives like the 180mm tend to get thicker quickly, which can make cutting harder ingredients, like sweet potatoes, more challenging compared to longer knives.

How does a longer knife, like the 240mm Guto, make cutting easier?

Longer knives like the 240mm typically have a more favorable blade geometry, with a larger flat spot and sweeping tip, making it easier to cut through harder ingredients like sweet potatoes.

What is the main difference in blade geometry between a 180mm and a 240mm Guto?

The 240mm Guto usually has both a flat spot and a sweeping tip, which allows for both rock chopping and up-and-down chopping motions. In contrast, the 180mm Guto tends to have less flat spot, making the up-and-down motion less comfortable.

Why does Gage prefer using a 240mm Guto most of the time?

Gage finds the 240mm Guto to be versatile and comfortable for a variety of tasks. He feels that shorter knives like the 180mm or his Boonka feel unusually short after using the 240mm regularly.

How does the pinch grip affect the effective blade length of a knife?

The pinch grip, which involves holding the knife higher up near the blade, reduces the effective usable length of the blade. For example, a 180mm knife with a pinch grip becomes more like a 5.5-inch blade, making longer knives like the 240mm more advantageous.

What is the advantage of using longer knives like the 240mm in terms of versatility?

Longer knives like the 240mm are more versatile because they can handle a wider range of chopping styles and tasks, thanks to their flat spots and sweeping tips. They can be used for both rock chopping and up-and-down chopping motions more effectively.

Why might someone feel that a 300mm Guto is too long for everyday kitchen use?

While a 300mm Guto is highly versatile, it can feel unwieldy for many kitchen tasks. Gage mentions that the knife is extremely long and heavy, making it challenging to use for smaller tasks like mincing garlic, despite its sharpness and cutting ability.

How does the price of a Guto knife generally correlate with its size?

Generally, the longer the knife, the more expensive it is. A 240mm Guto is likely to be more expensive than a 180mm or 210mm knife, particularly if the knives come from the same series.