Santoku Vs. Gyuto - What's The Difference? - Oishya

Santoku knives are larger, multi-purpose knives. They’re usually shorter than long chef knives (less than 21cm) and have wide, flat blades and fairly blunt or slightly rounded tips. As a result, they’re not very well suited for piercing.

With no belly (or curve) to the blade, you can’t rock with them either. On the other hand, the long, straight blade of a Santoku is particularly useful for long cutting strokes. The wide blade helps for transferring food, too. These qualities make Santokus especially good for chopping. Like other Japanese knives, Santokus tend to be thin, hard, and very sharp. Some Santokus feature an asymmetric grind, meaning that they can only be used in either your right or left hand. Others have a hollow grind for extra sharpness.

For more information on how Japanese knives differ from German-style knives, check out this guide. As Santokus have become more popular, knife manufacturers have begun to produce them with a wide range of options, meaning that you can find a Santoku with pretty much any combination of length, metal, handle, and grind. You can even find Santokus with a rounded edge for rocking cuts, although some purists might argue that those knives aren’t Santokus anymore.

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  Chef’s Knives, Japanese Knives

  Sakai Kyuba KYU Chef’s Knife 19cm – Santoku – Olive Green £353
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  Chef’s Knives, Japanese Knives

  Sakai Kyuba KYU Chef’s Knife 19cm Santoku – Mediterranean Blue £329
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  Chef’s Knives, Japanese Knives

  Sakai Kyuba KYU Chef’s Knife 19cm Santoku – Natural Brown £353