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Japanese knives are consistently ranked as some of the world’s top knives in the cutlery market. With enhanced features fitting for traditional techniques required to make mouth-watering sushi dishes, Japanese knives are in high demand.
Most kitchens that utilize high-quality knives have Japanese knives in their inventory. As most Japanese dishes require intricate processes to successfully combine the blends of extraordinary, traditional flavors with subtleness, the skills of the blade are essential. And as the mastery of the blades is highly significant in Japanese cuisine, having a blade companion is indeed crucial.
With that being a significant part of Japanese food, a great Japanese knife is a chef’s companion in need and a partner in crime. While there are many well-known brands available, Masahiro is known as one of the more well-known brands available from Japan. In this review, we’ll talk about the history of Masahiro as well as the many knives that they offer.
Masahiro Co. Ltd. is a popular Japanese knife brand located in the Japanese knife city of Seki. Masahiro is known for being a value brand that offers quality knives at affordable prices. For knife enthusiasts that want to try brands that are simple and reliable, Masahiro will definitely have something for them. Today, we’ll be reviewing the Masahiro MV Gyutou knife, so you get a better understanding of what Masahiro has to offer.
Masahiro has built a brand that is known for reliability, balance, and flexibility as opposed to hype and aesthetic. The knives are made with the company’s own proprietary steel, and the materials used are high-quality and very popular amongst butchers. Let’s discuss the finer details of Masahiro MV Gyutou as well as its pros and cons below.
Blade and Material of Masahiro MV Gyutou
The Masahiro MV Gyutou is known for its blade and material. A knife is as good as its blade, and Masahiro ensures the MV Gyutou is made using the best steel to ensure maximum performance and reliability.
- The MV Gyutou is manufactured using the company’s proprietary MBS-26 stainless steel. MBS-26 contains high carbon and is made by Daido, exclusively for Masahiro. This steel feature a thin layer clad, and includes 0.9% carbon and 13% chromium, vanadium, and molybdenum. A comparable steel to the MBS-26 is the Takefu VG-10 stainless steel
- To ensure the hardness of the blade, the MBS-26 stainless steel undergoes three stages of quenching. This time-consuming process ensures the blade is rock hard. Once completed, the blade features a Rockwell hardness rating of 59-60 HRC
- In addition to quenching, the blade also undergoes several other processes such as tempering and sub-zero treating. The additional processes are required to ensure the blade reaches its maximum hardness potential
Edge and Sharpness
While Masahiro’s MV Gyutou is made with high-quality steel and undergoes multiple processes to maximize its hardness, the knife still needs to have its edge prepared to ensure its sharp and ready for use right out of the box. The knife’s wide blade features a straight edge, and all Gyutou knives are guaranteed to be as sharp as possible coming off the production line.
- The MV Gyutou comes is manufactured with an 80/20 asymmetrical edge. This edge benefits both left and right-handed users. The edge is polished and given a mirror finished. The 80/20 represents 80% of the knife being grounded on the right side, and 20% of the knife being grounded on the left side.
- Unlike other knives which mostly feature 50/50 straight edges, the MV Gyutou’s knife-edge is 35% thinner. This results in a knife that’s perfect for precise and delicate cutting, chopping, and slicing foods.
- The knife edge is extremely easy to sharpen due to the 80/20 asymmetrical edge. The ground and bolster-less edge also allow for an easier and quicker sharpening.
In Part 1 of our Masahiro MV Gyutou Knife Review, we’ve discussed some of the benefits of this knife including the simple, reliable design, as well as its superior hardness and high-quality materials. In Part 2(Preparing to post), we’ll continue discussing more details of this knife.
