Tojiro Dp Gyuto was the first high end knife that I bought. It offers an incredible value, especially compared to the shuns. For a comparable shun knife, you might be spending 50-80 dollar more. The Tojiro Dp line features a vg-10 core just like some of the shuns and its also made in Japan. Not only that, it also feature a full tang design like other high end knife. This review will take a closer look at the design and features of Tojiro DP Gyuto.

Tojiro Dp Gyuto Review Quick Summary

Categories	Tojiro Dp Gyuto 8.2 inch
Performance	Excellent
Handle	Laminated Plastic Most likely Micarta
Tang	Full Tang
Bolster	Half Bolster
Steel	VG-10 Core between 13 Chrome Stainless Steel
Blade Angle	9-12 Degree
Rockwell Hardness	60
Place of Manufacturer	Japan
Thoughts	Tojiro Dp Gyuto is one of the best value knife around. It rivals that of Shun which uses a vg-10 core like Tojiro. If you are looking to get a better quality knife, Tojiro is the way to go. I recommend that you stick with the 8 inch knife if you are new to knives. As you get better, get a ten inch one.
Reviewed Knife	Tojiro DP Gyutou – 8.2″ (21cm)

History of Tojiro

Tojiro is located in Tsubame Japan. They have been producing metal products like Knives, pipes, scissors and copper ware since the 1600’s. Their craftsman undertake years of training. With a mindset to always improve themselves. The way they produce most of their knives is the same way of forging a Katana which is a Japanese Sword. Although today, they use a blend of modern technology and traditional technique to improve the efficiency, their focus on quality has never changed.

What is a Gyuto

A gyuto is a Japanese take on the western chef knife. They are meant to be a general purpose chef knife. Compared to a western knife, they tend to be a little thinner and hold an edge better. It is not uncommon for the knife to have a rockwell hardness of 60 plus. Gyuto’s are slowly becoming a favorite in professional kitchen in the western world.

Tojiro Dp Gyuto Design

This section will discuss the design and features of Tojiro Dp Gyuto. We will go over handle, shape, metal and general performance.

Handle

Like most western knife, Tojiro uses a plastic handle. According to their website, it is a reinforced laminated handle. More than likely, these handles are made of Micarta. They have a few advantage over a wood design. Most notably is that it wont expand and contract like a wooden handle will. This sometimes cause structural damage and make the rivet protrude or recede into the handle. A laminated handle will pretty much stay the same shape and will not be susceptible to rot. For a professional kitchen, these type of handles are preferred as there is less upkeep.

Bolster

Tojiro Dp uses a half bolster design. In the past, a full bolster usually denotes that its forge and of higher quality. Today, this is not necessarily true. In fact, a half or no bolster design will be better. Since a full bolster knife can get in the way of sharpening. There will always be a left over edge at the end of the knife. With a half bolster, you can sharpen the length of the blade.

Tang

The knife uses a full tang design. What this means is that the blade runs the length of the handle. These type of design are usually more durable and it stays more secure. Half tang blade can sometimes pop out or snap due to leverage. While this does not necessarily mean that its bad, in general, you want a full tang knife. Another good thing about this knife is that the blade is affixed via three rivets. You can see that on side of the handle. This secures the handle snugly onto the blade.

Blade Shape

The geometry of the blade is a traditional Japanese blade. Instead of a belly like a Western knife, it is more flat. When you go to chop, it is more like a guillotine motion instead of a rocking motion. For those of you who are trained in a traditional western style of cutting, you might have to adjust your cutting a bit. At the tip, there is a slight curve so that you can rock it a little.

Tojiro Dp Gyuto Metal

At the core, the blade uses a VG-10 steel. The full name is known as V Gold 10. The VG-10 was already designed by The Takfeu Special Steel company. It is a high carbon knife meaning that it will retain its edge better than other knife. Due to its functionality and popularity, it can be seen in most major knives today. Most notably, the knives that are made by Shun. Between the vg-10 core, the blade is sandwiched with 13-chrome stainless steel. This allows the blade to get a razor edge sharpness and makes it easy to maintain.

Angle

Tojiro DP uses a double bevel design. Which means that the cutting edge is sharpen to the same degree on both side. It has a 9-12 degree angle on either side. This is pretty common with Japanese Knives because they are usually harden to a rockwell hardness of 60 plus. Which is what Tojiro is at. This lets it get sharper than you would with a western knife. The downside to this hardness is that it is more prone to chipping. If you have too soft of a blade, the edge will dull quickly forcing you to constantly sharpen it.

On western knife, their angle is not as deep but because of the softness, they are more malleable. It really is a trade off. Softer knife can cut harder stuff, where as sharper knife is better for soft vegetables.

Tojiro Dp Gyuto Thoughts

There is a lot of thought that went into Tojiro Dp Gyuto. From the handle to the blade. These knives were meticulous made. They can get a sharp edge and maintain it really well. It offers a much better value than those of Shun. If you are just starting to get into knives, these are the way to go. I recommend that you get a 8 inch one as they are more easy to use initially. As you get better, you can upgrade to the 10 inch model.

I hope you like this Tojiro Dp Gyuto review, If you would like to see more, please visit our Cutlery page.