Hayabusa Gyuto Ginsanko 210mm (8.3″)

The Hayabusa Gyuto Ginsanko 210 mm is a versatile Japanese kitchen knife ideal for preparing meat, fish, and vegetables. Its blade, made of Ginsanko steel (Silver Steel III) with a hardness of approximately 63 HRC, is thin and precise. The knife excels in sharpness, corrosion resistance, and ease of maintenance.

This knife is perfect for both home cooks and professional chefs, making it an excellent choice for anyone passionate about cooking.

Fun fact: Hayabusa gyuto shares its name with the peregrine falcon (ハヤブサ), the fastest member of the animal kingdom. This knife may not reach speeds upwards of 350 km/h, but chopping with it will feel just as fast.

BLADE SHAPE:
Gyuto is the most versatile and useful blade shape in the modern kitchen. It has a wide profile for easy food transfer and tends to be fairly flat towards the heel, enabling easy and fast chopping on the cutting board. A pointed tip allows piercing and precise, delicate work. A slight curve between the tip and the midsection makes the belly great for rocking the blade back and forth when cutting. It can be used for cutting meat, fish and vegetables.

STEEL:
Hitachi’s Silver III steel, also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko, was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well. Despite it being a stainless steel, it feels and behaves very similarly to carbon steels, due to its extremely pure composition. 

LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of the harder Ginsan steel was sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This technique is called san-mai and is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade. The cutting edge is sharpened to a 50/50 angle and stays sharp even after hours of constant use.

BLADE FINISH:
The minimalistic-looking, highly polished (also called migaki finish – see article Blade Construction: Blade Finish for more) blade is extremely thin, which allows the user to work precisely even with the smallest pieces of ingredients. 

HANDLE:
The Hayabusa Gyuto Ginsanko 210 mm features an octagon Japanese (Wa) style handle made out of wenge wood, complemented by an epoxy ferrule. The octagon shape of the handle provides a comfortable and secure grip, allowing for precise control during use. Wenge wood is known for its durability and attractive grain pattern, making it a popular choice for knife handles. The epoxy ferrule adds strength and stability to the handle, ensuring long-lasting performance.