All professional and novice chefs are already familiar with Japanese kitchen knives. The Japanese use unique and exotic names for their knives, like santoku, gyuto, deba, sujihiki, nakiri etc. even if you are a kitchen knife expert, you might wonder at times that what is the difference between a santoku and a gyuto knife. Although, both of these are used for cutting purpose, but there is some difference between Gyuto and Santoku Knife. Gyuto knife has a longer blade with a curved edge and sharper tip, whereas Santoku knife has a shorter blade with a flatter edge and sheep-foot spine. Both Gyuto and Santoku Knives can be used for multipurpose but gyuto is best for meats while the santoku is best for vegetables. Apart from this basic difference, there are many other differences between Santoku and Gyuto Knife. The complete comparison of santoku vs. gyuto knives is described under:
| Features | Gyuto Knife | Santoku Knife |
|---|---|---|
| Originated In | Late 19th to early 20th century, Japan | 1940s, Japan |
| Best Used For | Cutting firm fruits and vegetables, disjointing or deboning meats, piercing meat flesh to make pockets, slicing, mincing, dicing and crushing various food items. | Slicing, mincing, chopping, dicing, and precise cutting. |
| Cutting Technology | Rocking chop | Push cutting or Chopping |
| Blade Design | Flat spine, sharply curved blade edge with sharp point | Downturned spine, slightly curved blade edge with less-sharp point |
| Blade Length | 5.5-10 inches long | 4-7 inches long |
| Blade Sharpness | Double bevel sharp | Both single or double bevel sharp |
| Knife Weight | Mostly tend to be heavier than santoku knives | Weight is variable, but they mostly tend to be lighter than gyuto knives. |
| Knife Price | Varies from brand to brand | Varies from brand to brand |
Table of Contents
Differences between Gyuto and Santoku Knives
As we already know that both santoku and gyuto are used for multiple purposes, they differ in some aspects that make them unique in their field of expertise. The main differences between santoku and gyuto knives are sectioned below:
Blade Design:
The santoku blade has a downward-angled spine while the gyuto’s spine is a bit flatter. Gyuto has a more defined and sharper point due to the flat spine. Santoku edge has a subtle curvature and down-turned spine, which gives it less sharp point. Gyuto’s blade edge is more curved in shape than santoku.
Knife Uses:
The gyuto knife is more versatile than santoku. The rock chop technique is used in gyuto that makes it perfect choice as a chef knife for breaking down meat of all thickness and size. Push or thrust cutting technique is used in santoku knife; therefore it is used for slicing, dicing, or chopping fruits and vegetable.
Which should I use between Santoku and Gyuto?
Both santoku and gyuto are multi-purpose knives, but gyuto is a better choice if you have limited budget. The reason is its curved edge and pointed tip make it more versatile choice as compare to santoku. Gyuto can literally do everything that santoku can.
