Tsunehisa Swedish Steel Tsuchime Gyuto 240mm with Brown Western Handle

Overview

The Tsunehisa Swedish Steel Tsuchime Gyuto 240mm with Brown Western Handle is a workhorse Japanese chef’s knife built for cooks who want laser-like performance without fussy maintenance. Forged from Swedish stainless steel and finished with a hammered tsuchime cladding, it glides through onions, protein, herbs, and dense veg while helping food release cleanly from the blade.

Tsunehisa is a collaborative brand drawing on skilled makers in Tosa and other knife-making regions of Japan. Their Swedish stainless line uses a fine-grained steel (often 19C27) that takes a very keen edge, holds it well, and still sharpens easily on standard water stones. Paired with a comfortable full-tang brown Western pakkawood handle and a stainless bolster, this 240mm gyuto feels familiar to Western chefs but cuts with that distinctly Japanese precision.

At 240mm, this gyuto is the “do-everything” length for serious home cooks and professionals. It has enough reach for large heads of cabbage and big cuts of meat, but it still feels nimble for chiffonading herbs or doing fine tip work on garlic and shallots. The hammered finish not only looks great on the line or on your home counter, it also reduces sticking so prep flows faster.

If you’d like the knife to arrive absolutely dialed in, you can pair it with our in-house knife sharpening service so it lands on your board with a Tokushu edge, ready to go.

Common Questions

Q: Is this knife suitable for home cooks, or is it only for professionals?

A: It’s fantastic for both. If you’re a home cook who wants “one really good Japanese chef knife” that can handle almost everything, this 240mm gyuto is a perfect choice. The Swedish stainless core is forgiving and low-maintenance compared to reactive carbon steels, and the Western handle feels familiar if you’re used to German or French knives. In a pro kitchen, the long edge, thin grind, and tough stainless steel make it a reliable line knife you can use all shift long.

Q: What can I use a 240mm gyuto for day to day?

A: Pretty much everything besides heavy cleaver work. Think slicing roasts, portioning chicken breasts, dicing onions, prepping big batches of mirepoix, halving melons, and shredding cabbage. The gentle belly lets you rock-chop herbs, while the thin tip excels at detail work like trimming silver skin or mincing garlic. If you’re asking, “Can this be my main chef knife?”—yes, absolutely. This is the one knife you can leave out on the board and reach for all day.

Q: How do I care for a Swedish stainless Japanese knife so it lasts?

A: Treat it like a precision tool instead of a throw-it-in-the-sink knife:

• Hand-wash only—no dishwasher—and dry it immediately after use.
• Use a knife-friendly board (we strongly recommend a soft synthetic like the Hasegawa Pro Cutting Board) to protect the edge.
• For long-term protection, a light wipe of tsubaki (camellia) oil on the blade is helpful, especially if you live in a humid climate.
• When the knife starts to feel a little tired, touch it up on a fine stone and finish on our Tokushu XL buffalo leather strop to bring the edge back to life quickly.

Q: How hard is the steel, and what does that mean for sharpening?

A: Tsunehisa’s Swedish stainless gyutos are typically hardened to around 61 HRC, which is a sweet spot for this steel. It gets noticeably sharper than most factory Western knives and holds that edge for a long time, but it’s still easy to sharpen on standard water stones (1,000–3,000 grit for maintenance, 4,000–6,000+ if you love a refined polish). You don’t need exotic stones—just basic, consistent sharpening and occasional stropping.

Q: Is the hammered tsuchime finish just for looks?

A: It looks cool, but it’s also functional. The hammered dimples help break surface tension so food doesn’t suction to the sides of the blade as easily. You’ll notice sliced potatoes, cucumbers, and squash falling away from the knife instead of sticking on for dear life, which keeps your cuts cleaner and speeds up prep.

Specifications

• Brand: Tsunehisa
• Core Steel: Swedish stainless steel (fine-grained, often 19C27-type)
• Cladding Type: Stainless steel with hammered tsuchime finish
• Blade Length: 240mm
• Spine Thickness (Heel): 2mm
• Spine Thickness (Mid): 2mm
• Blade Profile: Double bevel, gently curved belly with fine pointed tip
• Handle Material: Full-tang brown pakkawood Western handle with metal bolster
• Handle Feel: Comfortable, secure grip with familiar Western ergonomics
• Hardness (HRC): Approx. 60 HRC (typical for Tsunehisa Swedish stainless line)
• Edge Geometry: Thin, convex ground edge for easy cutting and good food release
• Made In: Japan