Reviewed by Knives Academy team, Based on Methodology v 1.0
- Brand - Tojiro
- Collection - DP
- Model - FU-808
- Manufacture Country - Japan
Introducing the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8 Inch Gyuto Chef Knife, model FU-808, a product of renowned Japanese manufacturer Tojiro. This Gyuto chef knife, crafted in Japan, is part of their Fujitora sub-brand’s DP collection. It combines traditional Japanese craftsmanship with Western design elements. Priced at approximately $100, it offers an affordable entry point for home cooks, professional chefs, and culinary enthusiasts who value Japanese craftsmanship.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife is a high-performing tool that excels in sharpness, edge retention, and slicing tasks. It’s an excellent choice for those who prioritize cutting performance and edge restoration. However, it falls short in terms of safety features and suitability for heavy-duty tasks. Despite these shortcomings, its affordable price point and adherence to Japanese craftsmanship standards make it a worthy investment.
PRICE: From 70$
THE GOOD
- Outstanding sharpness and edge retention
- Exceptional edge retention
- Excels in slicing tasks
- Good grip
- Light
- Excellent value for money
THE BAD
- Safety is lacking
- Not suited for heavy duty work
- Requires expertise to sharpen and restore edge
- Handle design is not optimal for maintenance due to food getting stuck in the handle's holes.
INTENDED AUDIENCE
- Professional cooks, culinary enthusiasts, home cooks
BEST USED FOR
- Precision tasks, delicate work, slicing, carving, detailed prep work.
GET TO KNOW THE KNIFE
KNIFE SPECIFICATIONS & VISUAL INSPECTION
DIMENSIONS
Knife Attribute | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
Knife Length | 13.18 inches | 33.47 cm |
Knife Weight | 6.3 ounces | 178.6 g |
Blade Length | 8.20 inches | 20.82 cm |
Blade Heel Length | 1.73 inches | 4.39 cm |
Handle Length | 4.84 inches | 12.29 cm |
CONSTRUCTION
Knife Attribute | Value | Knife Forging Method | Forged |
|---|---|
Knife Tang Type | Full tang |
Hardness (HRC) | 60 |
Blade Material | High carbon stainless steel |
Blade Steel Grade | VG10 |
Blade Finish | Hand Polished |
Blade Geometry Grind | Flat |
Blade Grind Angle | 11 |
Blade Bevels | Double |
Handle Material | Reinforced laminated material |
UNBOXING
THE KNIFE
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife, model FU-808, is a Japanese chef knife (gyuto) that embodies a blend of traditional Japanese and Western design elements. It is a parallel to the Tojiro DP F-808 Gyuto chef knife, manufactured from the same materials and design, only under a different branding. This full-tang forged knife weighs a comfortable 6.3 ounces and measures 13.2 inches in length. The knife is designed with a partial bolster, featuring a straight choil that transitions into the handle. It’s crafted to be versatile, catering to both right and left-handed users. However, it does not meet the standards of the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).
THE BLADE
The blade of the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8 Inch Gyuto Chef Knife is a three-layered construction, with a core of VG10 high carbon stainless steel, renowned for its superior edge retention and sharpness. This core is laminated with 13-chrome stainless steel, enhancing the blade’s durability and corrosion resistance. With a Rockwell hardness rating of 60, the blade offers an excellent balance between hardness and toughness. The blade measures 8.2 inches in length, with a spine width of 1.8mm, and features a straight spine shape with a distal taper. The cutting edge is a flat grind with a double bevel, set at an angle of 12 degrees, promising precision, and sharpness. In terms of aesthetics, the blade features a silver color and is hand-polished to a satin finish. The blade’s face bears the Fujitora flower logo, to differentiate it from the classic Tojiro diamond logo.
THE HANDLE
The handle of the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8 Inch Gyuto Chef Knife measures 4.84 inches, with the full tang following through up until the handle’s butt. It is constructed from a reinforced laminated material, known for its durability and resistance to moisture. The handle has a mostly rectangular and straight profile, providing a comfortable grip for extended use.
In terms of aesthetics, the handle is black, offering a classic contrast to the silver blade. The handle bears no additional logos and is secured with three rivets, ensuring stability. While the butt of the handle features a small guard for enhanced safety, the absence of a finger guard on the handle could potentially be a safety concern for some users. The knife is also suitable for left-handed users, adding to its versatility.
KNIVES ACADEMY TESTING
PERFORMANCE
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife delivered an impressive performance in both sharpness and edge retention. Our testers found the knife to be very sharp right out of the box, acing both the paper and tomato tests. This excellent sharpness can be attributed to the blade’s high carbon stainless steel VG10 core, its 60HRC, and its thin edge angle of 11-12 degrees. Remarkably, the knife maintained this high level of sharpness even after two weeks of usage, demonstrating excellent edge retention. These results suggest that with proper care, the knife can maintain its cutting edge for a significant period.
SHARPNESS
Our testers found the knife showcased excellent sharpness, effortlessly passing both the paper and tomato tests upon unboxing. This excellent sharpness can be attributed to the blade’s high carbon stainless steel VG10 core, its hardness rating of 60, its thin profile, and the low blade’s edge angle.
EDGE RETENTION
The knife demonstrated excellent edge retention in our tests, maintaining its sharpness even after two weeks of usage. This impressive performance can be attributed to the blade’s hardness rating of 60, and its thin edge angle, which contribute to its ability to maintain its cutting edge.
FUNCTIONALITY & VERSATILITY
TECHNIQUE VERSATILITY
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife showed good versatility in our tests, excelling in slicing and carving, and performing well in chopping, dicing, and mincing. However, it was only acceptable in delicate tasks like peeling and turning, and in heavy-duty tasks like butchering and cleaving. The knife’s up-down chopping motion was excellent, but its rocking motion was only acceptable.
Despite attributes that typically reduce durability, the knife held up reasonably well, thanks to its full tang design and forged construction. However, it may not be the top choice for heavy-duty tasks. Its lighter weight and 8.2-inch blade length contribute to easy handling and precise cuts, making it suitable for delicate work. However, its high hardness may limit its performance in tasks requiring more flexibility.
STRENGTH, TOUGHNESS & DURABILITY
Our testers found the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife to have demonstrated acceptable strength, toughness, and durability during our testing. Despite its high Rockwell hardness rating of 60 and lower blade angle of 11-12 degrees, which typically reduce durability, the knife held up reasonably well under pressure. This resilience can be attributed to its full tang design and forged construction which increase its strength. However, it’s worth noting that while the knife performed well in general, it may not be the top choice for heavy-duty tasks cutting through very hard or dense ingredients, or frozen food.
LEVERAGE
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife showed acceptable leverage in our tests. Despite its relatively lightweight, the knife’s 8.2-inch blade length and sharpness contribute to an efficient force transfer during cutting tasks. The knife performed acceptably across various techniques and chopping motions, indicating its suitability for a range of kitchen tasks, although it may not be the top choice for heavy-duty tasks.
DEXTERITY & MANEUVERABILITY
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife demonstrated excellent dexterity and maneuverability in our tests. Its lighter weight of 6.3 ounces and 8.2-inch blade length contribute to easy handling and precise cuts. The flat grind, lower blade angle of 11 degrees, and thin edge enhance its dexterity, allowing for intricate cutting tasks. These attributes make the knife particularly suitable for delicate work.
FLEXIBILITY / RIGIDITY
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife is mostly rigid but shows some flexibility towards its tip. This is likely due to its high hardness, which makes for a more rigid blade. This rigidity is beneficial for tasks requiring strength, such as chopping through dense vegetables – which are not the knife’s strongest suit to begin with. However, the limited flexibility may hinder its performance in more delicate tasks like peeling and filleting.
FEEL & EXPERIENCE
Our testers concluded that the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife offers an excellent feel and experience. The contoured handle, made of reinforced laminated material, provides a comfortable and secure grip. The knife’s balance is excellent, varying with different grip styles, and contributes to precision and stability. Despite its forged construction and full tang, the knife is relatively light and easy to handle, minimizing fatigue during extended use. Ultimately, we believe this knife is likely to meet most users’ expectations for a comfortable and controlled cutting experience.
COMFORT & ERGONOMICS
The Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife offers acceptable comfort and ergonomics. The handle, made of reinforced laminated material, is contoured yet slightly squarish, providing a unique grip that may take some getting used to. The handle length is of a good average size, likely to fit most hand sizes comfortably. The presence of a handle guard on the butt enhances the overall comfort, providing better palm support.
GRIP STABILITY & CONTROL
Our testers reported that the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife exhibits very good grip stability and control. The contoured, slightly squarish handle, crafted from reinforced laminated material, ensures a unique and secure hold. The average-sized handle contributes to precise control during various cutting tasks. Enhanced by a handle guard on the butt, the grip stability is further improved. The full tang design and balanced weight of the knife add to its control.
BALANCE
Our testers found the knife to have demonstrated excellent balance. When held in a pinch grip, the balance point was a bit handle-heavy but resulted in a very good balance score. In the handshake/thumb grip, the balance point shifted to be blade-heavy, earning an excellent balance score. The knife truly shined in the fingertip grip test, where the balance point was centered, resulting in an outstanding balance score.
FATIGUE
Our testers found that the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife excels in minimizing hand and wrist fatigue during extended use. The knife’s weight of 6.3 ounces contributes to its ease of use over extended periods. We believe the knife is suitable for prolonged use without causing undue strain on the user’s hand and wrist.
MAINTENANCE
Overall, the knife offers a very good & balanced maintenance profile. Its cladded high carbon stainless steel blade provides very good resistance to corrosion and rust. Some signs of corrosion were observed on the second day of testing, but these were easily cleaned off or eliminated when the knife was sharpened. The knife offers excellent edge retention which reduces the frequency of sharpening, and the edge restoration process is fairly straightforward.
The knife’s strength, toughness, and durability are acceptable, with its full tang design and forged construction enhancing its toughness. However, the knife’s tip was observed to chip, indicating that it may not be the best choice for heavy-duty work or using tougher ingredients. The knife’s resistance to wear and tear is average, and scratches are fairly visible.
CORROSION & RUST RESISTANCE
The knife demonstrated very good resistance to corrosion and rust in our saltwater spray tests. While the blade’s VG10 isn’t very resistant to corrosion, it is laminated with 13-chrome stainless steel known for better rust resistance, coupled with a polished finish, which contributes to this performance. However, some signs of corrosion and rust were observed on the second day of testing, indicating that while the knife has some resistance properties, it may not be as effective under prolonged exposure to corrosive elements. Regular maintenance and proper care are therefore essential to prevent rust and corrosion and keep the knife in optimal condition.
STRENGTH, TOUGHNESS & DURABILITY
The knife’s strength, toughness, and durability are acceptable, with its full tang design, forged construction, and high carbon stainless steel material enhancing its toughness. However, the knife’s tip was observed to chip, indicating that it may not be the best choice for heavy-duty work or cutting through particularly hard and dense ingredients.
WEAR, TEAR & SCRATCH RESISTANCE
Despite the blade’s high hardness, the knife showed average resistance to wear, tear, and scratches. The polished finish made it more susceptible to visible scratches. Over time, signs of wear became noticeable, suggesting the need for regular maintenance and proper care to prolong its lifespan.
EDGE RETENTION
The knife’s edge retention was found to be excellent in our tests, which greatly contributes to its maintenance ease. The blade’s low edge angle of 11 degrees, high Rockwell hardness rating of 60, and the use of high carbon stainless steel ensure the knife maintains its sharpness even after two weeks of regular use without regular honing or sharpening. This reduces the need for frequent sharpening, making the knife a practical choice for those who prefer a low-maintenance knife.
EDGE RESTORATION (EASE OF SHARPENING)
Our testers found the knife to be excellent in terms of edge restoration, contributing to its overall low-maintenance appeal. The VG-10 high-carbon stainless steel blade, despite its hardness rating of 60, was relatively easy to sharpen. The double-bevel flat grind design simplifies the sharpening process, requiring little to no expertise for optimal sharpening. The absence of a full bolster at the heel is also a plus, simplifying the sharpening process. Overall, the knife’s edge restoration is manageable with some practice and knowledge.
SAFETY
Our testers found the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife to offer an acceptable level of safety. The knife’s full tang design and three rivets ensure a secure handle attachment, reducing the risk of the blade separating from the handle during use. The contoured handle made of reinforced laminated material provides a good grip, enhancing control and safety. The knife’s double-bevel design is straightforward to operate, reducing the risk of accidents. The presence of a handle guard further enhances safety by providing well-defined boundaries for the user’s palm. However, the absence of a finger guard or a full bolster, the straight choil shape, and the sharp point at the heel’s choil could potentially pose safety concerns as they provide less buffer between the hand and the blade. Despite these areas for improvement, the knife’s safety features contribute to a secure and comfortable cutting experience, but caution should still be exercised.
VALUE ESTIMATION
Priced at approximately $100, the Tojiro Fujitora DP 8-inch Gyuto Chef Knife offers several high-value features that justify its price tag. The knife is made from a layering of high-quality steel. The VG10 high carbon stainless steel blade is known for its excellent edge retention and hardness and then cladded with 13 chromium steel, a feature that adds to its durability and corrosion resistance. The forged, full tang design, typically found in higher quality knives, contributes to its value. The blade’s polished finish and distal taper, which require more labor and craftsmanship, further enhance its worth. The knife’s handle is made of reinforced laminated material, a durable and aesthetically pleasing material.
Given these features and the knife’s excellent performance in our tests, it justifies its price tag.
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