Glestain K Series 8.7-inch (220mm) Chinese Chef’s Knife

The Chinese chef’s knife is the all-purpose knife of Chinese cooking, and Glestain’s 220mm version adds the dimpled face to a very wide, thin blade. Use it to slice, cube and mince vegetables, to julienne ginger and to cut boneless meat, then turn it flat to scoop the prepared food off the board.

A wide blade has a large face for food to stick to. The dimples keep slices of potato, cucumber and daikon from clinging, and the asymmetrical grind pushes them away as you cut. The spine is thin, so this is a slicing knife for vegetables and boneless proteins, and it should not be used as a meat cleaver on bone.

Cooks trained on a Chinese chef’s knife will recognize the shape; for others, the tall blade gives ample knuckle clearance and a broad surface for crushing garlic.


Other All-Purpose Glestain Knives

For a Western-style chef’s knife, see the KE Series 240mm Gyuto. For compact push cuts, the K Series 170mm Santoku is smaller. Our guide to kitchen knife shapes explains vegetable cleavers and meat cleavers.

SKU: GLS622-20TK

Availability: Out of stock

$375.00

Details

Specifications

  • Blade length: 8.7 inches (220 mm)
  • Series: K Series
  • Spine thickness: about 0.08 inch (2 mm)
  • Steel: Acuto 440, Glestain’s own molybdenum-vanadium stainless steel, given a sub-zero treatment during hardening
  • Hardness: 58 to 59 HRC
  • Edge geometry: asymmetrical, ground for the right hand; the factory edge is split about 80/20, with the larger bevel on the right face
  • Handle: Pakkawood, with a stainless bolster and no end cap
  • Maker: Honma Kagaku (Homma Science Co.), Niigata, Japan
  • Model number: 622-30TK (Knife Merchant item GLS622-20TK)

Comparing Glestain Santoku, Utility and Paring Knives

KnifeSeriesBladeBest suited to
K Series 160mm SantokuK6.3 in. (160 mm)Compact all-purpose work
K Series 170mm SantokuK6.7 in. (170 mm)Vegetables, push cuts
K Series 170mm Left-Handed SantokuK6.7 in. (170 mm)Vegetables, left hand
K Series 190mm Left-Handed SantokuK7.5 in. (190 mm)Larger produce, left hand
Ice Handle 170mm SantokuM6.7 in. (170 mm)Sanitation-minded kitchens
Ice Handle 170mm Left-Handed SantokuM6.7 in. (170 mm)All-metal, left hand
K Series 220mm Chinese Chef’s KnifeK8.7 in. (220 mm)Slicing, mincing, scooping
K Series 140mm Utility KnifeK5.5 in. (140 mm)Small produce, trimming
K Series 140mm Left-Handed Utility KnifeK5.5 in. (140 mm)Small produce, left hand
K Series 140mm Offset Utility KnifeK5.5 in. (140 mm)Board work with knuckle clearance
K Series 140mm Left-Handed Offset Utility KnifeK5.5 in. (140 mm)Offset, left hand
K Series 210mm Offset Utility KnifeK8.3 in. (210 mm)Sandwiches, longer board work
W Series 100mm Paring KnifeW3.9 in. (100 mm)In-hand peeling and paring

The Glestain Series

SeriesBlade faceBolster and end capHandle
K SeriesDimpledBolster, no end capPakkawood
KE SeriesDimpledBolster and end cap; the heftiest Glestain knivesPakkawood
M Series (Ice Handle)DimpledAll-metal handleStainless steel, dimpled and textured
SO Series (Home Series)DimpledNo bolster, squared shouldersPlain Pakkawood
W SeriesSmooth, no dimplesVaries by shapePakkawood

Sharpening a Glestain Edge

One face of a Glestain blade drops almost straight from the spine, and the other tapers to the edge, so the two sides are sharpened at different angles. Work the primary face (the right side on this knife) at about 16 to 18 degrees until a burr forms along the full edge, then remove the burr from the left side at about 22 degrees with a few light passes. Sharpen on whetstones; a pull-through or electric sharpener grinds both sides alike and alters the geometry. Our article on sharpening Glestain and Masahiro knives explains the method in detail, and our video on sharpening compound bevel knives shows it on the stone.


Care

  • Wash by hand with warm water and mild soap, then dry the knife at once. Do not put it in a dishwasher.
  • Acuto 440 resists stains but is not immune to them; do not leave the blade wet or soaking.
  • Cut on wood or plastic boards, and keep the edge away from frozen food, hard shells and heavy bone.
  • Hone between sharpenings with the Glestain hexagonal ceramic honing rod, and store the knife in a guard, a block or a case.

Additional Info

Blade Length (Inches) 8.7 in.
Blade Length (mm) 220 mm
Blade Width (inches) No
Grind Asymmetrical/Compound
Steel Type Acuto 440
Rockwell Hardness 58/59
Stainless Yes
Handle Material Pakkawood
Spine Thickness (mm) 2 mm
Brand Glestain
Country of Manufacture Japan
SKU GLS622-20TK
Manufacturer's Part Number 622-30TK
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price $0.00

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