Takayuki Iwai – Deba 150mm

Deba Knife (出刃包丁 – pronounced: Deba Bōchō) literally translated from Japanese means ‘pointed carving knife’. The Deba is not a carving knife though but rather a ‘carver’ of fish and mainly applied to breaking down whole fish.

The Deba Knife is traditionally used for cleaning, filleting and beheading whole fish but the sturdy blade and heavier weight allows it to break down other meats and poultries with small bones but is not suited for cutting through thick bones. Like with most Traditional Japanese knives the Deba is best designed for a single or specific purpose, fish filleting.

The Deba knife is a heavy, robust knife featuring a thick, wide blade with a pointed tip. The thick blade and heavyweight on the heel allow for heavier duty work while the middle of the blade creates clean cuts. The pointed tip is used for precision work and helps you to feel the bones of the fish when filleting. The Deba has a single-bevel edge allowing it to be extremely sharp. Traditional Japanese knives characteristically have single-bevel edges. Most single-bevel knives are right-handed so if you are left-handed make sure to request.

Best for: Fish

Kitchen Samurai Ease of Use Rating: Precise – Knowledge of the knife and limited use cases