A Yanagiba slips through food effortlessly and its incredible sharpness means you never struggle. The yanagiba is a gateway knife for people wanting to get into single bevels and learn some new tricks. When slicing meat or fish, this blade will naturally want to pull to the left on a right-handed knife. (the opposite is true for a lefty.) As the driver of the blade, you must take control and tell it where to go. That may sound tricky, but you will get the hang of it after a few slices. Still, it can take years to master this knife.

The Tojiro Molybdenum Vanadium is Tojiros entry level traditional Japanese style knives and comes in a deba or a yanagiba and has specifically been deigned for busy kitchens as the handle is food safe and made with resin to keep bacteria to a minimum which compared to traditional wood is much safer. Instead of carbon steel, Molybdenum Vanadium stainless steel is adopted for this blade, so that it can be maintained easier and has good wear and rust resistance. The octagonal elastomer handle comfortably fits in your hand, it won’t corrode and is very hygienic.