Deba means “short fat tooth” in Japanese, and that’s the shape of this knife. It’s the first knife a sushi chef would use when preparing fish. It is used to fillet fish and take shellfish apart. Used properly, this ultra-sharp knife can do the heavy work: cutting heads off fish and even some poultry. Once you get the hang of using a deba for fish, you will probably never go back to your old flexible filleting knife.

These knives, and a considerable amount of skill on the chef’s part, are the reason sushi looks so good and why the fish is cleaned so perfectly. Done properly, the bones will be in one pile with almost no meat on them and the meat will be completely bone free, perfect fillets. Don’t let the shape and weight of a deba fool you; they are nimble and precise. Choose your deba’s length based on the fish size you’ll be butchering most often.

Tojiro Aogami Damascus knives are high-quality Japanese blades crafted using Aogami (Blue Paper) steel, a premium high-carbon steel known for its exceptional sharpness, edge retention, and durability. These knives feature a beautiful Damascus-clad design, where multiple layers of softer stainless steel are folded around the hard Aogami core, providing both strength and a striking visual pattern. Tojiro, ensures precise craftsmanship, balancing traditional forging techniques with modern innovations to create knives that are both functional and aesthetically appealing. Ideal for professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts, Tojiro Aogami Damascus knives offer superior cutting performance and a refined, elegant look.

Weight: 246g

Handle Material: Oval oak with buffalo horn ferrule

Handle Length: 124mm (4.8")

Blade Length: 158mm (6.2")

Blade Depth: 55mm

Thickness at spine: 7.2mm

Thickness at tip: 0.6mm

Cutting Edge: Double 50/50

Blade Material: VG10 Stainless steel with stainless steel cladding

Hardness (Rockwell scale): 60 - 61