About the Shape - Deba means “short fat tooth” and this describes the shape of the knife. This is the first knife a sushi chef would use when preparing fish. It is used to fillet fish and butcher the boneless meat. The Deba is a traditional Japanese blade that is only sharpened on one side. This is called “single bevel.” Don’t let the shape and weight of a Deba fool you; they are nimble and precise. Choose the length of your Deba based on the size of fish you’ll be butchering most often.

About Shigefusa - Shigefusa is probably one of the best known and most respected knife makers coming from Sanjo in Niigata, Japan. Izuka-san, the man behind the Shigefusa name, makes some of the World’s most sought after knives. We’ve heard both Masashi Yamamoto and Bob Kramer say that Izuka-san is the best. Izuka-san has a very impressive resume for a blacksmith. He started his training under Kosuke Iwasaki, the father of the man making some of our favourite kamisori straight razors, where he learned basic techniques and a more scientific approach to looking at steel. After learning what he could, he apprenticed under the legendary Nagashima-san who taught him how to take what he learned and apply it to making kitchen knives. Izuka-san is like Luke Skywalker. He started his training with Obi Wan then finished up with Yoda, obviously he’s a force to be reckoned with.