Hatsukokoro’s Shirasagi line translates to “egret” (a white, heron-like bird) and is forged by Tamura Toru. The sharpener for this line is Myojin Tateo, father of famous sharpener Myojin Naohito who is known for his work on knives such as the Fujiyama series from Konosuke. Hatsukokoro knives are known for a beautiful grind and polish, as well as generous heel height to prevent knuckles from contacting the board when cutting. 

Sporting a rustic hammered finish on the hira (flat), knives from the Shirasagi Blue #2 line boast great edge retention and performance while remaining very easy to sharpen. Like the Kumokage line, the generous thickness in the spines of these blades and high degree of convexity lends its users a sturdy, weighted feel in the hand and excellent durability overall. Because of the ample amount of steel used in the construction, these are a great choice for wide bevel sharpening beginners. Finally, the urasuki is expertly ground for ease of sharpening, and is very nice for its price.

Note: the out of box edge is non-existent. We recommend sharpening the cutting edge before putting it through its paces. Keep dry to avoid rust.

A Deba is a traditional Japanese fish fileting/butchery knife that is single-sided/beveled. Despite its Santoku-like profile, it does not perform well on dense produce; however, it excels in deboning various fish, thanks to its weight and bevel shape. The technique of using a deba is quite different from using a flexible filleting knife (Western style fish deboning), but in practiced hands, both styles can yield very good results. We recommend a deba for any cook looking to get better at filleting fish and sharpening a single bevel knife in Japanese fashion.

Brand: Hatsukokoro
Blacksmith: Tamura Toru
Producing Area: Tosa-Kochi/ Japan
Profile: Kiritsuke Deba
Size: 165mm
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Steel: Blue (Aogami) #2, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Wenge & Buffalo Horn Ferrule Octagonal
Total Length: 318mm
Edge Length: 171mm
Handle to Tip Length: 185mm
Blade Height: 51mm
Thickness: 7.6mm
Handle Length: 133mm
Weight: 330g
Hand Orientation: Right Handed
Hardness: 61-62HRC