Togashi’s smith and sharpener are the duo of Kenji and Kenya, whose selective process of finding suppliers is a testament to their pride and skill. Kenji Togashi-san is one of the few remaining smiths in Sakai who can forge Honyaki blades, a technique referring to differentially tempering blades. This process of creating a hardness gradient in the same steel is notorious for being difficult to master for its metallurgically high stress-inducing quenching process. Togashi-san’s White #1 steel has a reputation for being able to take a super high grit edge very quickly, ideal for people who enjoy testing the boundaries of sharpness.

A Deba is a traditional Japanese fish filleting/butchery knife that is single-sided/bevelled. 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: Hitohira ひとひら 
Smith: Togashi Blacksmith 富樫打刃物製作所
Producing Area: Sakai-Osaka/ Japan
Profile: Deba
Size: 165mm
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Steel: Yasuki White (Shirogami) #2, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Ho Wood & Buffalo Horn Ferrule D-Shape
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Total Length: 312mm
Edge Length: 168mm
Handle to Tip Length: 184mm
Blade Height: 49mm
Thickness: 5.5mm
Handle Length: 128mm
Weight: 220g
Hand Orientation: Right-Handed
Sharpener: Kenya Togashi