Hitohira is our brand new supplier that has been absolutely killing it. The president, Mr. Hokuto Aizawa, has traveled the world in his mid-20s and saw firsthand how Japanese kitchen knives are adored throughout the northern hemisphere and decided to make the products even more accessible. Now, Hitohira brings many new and old favourites back into our shelves with consistency, making our clients even happier.  

Knives from the Gorobei line sport a beautiful kasumi finish and have a solid price point for hand-forged carbon steel blades. Gorobei the blacksmith works out of Sakai-city with his sharpener Rikichi, the latter of whom was the mentor for another well-respected Sakai sharpener. The Blue #2 steel version offers excellent performance and will hold an edge quite well over time. Thanks to their affordable price, Gorobei knives are great for those looking for their first carbon steel knife or a fun sharpening project to take on.

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 fileting 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 fileting fish and sharpening a single bevel knife in Japanese fashion.

Brand: Hitohira ひとひら
Producing Area: Sakai-Osaka/ Japan
Profile: Deba
Size: 165mm
Steel: Yasuki Blue (Aogami) #2, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Ho Wood & Buffalo Horn Ferrule Right-Handed D-Shape
Total Length: 310mm
Edge Length: 168mm
Handle to Tip Length: 183mm
Blade Height: 92mm
Thickness: 7.1mm
Handle Length: 127mm
Weight: 271g
Hand Orientation: Right-Handed