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.

The Togashi line combines aesthetics, fit and finish, a durable edge and ease of sharpening into one beautiful knife. Togashi knives feel lighter and more nimble in the hand compared to our Manzo-sharpened knives and unlike most Sakai-forged knives, feature a finish direction parallel to the edge of the blade. Manzo’s blades, for instance, show a finish in the diagonal direction. This additional detail, “Tachi,” helps in hiding scratches created from day-to-day habits like a user’s natural tendency to wipe the blade parallel to the edge.

Combining its durable edge and solid price point for a premium White #1 steel, this exquisite line is ideal for cooks at home or in the kitchen looking for a blade capable of handling a high workload. Seasoned sharpeners will delight in its ability to take a super high grit edge very quickly, allowing for quick and efficient replenishing of the edge between uses. Its balance in the hand along with its well-rounded functionality makes owning the Togashi blade a delight like no other.

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
Blacksmith: Togashi Blacksmith 富樫打刃物製作所
Producing Area: Sakai-Osaka/ Japan
Profile: Deba
Size: 165mm
Steel: Yasuki White (Shirogami) #1, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Ho Wood & Buffalo Horn Ferrule Right-Handed D-Shape
Total Length: 310mm
Edge Length: 170mm
Handle to Tip Length: 182mm
Blade Height: 49mm
Thickness: 4.9mm
Handle Length: 127mm
Weight: 210g
Hand Orientation: Right-Handed
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Sharpener: Kenya Togashi