Sukenari White Steel 2 Yanagi 300mm (11.8") Kasumi

Style : Yanagi (Sushi Knife)
Length : 300mm (11.8")
Weight : 7.23 oz
Special Feature : Kasumi
Blade Steel Type : White #2 Carbon Steel
Handle material : Ho (Magnolia) with Buffalo Horn Ferrule, D shape
HRC : 61
Bevel Angle Ratio : 100/0 (Single bevel)
Cover : Not included

Sukenari single bevel knives offer remarkable value for their level of craftsmanship and this Yanagi is no exception. The Ho wood handle is nicely polished and waxed with minimal step between the wood and the buffalo horn ferrule. The choil has been eased to improve comfort.

White #2 steel is a pure carbon steel (no additional elements besides carbon added to the iron) produced by Hitachi. As a pure high carbon steel, white #2 takes a very keen edge and is easily sharpen-able which makes it an ideal choice for traditional Japanese knives. Sukenari's heat treat of white #2 is impeccable; even at the very low angle most yanagi are sharpened to, the edge remains quite stable. The factory grind on these knives is not the most visually impactful but it is very consistent, meaning the initial sharpening is generally headache-free.

Sukenari was founded during the Showa period in Toyama Prefecture and since its inception has been driven to produce quality cutlery through hands-on craftsmanship at every step. Sukenari's philosophy is that any tool should perform as an extension of oneself and this commitment to quality shows in each facet of the knife from rounded, polished choil and edges to impeccable grinds and an incredibly consistent heat treat.

Yanagiba (lit. willow blade) is an essential tool for sushi chefs. The name Yanagi refers to the willow-leaf shape of the blade as opposed to it necessarily being single bevel. Some knife makers have been known to refer to Sujihiki made with a willow shape as Yanagi. In common parlance however, Yanagi or Yanagiba is understood to mean a willow-shaped knife ground with a single bevel.
These knives are one of the three traditional Japanese knives, along with Deba and Usuba, that were historically requisite for the creation of Japanese cuisine. It is primarily used for slicing sashimi or delicate cuts of other soft proteins. Its hollow-ground backside, known as the Ura, helps facilitate the release of fish as it is sliced and ensures that an extremely low inclusive edge angle may be maintained. The Yanagi is the fish slicer traditionally used in the Kansai region of Japan (Osaka and Kyoto). There are many variants of Yanagi including Kensaki (sometimes called kiritsuke-tip), Takohiki (octopus knife), Fuguhiki (blowfish knife) and Sakimaru Takohiki (round-tipped octopus knife)