Japanese 165mm Wrought Iron Mioroshi Deba Kitchen Knife - Vintage Restored

This beautifully restored Deba from unknown origin is in pristine condition and has many years of life remaining. It has been fully reground, polished and shows a lovely kasumi finish on the bevel and has been sharpened, fully ready for use.
Beautiful wrought iron like layering effect presented itself upon natural stone sharpening. This old Mioroshi Deba is a combination of Yanagiba and Deba. This gives the knife a bit of versatility being more thin, light and short than a traditional Deba. The traditional use for this knife would be breaking down smaller fish with one knife. They can also be used as all purpose petty or paring knives. The knife is single bevel and is meant only for right handed users. The front side is ground with the wide bevel and backside or Ura is flat around the perimeter of the knife and hollow in the middle. This knife is extremely old and it's wrought iron cladding makes this evident. The sharpening feel is buttery and addictive with the wrought iron cladding extremely soft and the Hagane, which I believe to be white steel is expertly treated and sharpening is a true pleasure. The knife is unmarked and only adds to the mystery of its origins. This knife is razor sharp and ready to use and polish with significantly improved fit and finish on the spine and choil as well. The custom Ebony handle with spacer and buffalo horn ferrule completes this historical package with class and finesse. The steel is extremely easy to sharpen and takes an ultra keen edge in no time. It behaves a lot like Shirogami #1 treated very hard, similar to Teruyasu Fujiwara's treatment of Shirogami #1. The knife has a 165mm cutting edge and 305mm overall length.

History:

The Mioroshi Deba (身卸し出刃) is a traditional Japanese kitchen knife primarily used for filleting fish. It's a variation of the Deba knife but is thinner and longer, making it more suited for precise slicing and boning rather than chopping through bones like the heavier standard Deba.

Characteristics:

• Blade Thickness: Thinner than a Deba, but thicker than a Yanagiba.

• Blade Shape: Pointed tip with a slight curve—ideal for following the contours of a fish.

• Single-Bevel Edge: Like most traditional Japanese knives, it usually has a single bevel, making it highly precise for skilled users (typically for right-handed use unless specified as left-handed).

• Use: Great for filleting whole fish, removing heads, and making clean, accurate cuts through flesh with minimal damage.