Vintage Japanese Deba Knife Set 3-Piece Carbon Steel Made in Japan 1904

Experience traditional fish preparation with three vintage Japanese deba knives

This three-piece set brings together 150mm, 140mm and 100mm carbon steel deba blades with wood handles. Their recorded single-bevel geometry offers a choice of sizes for controlled fish preparation and smaller detail work.

The Specs

• Set: three deba knives
• Blade lengths: 150mm, 140mm and 100mm
• Corresponding overall lengths: 280mm, 270mm and 200mm
• Steel: carbon steel; exact alloy not recorded
• Construction recorded: fully forged, full tang
• Bevel: single bevel; handedness and edge angles not recorded
• Hardness recorded: 58 HRC
• Handles: wood; species not recorded
• Knife weight recorded: approximately 250g total
• Origin: Japan
• Condition: vintage; specific restoration work is not documented

Heritage & Use

The deba is a traditional Japanese fish-preparation form, with a substantial profile for controlled cutting when breaking down fish. This set spans 100mm to 150mm, offering options for smaller fish and detail work. Any poultry use should be limited to careful jointing through appropriate joints, not chopping through bones. Carbon steel can develop a natural patina and requires attentive drying. No specific maker, production era or original matching-set provenance is established for these knives.

Care & Maintenance

• Hand wash only; never use a dishwasher or soak the wood handles
• Dry immediately after washing to help prevent rust
• Apply a light coat of food-safe mineral oil to dry blades before extended storage
• Avoid routine honing on a steel; preserve each knife's existing single-bevel geometry
• Use whetstones with a technique appropriate to the bevel and back face; professional single-bevel sharpening is recommended
• Do not convert the blades to double bevels
• Distinguish natural patina from active rust
• Store clean and dry with the edges protected