Vintage Matsumura Kurouchi Deba Knife 110mm Carbon Steel Wood Handle 2232

Experience Raw Tosa Craftsmanship in This Vintage Matsumura Kurouchi Deba

The hand-chiseled inscription on this blade reads 松村 特撰 (Matsumura Tokusen) - "Matsumura Special Selection" - a designation indicating a higher quality grade of carbon steel and artisan hand-forging from the Matsumura lineage of Kochi Prefecture. The kurouchi (blacksmith) finish - the unpolished black iron coating left from heat treatment - is not just aesthetic; it serves as a natural protective layer against rust and a direct link to the forge.

• Steel: High-carbon steel
• Blade length: 120mm
• Blade style: Kurouchi Deba (single bevel, fish butchery)
• Finish: Kurouchi (blacksmith finish - unpolished forge scale)
• Handle: Traditional wood
• Origin: Kochi Prefecture, Japan (Tosa Hamono tradition)
• Condition: Vintage / second-hand - one-of-a-kind
• SKU: VTG-MATSUMURA-KUROUCHI-DEBA-120-2232

Kochi Prefecture is the home of Tosa Hamono - a tradition of heavily hammered, thick-spined working blades built for structural bone chopping without chipping. The Kosaku Matsumura lineage spent generations forging Nata axes and specialist fish-butchering tools for the region's fishing communities. This compact deba carries that same DNA: a heavy spine for splitting, a razor single-bevel edge for filleting, and a kurouchi surface that tells the story of the forge.

• Hand wash only - never dishwasher
• Dry immediately after use - the kurouchi finish offers some protection but carbon steel will rust if left wet
• Hone on a fine whetstone to maintain the single-bevel edge
• Sharpen on a Japanese water stone (1000/3000 grit)
• Store on a magnetic rack or in a knife roll