You have no items in your shopping cart.
Minonokuni Knives
Authentic Japanese blades (hochoes) hand-forged using traditional Japanese methods of old-world craftsmanship; Minonokuni knives are part of a project designed to preserve and protect the master/apprentice relationship. Even as demand for Japanese knives has grown; the skilled masters are aging, and it has been difficult to keep apprentices. While the methods of construction mastered over the centuries have changed very little, the methods of bringing the pieces to market is dramatically different. Then Knife Merchant was asked to assist by bringing knives from various masters in different types of material to market, so that the craftsmen can concentrate on their work and keep the apprentice fully employed, without the burden of stopping production to make sales. Minonokuni is the name of a prefecture (state) that existed in the days of the Samurai. It encompassed a wide area including Seki-City and Sakai, which are the areas of Japan in which our craftsmen are making these blades. This is why we have chosen this as a brand name to represent these knives. You will find the quality to be far superior to comparable material types. When the knife maker has his name on the blade (instead of working for a company), there is greater pride and care taken in little details that make a great difference in final quality. Minonokuni knives are now available in a variety of grades to suit every need and price point.
-
Minonokuni Take 135mm (5.3 in.) Ko-Deba
The Deba (fat knife) is primarily used for breaking down whole fish and poultry. This smaller knife commonly referred to as a Ko-Deba is a smaller more lightweight Deba, not so great for cleaving fish heads, use this Deba for filleting. The way the Deba tapers from a thick spine, near the handle, to a thin tip allows the user to often feel the tip of the knife touching the bones making tics at each bone as the knife glides through the fish. Learn More$180.00 -
Minonokuni Take 150mm (5.9 in.) Deba
The Deba (fat knife) is primarily used for breaking down whole fish and poultry. They are thick, heavy and very efficiently cleave fillets from the bone. The choice between 135mm and 150mm sizes really comes down to comfort in controlling the knife and size of fish to be cut. Learn about the Care and Maintenance of Carbon Steel Knives Learn More$190.00 -
Minonokuni Take 150mm Left Handed Deba
For too long, the left-handed chef has been forced to adapt, to compromise, to work against the very design of their tools. The Minonokuni Take 150mm Left-Handed Deba is not an adaptation; it is a declaration. This is the definitive butchery knife, forged from the ground up to move with you, not against you. The Deba is the heavyweight champion of the Japanese kitchen, and its purpose is singular: the powerful, precise dismemberment of fish and poultry. The 150mm blade offers the perfect balance of compact agility and brutal efficiency, allowing you to navigate the delicate anatomy of a sea bream or quail with the same confidence you use to drive its thick, weighted spine through a sturdy fish collar. The heart of this knife is its Aogami #2 (Blue Paper Steel) core—a material chosen for its ferocious, long-lasting edge and its underlying toughness. This isn't just steel; it's the embodiment of resilience, capable of withstanding the demanding work of butchery while retaining the surgical sharpness needed to separate flesh from bone without tearing. The true left-handed, single-bevel grind is its defining feature, providing a level of control that feels like a revelation. The blade steers itself, tracing the bone structure naturally and intuitively, leaving behind pristine fillets. This Minonokuni Take Deba is more than a tool; it is the restoration of balance, an instrument of power finally placed correctly in your hand. Learn More$260.00
