Usuba / Nakiri

Usu(Thin)Ba(Knife)

Usuba is a traditional Japanese knife shape with a thick spine and pronounced shinogi line. Characterized by their rectangular shape and utter lack of camber Usuba knives are best used when preparing vegetables. The shape of the Usuba blade and the angle at which the handle is affixed to it allow for a significant degree of knuckle clearance which can be quite helpful when working with larger quantities. It is important to note that Usubas are typically one sided although this definition is not universally applicable and some manufacturers do create double-beveled knives that would indeed qualify as Usubas. The westernized version of an Usuba, which is typically double-beveled and also intended for use on vegetables, is known as a Nakiri. Although many believe the distinction between Usubas and Nakiris to be their one or two sidedness this is not wholly accurate. The key distinction between the two shapes is the thickness of the steel from which they are formed. Despite being named “thin knife” Usubas are thicker than their westernized counterpart the Nakiri.

1 Item(s)

per page

  • Masahiro MV Nakiri

    The Masahiro MV 6.5 in. (165mm) Nakiri provides for very clean, straight cuts and is used by sushi chefs to roll-cut cucumbers into very long thin sheets. This knife is ideal for cutting, chopping and mincing fruits and vegetables. Nakiri knives feature a very flat blade profile and a wide body for a comfortable choke grip. Nakiri knives tend to work best for prepping vegetables as they allow the user to make very fine cuts like julienne, tourne, fine dice and even peeling cucumber and daikon radishes. With the MV Steel used in this Nakiri the cook will find this knife is very easy to hone and sharpen when it finally starts to dull as the majority of the sharpening will be done on the face side of the blade and the steel is very responsive to ceramic rods and whetstones. Since Masahiro’s founding, they have been dedicated to making knives in Seki City, the sword capital of Japan. The materials used in their knives are sourced in Japan. In addition, no part of the processing is outsourced overseas, and their parts are made in Japan. At Masahiro craftsmen carry out almost all processes from material selection to hardening and finishing sharpening at their main factory. Each and every knife is packed with the know-how of our veteran craftsmen. The sharpness of our knives is guaranteed by the handiwork of craftsmen who have been making knives for many years. They carefully assess the characteristics of each material and apply the optimal processing and sharpening to each knife.   The MV line by Masahiro is the model that sets the standard for stainless steel professional knives.The handle is made of laminated reinforced wood with antibacterial agents. The blade is made of high-carbon stainless steel "MBS-26," which is resistant to rust and has excellent sharpness durability. The weight of the knife feels good in your hand, and it is a well-balanced design that does not tire you out even after long hours of work. A single-edged blade is a knife with a back bevel on one side. The main benefit of a single sided blade is the taper of the blade comes to a finer edge; an added benefit of the single-sided blade is the ease of sharpening on stones, the majority of the sharpening process is done just on the face(front) side of the knife only a small amount of sharpening work is needed on the backside of the knife to straighten and align the edge. Learn More

1 Item(s)

per page