Minonokuni Ume 7.7-inch (195mm) Deba

Specifications

• Series: Minonokuni Ume
• Shape: Deba (single-bevel fish and poultry butchery knife)
• Blade length: 195mm (7.7 inches)
• Steel: SK-4 carbon steel (yellow paper steel); not stainless
• Hardness: 58-60 HRC
• Grind: Single bevel with an urasuki (hollow-ground) back, ground for right-handed use
• Handle: Oval (D-shaped) ho (Japanese magnolia) wood with a polycarbonate ferrule
• Item number: Ume-1539
• Made in: Japan

Ume Deba Sizes

Matsu, Take and Ume Compared

About a Hand-Forged Knife

Ume knives are made by hand rather than mass-produced on equipment. Expect visible forging marks, some unevenness in the finish and small differences between one knife and the next. These are part of the character of a hand-made knife and do not affect its performance.

Before First Use

Wash the blade in warm water with a little dish soap and dry it at once. The edge is sharp on arrival; a few strokes on a fine waterstone will refine it to the cook’s preference.

Tips for Best Results

• Use the heel for heads and collars and the forward edge and tip for filleting along the frame.
• Do not twist the blade in a joint or use it on frozen fish or heavy beef and pork bones.
• Sharpen on the beveled face first, then remove the burr with light strokes on the flat back to keep the urasuki hollow intact.
• Use a wooden or soft synthetic board; glass, stone and steel surfaces damage the edge.

Care

• Wash the knife by hand and wipe it dry as soon as the cutting is done. Do not use a dishwasher.
• Carbon steel will discolor and develop a patina with use, and it rusts if left damp, so dry the blade between tasks.
• Oil the blade lightly with camellia oil if it will sit unused.
• Read more about the care and maintenance of carbon steel knives.