Deba

The deba is a stout, triangular, usually single-beveled blade made for breaking down fish and other seafood. The deba dates back to the late 1500s and was one of the most important Japanese knives until the advent of refrigeration when prepackaged fish made home butchery obsolete. The heel of the deba is used for rough work like cutting through the spine and the center of the blade is for more refined work like removing fillets. Although the deba is heavy, it is capable of great precision and when used skillfully, leaves only minimal meat on the bones.