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Home | Leftorium | Hatsukokoro Nakagawa 165mm Deba Ginsanko Kyomen Ebony Black Buffalo Ho

Hatsukokoro Nakagawa 165mm Deba Ginsanko Kyomen Ebony Black Buffalo Horn - LEFTY

$846.61
$846.61
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Deba are intended for fish butchery. It is a heavy knife that is capable of fine and tough work but is not designed for other types of butchery and can chip on thick bones if used incorrectly.

Nakagawa-san's knives are characterized by excellent heat control during forging and a very thorough heat treatment creating knives that have superb edge formation and edge life with good toughness. His carbon steels are usually easy to sharpen across most steel types. Nakagawa-san's reputation as one of a few blacksmiths in Sakai to forge Ginsanko and VG10 stainless steels that results in excellent edge life and toughness is well earned.

The sharpener on this series is credited as Kawakita Hamono operated by Kazumi Kawakita. Kawaita-san is a famed master sharpener who lists many notable and well-respected Sakai sharpeners as former students. Notably Morihiro who pioneered putting traditional Sakai wide bevels on double bevel wa-hochos. He was the sole sharpener of the Konosuke Fujiyama line (until 2018) and also works on the Sakai Kikumori Choyo series as well as a credited grinder for Nakagawa and other projects from Sakai.

This knife will perform best at a lower finish polish, 3-4K being the best edge for fish butchery. 



About This Knife

Fish Butchery

Designed specifically for fish breakdown.

Light Butchery OK

Safe for use around bones.

Stainless Steel

Non-reactive blade.

Single Bevel

Wide bevel on outside face—hollow grind on inside face.

Left-Handed

Made for use in the left hand

Deba

A deba is a traditional Japanese single-bevel knife designed for processing fish. Its thick, heavy blade provides the strength needed to break down whole fish, remove heads, and make clean cuts through bones without chipping. The fine, razor-sharp edge near the tip allows precise filleting and skin removal. While primarily used for fish, the robust heel can also handle light poultry work. The deba’s weight and geometry give it controlled, confident cutting in tasks that require both power and accuracy.

Listed Length: 165mm
Total Length: 321mm
Edge Length: 170mm
Heel Height: 52mm
Spine Thickness: 5.8mm
Weight:
Orientation: Left-handed

Blade Type: Stainless Steel
Steel Type: Ginsanko (Silver #3)
Steel Hardness (HRC): undisclosed
Reactive: Less Attention
Handle Type: Japanese (wa)
Handle Material: Ebony & Horn Ferrule

  • This is a stainless steel knife made from hard steel.
  • Hand wash and dry immediately after use. Do not air dry or clean in the dishwasher.
  • Rust can form with repetitive long-exposure to moisture or debris.
  • Remove surface rust gently with a mild abrasive and progress to more aggressive abrasives if needed. Coarse abrasives will leave scratches in most finishes.
  • New deba edges are thin. Avoid excessive twisting to avoid edge damage.
  • Do not use bamboo, plastic, stone or metal cutting surfaces.

Dive Deeper

Medium-fine Single Bevel

Sharpening Supplies

Stones & Accessories selected specifically for this knife.

Arato-kun #220 Extra Coarse Grit Whetstone

Arato-kun #220 Extra Coarse Grit Whetstone

$53.21
$53.21
Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 1200 Grit Blue Marble Semi-Soft Ceramic Japanese Whetstone

Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 1200 Grit Blue Marble Semi-Soft Ceramic Japanese Whetstone

$115.80
$115.80
Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 4000 Grit Yellow Semi-Hard Resinoid Japanese Whetstone

Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 4000 Grit Yellow Semi-Hard Resinoid Japanese Whetstone

$128.32
$128.32
Arashiyama #6000 Whetstone Stone NO Wooden Base

Arashiyama #6000 Whetstone Stone NO Wooden Base

$90.76
$90.76
Arashiyama #6000 Whetstone With Nagura Stone and Wooden Base

Arashiyama #6000 Whetstone With Nagura Stone and Wooden Base

$97.02
$97.02
Bernal Cutlery Monodiachrome™ Precharged Deburring Strop

Bernal Cutlery Monodiachrome™ Precharged Deburring Strop

$62.60
$62.60



Ginsanko (Silver #3)

Carbon (C) 1.0–1.1% | Chromium (Cr) ~13% | Manganese (Mn) ~0.8%

Ginsanko (Silver 3) is a Hitachi stainless steel designed to deliver the sharpness and feel of White steel with the convenience of stainless performance. It has a fine, clean grain structure that allows for exceptional sharpness and toughness. Typically hardened to 59–62 HRC, Ginsan offers a carbon-like edge feel, excellent sharpening response, and smooth cutting character.

Edge retention is solid—comparable to White 2—while toughness is above average for stainless steels, allowing for very thin grinds with low risk of chipping. Fully stainless, it resists rust and pitting well, making it ideal for chefs who prefer minimal maintenance. Ginsan sharpens easily to a refined, smooth edge and responds beautifully to medium to high grit stones.