JapanBargain 1553, Japanese Sushi Chef Knife Yanagiba Sashimi Knife High Carbon Stainless Steel Blade 240mm Made in Japan, 9-1/2 inch

Most of us only use a Yanagiba occasionally as it is very specialized. I decided to try an inexpensive version to learn about use and sharpening. My experience has been very positive. The fit and finish are far better than most inexpensive knives and the construction seems solid. Use: In the few days I have had it I have cut tuna for sashimi, sliced vegetables and even prepared cantaloupe cubes. The knife has been flawless . I also removed the fat from a beef rib roast and it did the job admirably. Sharpening: The knife arrived adequately sharp but with a rough edge. As it is single bevel it requires a different technique from normal Japanese (or other) knives. The classical method with whetstones is time consuming and technically challenging for me so I reverted to my Edgepro. The beveled edge appears to be about 10 degrees and I started there and checked with a Sharpie. I adjusted slightly higher, maybe 12 degrees and worked with 1000 grit stone and 2000 and 3000 polishing clothes. The result was a much smoother edge that will easily shave. I now touch up with a ceramic hone at low angle and a leather strop with .5 micron diamond spray. This is not a Shun but for the limited times it is used appears to be a very workmanlike tool. The balance is fine and the blade cuts straight. It actually is well finished and not an embarrassment to show to guests. I can certainly suggest it for someone looking for a good knife at a very reasonable price.

As with the deba, the cutting profile is convex - the knife just slices through vegies, meats with very little resistance. Please coat the handle before first use, with a hard durable finish - I used polyurethane ( 3 coats ), applying the next coat after the previous coat had dried completely. Got it with the deba to prep sushi and it has been a wonderful companion. Allows for a very sharp edge with a convex profile that almost slices through fish steaks almost by itself. D-shaped handle fits well and allows for good control of cuts. This and the deba is set up for right hand grip, trying to use it with your left hand is an exercise in frustration. Comes with a good edge straight from the box, only resharpened it once the edge needed it. If you are standing close to the cutting board, take one step back and you will find that it is easier to control the knife. Japanese knife techniques are designed with this standing position, instead of 'belly touching the counter' as we all seem to gravitate to. Love this knife - it will cost much, much more for a knife with better edge sharpness and retention. Applying the polyurethane to finish the handle is an extra thing you will have to do if you want the longest service life. Its not a concern or hassle to me, ( hence 5 *s ) as I always 'mod' my tools to get the best out of them. I also like to add my personal touch and as such prefer to apply it myself than have to strip a lousy job on the handle and correct someone else's mistake or inattention to detail.

Price is good, but the blade geometry was really off and required a lot of work to fix. Knife would be better if it just came unsharpened. The face side of the single bevel edge was concave when it really should be very slightly convex below the shinogi line. The back side of the blade was rough/uneven and did not have the right concavity. Finally, the knife was sharpened with a large bevel along the edge that completely negated the single bevel angle and took a long time to remove (it would was way too big to be a "microbevel"). It was like the factory edge was a western sharpening on the Japanese single bevel edge, which kind of defeats the purpose of the knife and requires a lot of work to fix. The stainless steel was annoying to sharpen, but was ok for the price. I wish the knife was a cheap carbon steel instead. The handle is exactly what you'd expect for the price (cheap wood that's rough and unfinished), but the handle's perfectly fine for a cheap knife. Knife should get 1 star for absolute quality, but I'm giving it 3 stars for the great price.

To be clear, I am a newbie to in-home sushi making. This knife is pretty inexpensive, but I wanted to get an idea of how to sharpen and use it effectively before buying a more expensive knife. This knife is very sharp and handles well. Although, I am new to sushi I am not new to cooking. This knife works well for it's purpose. I recommend this as an alternative to spending $200 on more authentic sushi knife.

I bought this knife specifically for the task of slicing sushi rolls. I can't stress how important a good knife is when making sushi. When I first got the knife I tested it by trying to shave my arm, I was not expecting it to be that sharp. I was very wrong the thing is razor sharp. The metal is thin and it doesn’t have much weight, definitely not the best knife in the world, but for the price and quality it can't be beat. I am so glad i bought this knife! I am sure that the knife will stay sharp for years since I only plan to cut sushi with it and maybe some meats on occasion. Be very careful when you use this knife, I cut myself slightly just by brushing up against while I was moving some food around. Long term heavy use I can’t imagine the knife will be able to hold its edge, but man for light occasional use, this knife can’t be beat. One more thing, hand wash it and dry it, be careful while you clean. Don’t get careless with the knife and it will treat you well.

I'm used to Hinomaru collection sekizo yanagiba. But there are many similar items which are not handy and cheaply made. So I searched by picture. Still they send me the cheap one instead. Returned them all. Hope this is an honest mistake. Make sure you are getting what you paid for. Make sure to leave a review to the seller if this kind of situation happens.