# what sujihiki would you recommend and why?



## talipucp (Mar 19, 2014)

Hello my friends

I am looking for a suji knife, mainly for cleaning some fish, mostly salmon and also for some general slicing during service. I want a japanese knife, kurouchi finish if possible if not maybe a carbon steel knife that i can force some nice mustard patina on.

It would be important to buy something made out of a steel that is not so hard, so it wont chip when cleaning some fish, im just afraid of that.

thank you for your suggestions in advnce my friends.

Have a nice day

p.s. also im planning to spend tops 300 bucks, it would be nice to get something nice and good for just 200 or around that, but if necessary, i wnat something that will stay with me for a long time.


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## talipucp (Mar 19, 2014)

it could be either one with maybe a preference for western, but i havent seen a kurouchi with western handle... so anyway like i said, could be either one...


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## himself (Jan 7, 2013)

Why not get a deba?

Just curious.


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## talipucp (Mar 19, 2014)

well... like i said i would like it for some slicing as well.. and i dont see a deba for that, also some processing of medium/big whole salmons, for the skinning part i guess a suji would be a lot easier to do it with, and also im not really familiar with single bevel knifes.... so...


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

Check out Moritaka.  Aogami, nice HT and an attractive kurouchi finish.  Very nice handles, too.  I agree, not much out there in that finish with western handles.  Richmond might make something in 52100, and you could probably force some patina on a Kagayaki CarboNext.  I wouldn't trade my CarboNext 300mm suji for anything near the price.  It takes a stupid edge and holds it well, too.  Great knife for under $200.


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## talipucp (Mar 19, 2014)

ok now im a little confused, like i said im not really so familiar with japanese, ive tried a couple and they were pretty good, never used a deba though.... but i think and see that i guess that this is actually the tough knife i need for breaking salmon and fish in general? Im lets say a beginner compared to all the experts we have in this nice forum, so now I dont know.... would it be better to buy a deba for breaking down fish? and just use my gyuto for my slicing needs? which are not really a lot... lets say I break down fish ( specially salmons ) a lot more than I slice...

i guess i could just keep the gyuto for skinning or just buy a big deba.....?

also... a western deba? or a japanese single beveled?

I've read in some forum that they are totally different and their uses are different and i've read in another forum that they use it for all breaking down processes so... now im confused....

whats the difference between them?

how about this knife?

*Tojiro DP Western Deba 240mm*

looks ok with a nice price for the size. Im ok on sharpening, but something not so hard to sharpen would be nice since im no expert.

thank you and please help

i also saw many videos of people using the deba and i see how nice the shape of the blade guides you through bone...

like i said i want something i would keep and would stay long time with me, not something i wont use and waste money on...


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

The *Tojiro DP Western Deba 240mm* is a very nice knife (I have one) but not a good choice for cleaning salmon. A 'Western Deba' isn't a deba at all, it's just a really heavy duty gyuto. A deba is a Japanese pattern that superficially resembles the profile of a gyuto but with a single/chisel bevel. It's what a Japanese cook might use to break down a fish. Single bevel knives are very different than double bevel knifes; they're used differently and sharpened differently.

A salmon isn't very hard to break down. The bones are light and there's nothing difficult to cut. You can break down salmon with any knife, really. A suji would be fine, so would a gyuto. But you gotta be careful skinning salmon is your knife is very sharp, obviously, to keep the blade from popping thru the skin.


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## talipucp (Mar 19, 2014)

thank you very much for your answers, they're realy helpful and help me understand better, since i know little about all this....

then i guess im going for a suji, theres a guy that has a deba at work, not taken care of at all, he doesnt even use it, its one of those kai wasabi deba, i guess gonna maybe buy it from him for a few bucks and play with it, try to sharpen it and see how it works, guess thats the best idea, a good suji and play with that deba i kinda have close...

thanks again

im not sure yet but maybe ill go for the fujiwara fkh, its pretty cheap and ive seen that people loves them so they seem to be pretty good, wouldnt mind going for something on a higher range.... but we'll see...


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

Yeah, the Wasabi knives only look like the knives they're patterned on.  As Benuser says they don't have concave backs and aren't really single bevel.


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## talipucp (Mar 19, 2014)

oh no no i mean i get it, they're on the very low end of knifes, poor quality, but i mean it would be at least a good idea of the feeling of deba knifes, just to have an idea of working with them, since i dont think they wont allow me to play with the knifes at korin in NYC... so....

and anyway i would probably get this knife almost for free, not planning to waste 40 bucks on a new one....


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