Ikenami Hamono Ryōba Deba 150mm black-forged

Ikenami Hamono is an island knife maker surrounded by deep sea, so it's natural that their customer base would include a large number of fisherfolk and businesses in the fish processing industry. The company forges a wide range of specialist fish knives including two ranges of deba, both their pro-grade 'kataha' single-bevel knives and their 'ryōba' double-bevel alternatives.

In general terms the kataha debas are intended for users with years of training under their belts. Those knives reward skilled and knowledgeable use and require a certain level of infrastructure to maintain and sharpen. Ikenami Hamono's black-forged deba knives are a great alternative. They are affordable, hand-forged, easily sharpened knife that will cleave, slice and fillet with the best of them. Tough and sharp, the hand-hammered finish looks the business too. And they're equally suitable for left-handers, who aren't faced with the standard lefty-loading on a suitable single-bevel knife.

Ikenami Hamono produces this knife at this 15cm length for modestly sized fish, and also in 13cm and 18cm blades. If you have the space, and the need, think about buying all three.