Moriya Munemitsu Aji Deba 105mm Gingami #3 Stainless Steel

We've snuck this knife into our ajikiri category because it's simply the best fit for it. OK, you can call it a deba knife, but at 105mm it is a very compact one. For us, ko-deba, aji deba, ajikiri, they're all so close we're happy to offer them side by side.

The Moriya Munemitsu aji deba has much to recommend it, not least of which from the Japanese perspective is trust in the brand. For readers who can't decipher the Japanese on the blade, the red katakana characters read 'Yasuki Hagane'. YHC stands for Yasugi Hagane Cutlery.

Readers may recognise Yasugi Hagane as a brand name of Yasugi Specialty Steels, the Hitachi subsidiary that produces some of Japan's finest cutlery steels, including the steel used in this knife. Moriya Munemitsu YHC is a fellow subsidiary (the Kanji characters for Moriya Munemitsu are on the reverse of the blade). 

This knife is produced for Moriya Munemitsu YHC with very stringent QC. At 96 grams it's the heaviest knife in our ajikiri category, in hand it has a nice heft and feels dense for its small size. Fit and finish are at high levels. 

The full-tang blade is attached to the sculpted goban handle with three rivets, so it's not something that will need replacing. Goban is the Japanese term for pakkawood, a reinforced wood fibre and resin product that's very durable and feels great in the hand. The blade itself is YSS Gingami#3 stainless, a carbon-like steel with high rust resistance and easy sharpening.

These knives represent the best of the high-tech side of knife production in Japan. Classic form, new materials. Quality steel, optimal heat treatment. Low-maintenance Japanese sharpness.