Top 10 Best Deba Knives 2024

Are you looking for a new Deba Knife? We tested 23 knives for our list of the Top 10 Best Deba Knives. Find your new favorite knife right here on our page.

The Deba Knives or Deba bōchō

If you translate Deba knife from Japanese, it means “pointed carving knife”. They were first used to cut fish, but do a fine job cutting meat as well. The knife comes in different sizes up to 12-inches in length. Traditionally, Deba knives are made of carbon steel. This knife needs regular maintenance and oiling to prevent rust. Many modern knives are also available in stainless steel. The carbon steel blades can be honed into a sharper cutting edge.
If you want to learn more about Deba Knives, head over to our All about Deba Knives page.

The 10 best Deba Knives

Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Deba Japanese Fillet Chef’s Knife

The handmade Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi knives are the most expensive ones on this page. But these high-quality knives offer exceptional performance with exceptional value. The blade is made from White Steel number 2 with a hardness of 62-63 Rockwell. They are forged with iron to create the beautiful mist patterns that the Japanese call Kasumi.
This Deba knife is made with a traditional style handcrafted round-shaped Magnolia wood handle which is affixed with a Water Buffalo horn bolster. Since Water Buffalo horn comes from an animal, this knife is not Vegan and the color of the horn is slightly different for every horn.
The Yoshihiro Kasumi knife comes with a protective wooden sheath called “Saya”. It protects the knife when it is not in use or when you transport it. The White steel makes it very easy to keep this knife-sharp when using a wet stone.

• Steel: Shiroko High Carbon Steel (White Steel 2)
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: Magnolia wood with Water Buffalo Horn bolster
• Blade length: 7 in.

Kai Seki Magoroku Kinju ST Japanese Deba Knife

Kai uses traditional techniques to produce the blade of the Seki Magoroku Kinju knife series. The Kai Seki Magoroku Kinju ST Japanese Deba Knife is a beautiful example of a Japanese Deba knife with the pointed cutting edges of traditional Japanese kitchen knives. It is ground on one side to guarantee an optimal and straight cut. The maximum blade sharpness is achieved by highly precise processing of the cutting edge.
The hexagonal handle of the Kinju knives is made of laminated, reinforced wood for a comfortable feel when cutting. The traditional Japanese-style octagonal handle is extremely water-resistant. Kai uses high-quality natural wood which is treated by a special process for the handles. The knife comes with a limited lifetime warranty and is made in Japan.

• Steel: Molybdenum vanadium stainless steel
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: Nylon / Laminated wood
• Blade length: 7 in. total 12.72 in.

Kotobuki High-Carbon SK-5 Japanese Deba Fish Filleting Knife

For the true Japanese sushi and sashimi experience you need the Kotobuki SK-5 Deba Fish Filleting Knife. This knife is made in Japan and has a 6.5-inch blade and a solid wood handle. The blade is made from high-carbon SK-5 steel. On the Rockwell Hardness Scale, SK-5 has a hardness of 65, making it perfect for delicate slicing tasks. Additional manganese helps combat the brittle properties of high-carbon steel. This process makes the knife really tough. You will love it when making sashimi and sushi. Or slicing your vegetables and fruits, or any slicing tasks that require great precision.

• Steel: High-carbon steel
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: Wood
• Blade length: 6 1/2 in.

Mercer Culinary Asian Collection Deba Knife

Mercer markets the Mercer Asian Collection to prepare Asian dishes. This knife they recommend to make sushi. And it is true – you can cut without snagging or dragging. The knife is precision-made from German stainless steel to hold the edge without rusting. Beware that the knife is not made to cut bones. I was very happy to use it to cut vegetables, meat, and fish of all kinds. The Mercer Culinary Asian Deba Knife is a great starter knife for someone who is learning the Asian culinary arts. Honed high carbon stainless steel German steel blade is 6-inches long and weighs 8 ounces. It has a traditional white wooden handle that is easy to grip.

• Steel: High Carbon German Steel
• Blade Angle 6° one side/15° other side
• HRC 56+/-1
• Handle: Wood
• Blade length: 5 7/8 in.

Kai 6715D Wasabi Black Deba Knife, 6-Inch

The Wasabi Deba is part of Kai’s Wasabi series. The series features traditional Japanese single-bevel blade shapes as well as a selection of double-bevel Western-style blade shapes. The Kai Wasabi Deba is a medium-sized Deba with a traditional single-bevel blade. The 6-inch Japanese Deba knife is good for ultra-thin slices that require a delicate touch. For the blade, Kai uses Daido 1k6 high-carbon, stainless steel. It is designed to take and hold a sharp edge. The blade is bead-blasted to an attractive finish. D-shaped ergonomically designed Pakkawood resin-impregnated hardwood handle which feels very good in the hand. Please hand wash and dry right after use. The knife comes with a limited lifetime warranty and is made in Japan.

• Steel: High-carbon stainless steel, graze finished
• Sharpened to 16° cutting angle
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: Polypropylene
• Blade length: 6 in.

FUJI CUTLERY Narihira #9000 Deba Knife

When it comes to products that deliver a high level of performance for a reasonable price, I am particularly fond of them. The knife is significantly more inexpensive than a Deba knife produced from exotic steel by a well-known knife maker at its price point. However, it appears to be made of stainless steel is pretty hard.
It was sharp enough to be useable right out of the box, but not at the level of sharpness that is generally associated with a Japanese kitchen knife, which was disappointing.
The edge, on the other hand, was easily sharpened. After only a few minutes on the water stones, it was razor sharp again.

In a pinch hold, the balance point of this knife is approximately an inch forward of the handle, which makes it a little blade heavy. Perfect for a knife with the aim of being used as a Deba. The blade of this knife is oriented to the right. For a few dollars more, you can get one with a left-handed blade. Because of the robust, thick backbone, the knife will do an excellent job of cutting and chopping through fish bones and other such materials. The circular grip made of plain white wood is extremely pleasant in the hands.

• Steel: High-carbon steel
• Sharpened to 10° cutting angle
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: Wood
• Blade length: 76 in.

Tosa Kurouchi Deba Hocho Knife

The Tosa Kurouchi Deba Hocho Knife is handmade in the Tosa region of Japan. Tosa faces the Pacific Ocean in the south and is walled by steep mountains on the other three sides. This made the area rather isolated in the old days. Most of the Tosa blacksmiths make Kurouchi knives. “Kurouchi,” translates into black forged, and the knife is left raw. The knives are finished using traditional hammer forge techniques. They are rough, but you can almost feel the warmth and the high spirits of the craftsmen that made the knife.
The blade is made from the famous Aogami Steel No.2 and the hardness is around HRC61 +/- 1, so it can be sharpened razor sharp and still be particularly sturdy. Aogami is Japanese for “blue paper” Blue Paper Steel was named after the paper the manufacturer Hitachi packages steel in. It is a variation of White Paper Steel which is very pure with only carbon as an alloy. White Paper Steel is identical to the traditional Tamahagene steel used for the production of Japanese swords, but made in a modern way. The carbon is mainly located in the crystal grid and not between the intersections between the crystals. Aogami 2 is the same steel with small quantities of Chrome and Wolfram with about 1.2% carbon.
It is a double-bevel blade with a round handle. Left-hander can enjoy this knife as well.
These knives are handmade, so every knife is a bit different.

• Steel: Aogami Steel No.2
• Double-beveled blade
• Handle: Wood
• Blade length: about 5.9 in. Length about 11.7 in.

Global G-7 – 7 inch, 18cm Oriental Deba Knife

The Global G-7 Oriental Deba Knife is quite a different knife. The knife is made of a single piece of steel, with a unique convex edge. The hollow handle is filled with sand to achieve the desired weight and deliver the perfect balance. Now comes the best part: To ensure that the balance is continuous, the sand flows inside the handle when you work with the knife. Perfectly balanced knives provide optimal control. You will feel the difference when you use a Global knife for the first time. The blade is made of CROMOVA 18 stainless steel with Chromium, Molybdenum, and Vanadium which is designed exclusively for Global. The blade is ice tempered and hardened to Rockwell C56 – C58 degrees with a long taper rather than a short bevel. This ensures the knifes blade holds its razor-sharp edge longer than any other steel. Thick at the back, the broad, 7-inch blade, designed for butchering fish and chopping hard vegetables, carries enough weight to chop through fish bones. I like to use it for hard vegetables as well. For clean, low-friction cutting, the blade is tapered to an edge on only one side. The ergonomic stainless steel handle offers a comfortable, slip-resistant grip and looks good. They’re molded to fit the hand and dimpled to resist slipping.

The knife is made in Japan and comes with a lifetime warranty against defects and breakage.

• Steel: Cromova18 Stainless Steel
• Single-beveled blade Acute 15 Degree Cutting Edge
• Handle: Steel
• Blade length: 7 in.

Kai Seki Magoroku Kinju ST Japanese Deba Knife

The Seki Magoroku Kinju is particularly light in the hand compared to most other knives on this page. I like this typical Japanese blade shape in combination with the simple, black handle. It creates a timeless, minimalist aesthetic that fits well in a modern kitchen. But this knife does not only look, but it also performs excellently as well. Unique technologies are applied in producing the molybdenum vanadium stainless steel blade. The blade is ground on one side, which guarantees an optimal and straight cut. The hexagonal handle of this Kinju knife is made of laminated, reinforced wood for a comfortable feel when cutting. The handle is extremely water-resistant, thanks to the use of high-quality natural wood, which is treated by a special process. Still, we advise you not to soak the handle in liquids.
The knife comes with a limited lifetime warranty and is made in Japan.

• Steel: Molybdenum Vanadium stainless steel
• Sharpened to 16° cutting angle
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: Laminated wood / Nylon cap
• Blade length: 7 in.

Keemake 8.25 Inch Deba Knife

The Keemake 8.25 inch Gyuto knife was made with cutting fish in mind. You will love it when preparing fish, including chopping, gutting, and filleting. The knife is very precise to work with fish, but also fairs excellently to part out poultry or for use as a vegetable cleaver.
Keemake uses premium German high-quality 1.4116 stainless steel for the blade to help keep it sharp and durable. The blade is sharpened to a 15° edge on the right side while the other side remains flat. It is quite easy to sharpen as well. Its hardness (HRC 58) is hard enough for heavy work but not too hard to be fragile. An extra matte sandblasting strip is applied in the middle of layers of the right side for quick food release. Not sure if this is really working better, but it sure does look good.
For the handle, they use G10 which is strong and durable. I do like the Global Classic Metal Mosaic Rivet.

• Steel: German 1.4116 stainless steel
• Single-beveled blade
• Handle: High density G10
• Blade length: 8.25 in. / Knife Length: 14 in.