Japan is a fishing country, as many of us know. The many islands are a good source of fish in the country. The fish forms part of their daily meal. These meals have to be prepared well by the fishermen before they reach the consumers at the market. This is why the Japanese came up with special knives to help them in this job.
Since the Japanese are known for their craftsmanship, they designed Japanese fillet knives for this task. There are numerous designs in the market of the Japanese fillet knives. The knives have different features that distinguish them from the rest. The main reason for the crafting of the fillet knives is to separate the fish meat from the bones. The knives are sharp making them suitable for pealing off the meat from the bones. It leaves no bone in the meat, and that’s how it acquired the name fillet knife. This article is meant to give you an overview of the Japanese fillet knife features that make it unique from the others
Contents
What makes Japanese fillet knife different
The knives have different features depending on the work you want to do. The features are
They are long and thin
The knives range from 6 inches to 13 inches. This gives you the option of selecting the length that suits you. This length is spread because there are different types of fish to be filleted. The thickness of the knife also will depend on the type of meat you want to fillet from the fish. The thin knives are suitable for filleting thin slices of fish which are mostly prepared in sushi cuisines.
- They are sharp
The sharpness of the knives is overwhelming. This is to make sure that while you fillet your fish, there will be no fish left on the bones. Also, as you slice the fish, there will be no straining to attain your desired slices.
- Rust resisting feature
This is attained by crafting them from stainless steel. Some are crafted from carbon steel. These materials do not give room for rusting at any cost. In recent years, the Japanese craftsmen have changed from using steel and are using chromium. If you maintain the chromium well, then the knife will not rust.
- Single bevel
The knife has only one side bevel. It is sharpened on one side. This allows it to slide freely through the fish as you fillet. The bevel also gives a good balance between the handling and cutting edge.
- Durability
The Japanese fillet knives are durable compared to other knives. This is due to the utilization of stainless and carbon steel. Also, the chromium that has been used shows this durability feature. No matter how often you sharpen it, the fillet knife is still durable.
- Affordable
The prices of this fillet knives are reasonable. This is because there are different people with different financial capability. The knives are designed to suit your pocket. This helps to cover a large number of fishermen and also cooks who wish to fillet their fish for a good meal. Remember the knives are priced depending on the quality of the knife.
List of some of the best Japanese fillet knives
- Shun Gokuje fillet and boning knife. This is a 6-inch, strong contoured fillet knife suitable for smaller fish
- Mercer Culinary Yanagi Sahimi knife. It’s a 10-inch crafted from carbon steel. Its long cutting edge is ideal for big fish
- Mashiro fish fillet knife. It’s a 9.5-inch fillet knife made from carbon steel. It is also suitable for filleting big fish
- Kotobuki Japanese Deba fish filleting knife. The 6.5-inch carbon steel knife is designed for filleting and boning small fish
- Yoshihiro Namiuchi High carbon filleting knife. The blades range between 9.5 inches and 13 inches. It is designed to cut extra thin slices from big fish
- Miyako Japanese Deba fillet knife. It is designed from molybdenum vanadium steel to make sure that the knife has a long lifespan. This knife is 6.5-inches, making it suitable for slicing and boning small fish.
These are only a few selected Japanese fillet knives. There are more fillet knives in the market depending on the type of fish you wish to fillet and the size of the slices you want to get. All these fillet knives mentioned are made from carbon steel and stainless steel, making them durable and rust-resistant.
Pros
- They have a high performance due to their sharp edge
- Has a good handle to avoid cutting your fingers off
- It is safe since it does not rust
- Razor-sharp cutting edge
- They are durable since they are made of stainless and carbon steel and also chromium
Cons
- The fillet knives are priced depending on the quality
- Dangerous if you are a first-time user since it can slide and cut you
Conclusion
Finding the best Japanese fillet knife is no walk in the park. There are so many types of fillet knives in the market. This makes it difficult for first-time users to identify the best knife they need. We advise you to seek guidance before going for a knife and later realize it’s not what you wanted.
Maintenance is another part that you have to keep in mind for your safety. You have to clean it after every usage to make sure that the blade is free from any food residue. You can also apply Tsubaki oil after drying it before storage. Remember to keep it away from children to avoid accidents and to maintain its durability and quality.
The features portrayed by the fillet knife are suitable for you to purchase one. It suits all fields of life. A Japanese fillet knife is something you do not wish to miss in your kitchen. To make the best slices of fillet fish, Japanese fillet knives have you covered.