The Yanagiba is a traditional Japanese filleting knife. Thanks to its thin, single-edged, and long blade, it is ideal for thin cuts. The knife guarantees an elaborate and particularly meticulous, smooth cut. Such cuts are especially important in sushi preparation. The length and shape of the blade provide the ability for a large movement during cutting.
Blade Material
The polished blades of the Wasabi Black series are made from the new technology, rust-resistant 6A/1K6 steel and are particularly rust-resistant due to their high chromium content. It is a classic type of stainless steel. Its high carbon content provides better edge retention.
The blade length is 24 cm.
Handle
The black plastic handle is water-resistant and consequently very sturdy. Its shape offers a pleasant, natural feel thanks to the addition of bamboo powder.
The length of the handle is 12.5 cm.
Cutting board
It is recommended to make cuts on wooden or plastic cutting surfaces. Glass, stone, and marble cutting surfaces are unsuitable, as they can cause permanent damage to the knife blades.
Cleaning
Wash the knife with warm water before using it for the first time. After each use, make sure to wash the knife without delay (with a simple detergent) and dry it with a soft cloth. Especially if you have cut acidic foods, you must wash the knife immediately after use.
For your safety, you should always wipe the knife away from your body and away from the edge, with a cloth or towel.
It is not recommended to wash it in the dishwasher but by hand, in order to protect its material and maintain its sharpness for a long time.
Sharpening
No matter how sharp a knife is initially, after some use it needs sharpening, which you can achieve with a sharpener, whetstone, or honing rod.
You can tell if your knife cuts well with an easy test using the knife and a piece of paper. A sharp knife can easily and cleanly cut a piece of paper. In contrast, a knife that needs sharpening will struggle and its cut will be jagged.
It is also recommended to occasionally have your knives sharpened by a professional to repair any potential damage to the blade edge and to maintain sharpness.
Specifications are collected from official manufacturer websites. Please verify the specifications before proceeding with your final purchase. If you notice any problem you can
report it here.
To clarify, I am not a professional. I simply enjoy cooking. Most of the time, I cut vegetables and fruits, and more rarely meats. A month after acquiring the knife, I can say that I am thrilled.
What I like:
It feels comfortable in my hand and cuts with precision, without needing to exert force. Even today, it easily cuts a page of paper. I did the test and couldn't believe my eyes. Our other knives... you understand.
What I don't like:
The anxiety it causes me every time that I might cut myself and will be looking for a band-aid. :-D
I try to keep it in good condition. After each cut, I wipe it with a slightly damp cloth. Especially when cutting citrus fruits, tomatoes, etc. I never "scoop" the ingredients I cut with the blade, but with the spine so that I don't "drag" the edge on the cutting board. Once I finish all my cuts, I wash it and carefully dry it and store it in the knife block.
Conclusion:
It is worth it if you enjoy cooking and cutting, but it requires caution during cutting and in its maintenance. I have no regrets at all; on the contrary, I would recommend it to anyone who is involved in and enjoys cooking.
5/5 because I got exactly what I expected. Perhaps even better.
For meat, the handle doesn't even work (which is completely funny and not sturdy at all) and it also dulls for fun and it's logical that it's a soft knife on the month it needed to be sharpened. It doesn't work in terms of safety or performance for a butcher shop. It can work for a chef who doesn't use it as much and doesn't cut as much quantity. (I tried it because it's sharp but this knife is not suitable for meat, it's for fish.)
I don't know much about knives, my daughter asked for it to use in the kitchen when she cooks, but the 3-4 times I used it, it was a great experience. It cut very well without force or effort. Be careful not to cut yourself!
I have 2 Wasabi knives, this one and a Santoku, and the factory sharpening is flawless on both.
They are single-sided and very sharp.
Very thick and sturdy, this has its pros and cons depending on the task you have to do.
I have nothing negative to say, I enjoy using it.
Of course, single-sided knives tend to lean towards one side.
If you're cutting on the edge, for example, a cucumber, its cutting is perfect.
If you want to cut a zucchini exactly in the middle, things get complicated.
A chef's knife or a Santoku is the most suitable general-purpose knife.
Its size means that my wife doesn't want to use it and you certainly won't take it out of the drawer just to cut a tomato because washing and wiping are too much for that.
I do it because that's how I like it.
Its large surface helps you transfer everything you've cut to a plate with just one movement.
Its sharpening is exclusively for experts.
It is a knife for filleting fish and breaking the fish's spine, and in Greece, we don't fillet fish, we cook them whole.
So it's a purchase for knife enthusiasts and not guided by logic.
I bought more than I expected with this knife but...
...I didn't need it, probably neither do you.
Since most of us are kitchen amateurs, logic doesn't fit and this is a bit of a fetish, I dare to say, an experience.
The price is a steal.
In conclusion:
If you're looking for the one and only knife for Greek cuisine, look for something else.
If you're a knife enthusiast, go for it and you will enjoy it.
Very good for its price, but not something that would interest me as a knife collector, it's just a tool, I would say mass-produced, and I gave it to my wife, I just sharpen it for her.
The edge is very good from the factory, I don't like that the knife is thin.
If you want a chef's knife for your kitchen, stay away from the very cheap ones you would buy at the supermarket and at least get this one, it will save your hands, it won't empty your wallet, if you take care of it a little, it will last a lifetime.
The knife is excellent at this price and worthy of the KAI name.
Well sharpened out of the box, but with a metal hardness that I would consider low in a professional kitchen, resulting in the need for more frequent sharpening. However, it is much easier to sharpen (even with a leather strop, it holds a regular sharpening)
The knife is good. Very lightweight, which personally I liked, but it is very thin, something you should keep in mind. It definitely isn't as heavy as the Wustoff. If you want to buy this knife, you should consider that you will also be working with other knives alongside it (for breaking small bones...). *The HRC is not 58, it is 56+-1, the same as all the knives in the WASABI series by KAI