# What type of Japanese Fish Knife is this?



## DitmasPork (Jun 30, 2013)

I stumbled across this YouTube video of a Japanese fishmonger breaking down a little Yellowfin Tunagreat knife skills, beautifully shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvAfQqWAL4

Would love to know what type [shape] of knife he's using from about 30 seconds to a minute in the video. What's the Japanese name of this type of knife.

SOME HINTS:
*It's looks to be about 210240 in length, beveled on both sides, Kurouchi finish, VERY rounded belly towards the tip.*

Is this a very specialized fish knife? I imaging it could be good to butterfly pork shoulders and lamb legs. 

Do any of the knife sellers sell these?


----------



## CanadianMan (Jun 30, 2013)

looks to me to be a katsuo bocho they sell them at jki

http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/kitchen-knives/gesshin-hokubo/gesshin-hokubo-210mm-kurouchi-katsuo-bocho-6-sided-handle.html


----------



## franzb69 (Jun 30, 2013)

it could also be this:







except this one has a western handle and stainless. this one comes double bevel and also a version that's single bevel. masahiro 240mm tuna knife. 

[video=youtube;qE_ZN1mHKvo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qE_ZN1mHKvo[/video]


----------



## zitangy (Jun 30, 2013)

DitmasPork said:


> I stumbled across this YouTube video of a Japanese fishmonger breaking down a little Yellowfin Tunagreat knife skills, beautifully shot.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvAfQqWAL4
> 
> ...



I believe its a katsuo Bocho... I happened to purchase mine form Bishamon vis the BST of this forum. Don't have such a big fish to play with. Looking for a good garasuki to cut chicken "gracefully"; after all it has given it's life to fulfil a nice meal for me.

I believe that Jon of JKI carries this product http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...o-210mm-kurouchi-katsuo-bocho-wajimanuri.html

Watanabe will be more than happy to make one for you too.

Enjoy

rgds
d


----------



## franzb69 (Jun 30, 2013)

but the one on the video you posted is more like this:

http://www.toyokuni.net/hou1/katuo.htm


----------



## Bram (Jun 30, 2013)

I thought I spotted a takobiki there at the end, too.


----------



## DitmasPork (Jun 30, 2013)

Franzb,
When I freeze framed the video, the blade seems to have an almost 'torpedo' like shape towards the tipwith a wider face than the Toyokuni [which by the way, looks really cool]. The Masahiro you posted earlier looks kind of similar, but yo-handled and wider.

The Katsuo Bocho suggested by ztangy looks to have a 'diamond shaped' tip [...pardon my odd knife shape terms]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p796/DitmasPork/Picture3_zpsd1f1faf6.png

The Toyokuni also looks single beveled, knife in video seems to be double beveled. 

I'm just mesmerized with some of these videos of such confident, precise fish cutters [knife as well as fishmonger].


----------



## DitmasPork (Jun 30, 2013)

I think it might be a "Naginata fish knife" [google it, and click on images]. Seems to be it or something very similar.

Also, found the wiki page on the weapon it's influenced by.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naginata


----------



## jaybett (Jun 30, 2013)

This looks similar:

[video=youtube;nCAqYrCaupk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCAqYrCaupk[/video]


----------



## zitangy (Jun 30, 2013)

this was posted on BST

the 9th picture clearly shows the angular curved tip adn it is not a single bevel.

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...carbon-lobster-splitter-Watanabe-katsuo-bocho

Descri[tion:
The next one is a 225mm Watanabe katsuo bocho in blue steel. It is in excellent condition. This is a double bevel knife for breaking down fish (specifically katsuo/skipjack) with an angled nose used to cut out hard dorsal fins by flipping it over. See a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCAqYrCaupk
It can also work on other fish of course, and has a spine thickness similar to a Watanabe gyuto (a little thicker toward the nose). A really interesting knife we don't see a lot over here.
Katsuo $180 shipped

rgds
d


----------



## kpeddie2010 (Jun 30, 2013)

It's a masahiro filet double sided. Look for it on knife merchant website


----------



## Noodle Soup (Jun 30, 2013)

franzb69 said:


> it could also be this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Interesting, knifemerchant offers that knife in both single and double bevel versions. Looks a lot like a western butcher knife so I would expect double bevel to be the standard.


----------



## franzb69 (Jul 1, 2013)

i'd be pretty happy with a katsuo bocho and one of those masahiro's. =D


----------



## Brad Gibson (Jul 1, 2013)

ive been to the knife merchant store before. its near my house. and its pretty lousy. speaking for japanese knives. the only brands they carry are kikuichi and masahiro so i dont think very highly of it. although most sushi places i have been to here in san diego all the chefs use masahiro knives. its pretty disappointing. ill goto the shop and check out these knives and give some feedback as to whether they are single bevel or if they are all double. 

my roommate bought a left handle masahiro gyuto 210mm from knife merchant. i found this pretty rediculous. my current chef has a masahiro 210mm gyuto and it is completely 50/50, but my roommates came with a strong 80/20 left handed bevel and it cost 30% more money. 

i think this knife merchant website is crap. i would strongly suggest you dont use it. and it is a local company to me. 

im sorry fellow forum members if i have broken any rules by saying that i believe this knife dealer is poor, but he honestly is ripping people off that dont know any better. i dont see this guy as being a fellow member of our community and i sure as heck dont feel like he is welcome among my friends(being KKF members)

this website does not benefit any of us here and should not be used by anyone. if anyone wants a knife from the knife merchant i will buy it locally for a discount and ship it to you priority mail. i dont see why he should make money of people that dont know any better


----------



## franzb69 (Jul 1, 2013)

i'll be sure to remember that, when i buy one of those masahiros. =D


----------



## Dardeau (Jul 1, 2013)

They're pretty useful for larger fish, not enough different from a bullnose that I need to buy one. A coworker has one, and it cuts many textures cleanly and easily.


----------



## Noodle Soup (Jul 1, 2013)

I've been a Knife Merchant customer for years. They may not have a wide selection of "in" Japanese knives but they are my go to source for Victorinox, F. Dick, Wusthof and a number of other brands. They are also the only place I could find this tuna knife on the web.


----------



## Chef Niloc (Jul 1, 2013)

I have bought knives from Dave (Knife merchant), like in this case he sometimes has things that you can't find other places. He will (and has) price match other sights and stores. He is also helpful in finding other knives he does not carry. Bulk discounts is another thing he does, not that that's useful to many but just saying.


----------



## franzb69 (Jul 1, 2013)

> I've been a Knife Merchant customer for years. They may not have a wide selection of "in" Japanese knives but they are my go to source for Victorinox, F. Dick, Wusthof and a number of other brands. They are also the only place I could find this tuna knife on the web.



there's another and we don't wanna mention their name =D


----------



## DitmasPork (Jul 2, 2013)

Really appreciate the insightful commentsmuch awed by how the Japanese have so many specialized knives for food preparation. When I started cooking, it was a chefs knife, a parer, and a Chinese cleaver that kept me going.

Regarding the comment on Knife Merchant "ripping people off," I must say that as a consumer I do value all the advice I've garnered from KKF, but I also base my purchases on personal experiences and research. I've [fortunately] not had a really negative experience buying knives, most of my purchases have been in person here in NYCfrom Korin, Broadway Panhandler, JB Prince, etc. I tend to return to dealers that give me a certain amount of knowledgeable and attentive service.

With knife e-tailers, I've only had purchasing experiences with JKI, JCK, and Knife Merchantwhich have all been good. I was impressed with how Dave at KM did pick up the phone when I called and chatted with my about some of the knives I was considering. 

A Wisconsin based e-tailer that is often referenced on this site certainly has its fans and detractors. I've not ever purchased anything from the fellowbut did like how he responded to several email inquiries I had on products. I must admit that being relatively new to KKF, I am quite oblivious to the histories have created these knife world schisms. Call it naive, but I do visit the BBB sitewhich does give KM and the Wisconsin fellow a good rating.

Back to the original subject of the thread. The fish fillet knife looks like it would be a good substitute for a Scimitar.


----------



## Brad Gibson (Aug 14, 2013)

I must have slammed the knife merchant a little too hard. My boss went in there and they knew my name and where I worked lol. Sorry to the knife merchant if I've hurt your feelings but I still think the masahiros are strangely "left handed" gyutos that sell for overpriced rates. When we all know a little time on a stone and any 50/50 knife can have an asymmetrical edge for a lefty.


----------



## mhlee (Aug 14, 2013)

Brad Gibson said:


> I must have slammed the knife merchant a little too hard. My boss went in there and they knew my name and where I worked lol. Sorry to the knife merchant if I've hurt your feelings but I still think the masahiros are strangely "left handed" gyutos that sell for overpriced rates. When we all know a little time on a stone and any 50/50 knife can have an asymmetrical edge for a lefty.



You obviously missed the post by the owner of Knife Merchant that was subsequently deleted. 

A quick look at the website shows that you are full of exaggerations and hyperbole, and ill-informed and petulant. That store has more than two brands of knives. I specifically compared their prices of Glestain knives with other vendors - their prices are competitive with other vendors. 

As for your roommate's knife, did he/she specifically order a left handed knife? If so, there is a standard markup by most vendors, including Korin and JCK, for such knives.

Lastly, changing a knife from 50/50 to a left-handed beveled knife can take a significant amount of effort and trial and error. A little time on a stone? Please tell us how long it's taken you to do such a thing, what stones you used and what kind of knife you did this to. If you have never done such a thing, then you are unqualified to make any kind of statement as to the time and ease to do such a thing.


----------



## Noodle Soup (Aug 14, 2013)

Knifemerchant is a great source of many knives, their prices are fair and their service is outstanding. As far as "exaggerations and hyperbole, and ill-informed and petulant" I always have a feeling most people on the web have never had actually sell something to a customer. If you have had to close a few sales for living you will know you don't sit back hoping the customer will just naturally know what great product you are offering him, you have to tell him!


----------



## EdipisReks (Aug 14, 2013)

Chef Niloc said:


> I have bought knives from Dave (Knife merchant), like in this case he sometimes has things that you can't find other places. He will (and has) price match other sights and stores. He is also helpful in finding other knives he does not carry. Bulk discounts is another thing he does, not that that's useful to many but just saying.



I've bought quite a few things from knife merchant, but never a knife, strangely. Thy typically have good prices on Paderno carbon steel pans.


----------



## Brad Gibson (Aug 15, 2013)

I tried to retract my statements about the knife merchant as I feel now they were unfair. I am very opinionated and don't think what I said should have been pushed on the other users of this forum. They do sell their products with good faith and with good customer service. I feel as if I was blinded by the light and their selection was only to my disliking. I would like to publicly apologize to the knife merchant although I'm sure at this point it will not matter.

I had an opinion of your small inventory of Japanese knives as a bad one and maybe some people think that you have great things to offer. I just do not. I think there is a bunch of other knife dealers on this site and off that have a far greater inventory of knives and that was the point of my original post. I did not mean to slam you or put you down in your general customer service aspect, which is pretty good. 

Like I said, I asked the mods to take down my post, I would like to take it back buy I can't. My words were more hurtful than they should have been.


----------

