# Deba length?



## ynot1985 (Nov 25, 2016)

I am in the process of ordering a KU shig deba

What length deba would be idea as the biggest fish I would break down would be a salmon

Can a big deba be used to break smaller fish as well or would I need a smaller deba

Thanks


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## schanop (Nov 25, 2016)

If you want just one deba, probably a 195 Shig is big enough (similar to other maker 180 since Shig is measured from the handle). I use 180 Shig and it is plenty big for most fish I buy from the market. It is fine for 3-4 kg salmon, king fish. 

Alternate idea is 225 Shig mioroshi. 240 that I saw at Jame's was a bit big, and 210 that I have could be a little bit too little.

A ko-deba (Shig 135-150), or ajikiri would be good if you clean up a lot of small fish. However, a smaller mioroshi like 210 would do the work just as well. If it is once in a while, sometimes a larger deba would just be awkward, but it is ok to use on most of smaller fish.


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## guari (Nov 25, 2016)

I have a 165 deba for home use and I'm very happy with it. I think it would run short for fish over 5kg


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## ynot1985 (Nov 25, 2016)

I might opt for 195 then

as I already have a 210mm mioroshi and 130mm ajihiki



schanop said:


> If you want just one deba, probably a 195 Shig is big enough (similar to other maker 180 since Shig is measured from the handle). I use 180 Shig and it is plenty big for most fish I buy from the market. It is fine for 3-4 kg salmon, king fish.
> 
> Alternate idea is 225 Shig mioroshi. 240 that I saw at Jame's was a bit big, and 210 that I have could be a little bit too little.
> 
> A ko-deba (Shig 135-150), or ajikiri would be good if you clean up a lot of small fish. However, a smaller mioroshi like 210 would do the work just as well. If it is once in a while, sometimes a larger deba would just be awkward, but it is ok to use on most of smaller fish.


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## ThEoRy (Nov 25, 2016)

I use a 270mm mioroshi deba for salmon and a 210mm deba for everything else.


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## copperJon (Nov 25, 2016)

ThEoRy said:


> I use a 270mm mioroshi deba for salmon and a 210mm deba for everything else.



+1. I'm addicted to debas, and have 5, ranging from 165 to 270. They all find use, but 180 - 210 is the sweet spot for general use.


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## JBroida (Nov 25, 2016)

when the deba is held at a roughly 45 degree angle relative to the fish (about the angle it would be while filleting the fish), this is how i explain it to people:


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## schanop (Nov 25, 2016)

Where is the like button?

That's a good explanation, Jon.


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## strumke (Nov 26, 2016)

JBroida said:


> when the deba is held at a roughly 45 degree angle relative to the fish (about the angle it would be while filleting the fish), this is how i explain it to people:



That's an awesome instructional drawing!


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## JBroida (Nov 26, 2016)

bow down to my paint skills :knight:


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## daveb (Nov 26, 2016)

So what kind of fish is that? :knife:


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## Mute-on (Nov 26, 2016)

It's a white pointer-mako-gummy-tuna-shark. Deadly but delicious


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## dreyna14 (Nov 28, 2016)

I have a 165mm Deba and had a heck of a time fileting 20-25lb Yellowtail. Perfect size for rockfish, whietfish and lincod. I really wish I had a 210mm for a 75lb Bluefin I caught a few months ago.


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## Mucho Bocho (Nov 28, 2016)

75LBS Blue fin? Is that a legal size. Also pics would substantiate your fishing prowess.


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## dreyna14 (Nov 28, 2016)

Mucho Bocho said:


> 75LBS Blue fin? Is that a legal size. Also pics would substantiate your fishing prowess.



There's no limit on size for pacific bluefin, only quantity (2). I'll save the fishing pics for a more appropriate thread.


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## Mucho Bocho (Dec 1, 2016)

dreyna14 said:


> I'll save the fishing pics for a more appropriate thread.



That's what I thought. Fish story.


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## paulraphael (Dec 1, 2016)

So, it's obviously a problem if your deba's too small for the fish. Is there much inconvenience to having it an inch or two longer than necessary? In case the proverbial big fish comes along some day?


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## chinacats (Dec 1, 2016)

paulraphael said:


> So, it's obviously a problem if your deba's too small for the fish. Is there much inconvenience to having it an inch or two longer than necessary? In case the proverbial big fish comes along some day?



Perhaps having to wield a heavy/long beast every time you play with a smaller fish?


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## paulraphael (Dec 1, 2016)

chinacats said:


> Perhaps having to wield a heavy/long beast every time you play with a smaller fish?



Yeah, I get that that's the general issue. I'm just curious about more specifics. I don't have any training in Japanese fish butchery, so I don't know if the drawbacks are significant if you're filleting, say, a 1lb trout with a 180 or 210mm deba. 

I'm happy mincing garlic all day long with a 270 gyuto, so size by itself isn't a problem for me. Is there's anything specific to fish butchery that favors a smaller blade?


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## dreyna14 (Dec 1, 2016)

The larger debas tend to be thicker and trying to get underneath the end of a fillet of a smaller fish is awkward. Then, when trying to remove something like the belly lining of those smaller fish without wasting good meat is also a pain. The length meant one end was cutting on a portion I didn't want while the other end was cutting into something I did. For me, trying to butcher smaller yellowtail with my 240mm gyuto (only good longer knife I had) wasn't so easy but on the larger fish it was a relative piece of cake. The smaller deba on those smaller fish made it a breeze. I just wish I had a larger deba for the larger fish.


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## daveb (Dec 1, 2016)

What he said.

My first two Deba were a 240 and a 165. I quickly learned the 165 was more versatile and better suited my needs for preparing local catch.

For fish that I would catch (and could afford to buy) the 240 was a beast and not in a good way. Awkward, oversized, clumsy, it was almost too large for whole salmon. I re-homed it with someone who prepared salmon exclusively and commercially.

Next up was a 210 Suisin Miroshi. It works very well for local fish and will work with salmon. The 165 remained a sweet knife but was traded to buy a 150mm Ginsanko Yoshi. Between these two I don't feel any shortcomings. If I could have only Deba for fish prep it would probably be a 180.


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## paulraphael (Dec 2, 2016)

Cool, thanks. Great information.


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