# What size deba for what size fish



## ChuckTheButcher (Dec 25, 2013)

I am wondering what size deba should be used for certain fish? For example 20-25lb rockfish. Is a 210 too big? I've recently been adding more single bevel knives to my everyday work and want to try a deba. I have a feeling I want to go smaller then I think but don't really know. I've been looking in the 190mm range. Also if anyone has any recommendations for a good carbon workhorse deba I would love to here them.


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## ThEoRy (Dec 25, 2013)

210 should be fine. You could always just buy a 180 later....:doublethumbsup:


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## ChuckTheButcher (Dec 25, 2013)

Awesome. Good to know.


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## JKerr (Dec 25, 2013)

I was recently looking at debas too. Actually, I've been mulling them over for ages now, but never really felt it would be that beneficial until now due to work. The Tanaka's are suppose to be excellent value for money in blue 2; hit or miss handles, but that's not the end of the world. I light of the gyuto I recently got from Shimatani, I was considering one of his debas (also blue2). I'm very impressed by the gyuto, but I can't comment on his single bevels.

If you were after something a bit fancier, there's some pretty reasonably priced Doi's on rakuten (Yamakawa). I ended up ordering a(nother) Sugimoto 21cm from the Kasumi Superlative line. I was concerned 21cm might be a touch large, but supposedly the Sugimoto's are on the light side for their size, sorta somewhere between an Ai-deba and Hon-deba, which I think will suit me well.


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## eshua (Dec 25, 2013)

One of our long time sushi chefs recently returned from 8 weeks of training in Japan. He commented that 240-270 was average, and that lots of the cooks had larger deba.


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## JMac (Dec 25, 2013)

210. I use it for pretty much everything from large snapper, rock, down to small branzino,red mullets. Though i need to get a smaller one for those smaller fish.
I use yoshihiro white #2 great deba to start out with.


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## ZushiBarGeek (Dec 26, 2013)

210 Is The Best Size!!! Buy Suisin Inox Honyaki Sale At Korin 15%Off! You Won't Regret It!! It's Awesome Knife, stain resist too!!! Good luck


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## hambone.johnson (Dec 29, 2013)

I use an 8" boning knife and have used it on stuff over 21" in length. I don't see why a 210 wouldn't work the same.


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## mametaro (Dec 29, 2013)

I was taught with a 240 Aritsugu deba when I was training to make sushi. It was used to break down all sizes of fish down to smaller kanpachis and was an incredible knife. I think a 210-195 is very versatile and should be able to do a wide range of things if you are teaching yourself to use one. Should call Jon for brands.. would really love some reviews on a Hide or Jin deba! And Butch Harner and Mike Davis also make awesome debas. I have been using fillet knives for a bit for fish butchery and truly miss the weight and stiffness of debas.


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