Please Recommend me a Left Handed Deba

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Dutchie3719

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All knowing KKF,

I'm in need of some help finding a Left Handed Deba Knife for sub-$150.

LOCATION
What country are you in?
The Country that Borders Canada to the South (USA)

KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Deba

Are you right or left handed?
Left Handed

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Either is fine for me

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
150 mm-200 mm

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Would prefer Carbon.

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Will consider options up to $175.00, but would prefer sub-$150.00

KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home

What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)
Breaking Down Fish, Chicken, possibly my knuckles.

What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Using a 170mm Gyoto to break down fish now.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch

What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)
1) Push Cut
2) Slice
3) Walk

What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)
Heavier knife, designed to cut fish. Hoping to have carbon steel vs VG-10

Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?

Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?



KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Nope

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yupp

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Yupp (always looking to improve)

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Have King 1000/6000 WaterStone, always willing to find better / different.


SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
 
At that price, for a lefty, I think you are looking at a tanaka kurouchi deba 165mm-180mm. Now, where to find one...
 
ThEoRy said:
At that price, for a lefty, I think you are looking at a tanaka kurouchi deba 165mm-180mm. Now, where to find one...
Click to expand...

That's certainly what came to my mind. I have one, and like it pretty well. It's your basic Tanaka: F&F could be improved, but the steel is great and the knife is quite functional for the price.
 
Only thing is you may have to specially order a left handed one. That usually can cost up to %50 more. But you knew that already.
 
Just a few comments. First, using a "walk" cut, generally, isn't appropriate for a traditional single bevel deba. Second, they're not appropriate for breaking down chicken; they're best used for fish. If you're looking for something that you can use for both, you're better off with a western deba. Third, what kind of cutting board are you using? If you're not using one of the listed boards, you're going to likely mangle the edge of a single bevel deba if you have board contact, which is inevitable.
 
mhlee said:
Just a few comments. First, using a "walk" cut, generally, isn't appropriate for a traditional single bevel deba. Second, they're not appropriate for breaking down chicken; they're best used for fish. If you're looking for something that you can use for both, you're better off with a western deba. Third, what kind of cutting board are you using? If you're not using one of the listed boards, you're going to likely mangle the edge of a single bevel deba if you have board contact, which is inevitable.
Click to expand...

I usually break down fish on a big ol Boos Block. I've also got a Kitchenaid Synthetic that I use on other things.

I've got other knives for the things I'll walk cut, really just want a tool to break down mostly fish, and yes, it's not designed to do chicken, but I've heard it's a nice way to pull a breast off a whole chicken while it's still raw.
 
Japan Blades has a left handed Deba for under $150.00. Its the B15L Minamoto Kanemasa B-series Deba 180mm for left-handers. Constructed of White Steel and 180mm.
 
Dutchie3719 said:
I usually break down fish on a big ol Boos Block. I've also got a Kitchenaid Synthetic that I use on other things.

I've got other knives for the things I'll walk cut, really just want a tool to break down mostly fish, and yes, it's not designed to do chicken, but I've heard it's a nice way to pull a breast off a whole chicken while it's still raw.
Click to expand...

Honesuki is better for chicken fabrication. Hell, anything is better. Petty, hankotsu, gokujo, even a gyuto.
 
Check out the link I posted for the tadafusa.
 
I highly recommend the Sakai Ichimonji Kichikuni line sold by bluewayjapan on ebay. EXCELLENT VALUE
 
Epicurean Edge has a lefty Hon Kasumi deba for around $140.
 
I have one of the Sakai left handed deba from Blueway that they sell on ebay. The grind was really uneven, took me a couple of hours to fix it. It has an Akebono (lacquer) finish on the handle. The lacquer felt like plastic. I absolutely hated it so I took the risk of sanding it off. The wood underneath did not finish well on it's own. Very open grain, probably totally appropriate to it's intended purpose, but not appropriate for the mineral oil/beeswax finish that I like to use. I applied a gel stain that is a bit less plastic feeling than the laquer it came with. The "high carbon steel" that it is made from chips really easily. I have several Deba and I was never able to consistently chip a deba on salmon and bronzino bones until this knife. Also not easy to deburr. Verdict: fit and finish: poor, grind: poor, heat treatment: suspect. Altogether I regret the purchase. There are much better knives out there at that price point. I paid $140 for it and I would sell it for $40. For a recommendation at that price point I have a Masahiro deba that I bought at knife merchant.com 10 years ago that still works well even with all of the mistakes I made learning how to sharpen deba. It was like $130. Never chipped it once, not even hacking at lobster claws. That being said, Epicurean Edge is a great vendor and $140 for a Hon Kasumi is a great price.
 
First, I'd like to thank everyone who posted, and please do keep the discussion going after this, as this has been a pretty good thread.

I've decided on the Minamoto Kanemasa. It was at the time of purchase $125.00. I'm happy to post a review of this knife after some use if people tell me what / how to review it. Big thanks to Rogue108 for the final recomendation, and ThEoRy for really investing time in the thread . The Tadafusa was a close contender, but was a bit outside my price range, and the discount on the Minamoto really helped seal the deal.

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to answer.

Curious, but how many of you are southpaws?
 
I'm a southpaw, but I can perform most knife skills right handed because I have had to teach so many right handed people over the years. For future reference Yoshihiro does a good job on left handed knives and they are a really good value.
 
ChefCosta said:
I'm a southpaw, but I can perform most knife skills right handed because I have had to teach so many right handed people over the years. For future reference Yoshihiro does a good job on left handed knives and they are a really good value.
Click to expand...

I have a Yoshihiro suminagashi deba and yeah I agree, it's super nice.
 
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