Heiji Single Bevels

Anyone have any experience with these? I definitely don't cook Japanese, but I do cut a lot of fish so my deba and yanagiba see more use than most. I can't find any reference to anyone using these and am somewhat curious.

I was lucky enough to be gifted a Gesshin Heiji yanagi a little while ago. I have used a yanagi 5/6 days a week for almost 20 years and it is one of my all-time favorites. It's hard to fit in anything over 300mm in my counter area as the restaurant is tiny and space is a premium. The knife just feels much more nimble than it's length(300mm) probably due to the balance and weight of it. The handle may be a bit small if you have big mitts, but it's great for me as i'm on the short side of the scale. Hoping to get myself an usuba from Jon one of these days soon as well. I think it will be well worth the investment for you since it sounds like you cut decent amounts of fish. Please let me know if there is anything specific I can help with about the knife. And could I also ask what yanagi you are using now?

So since you have the Gesshin it is the stainless? I liked the steel on the gyuto I had, enough that I ordered a shorty 210 to use on the line.
Right now I use a Masamoto that I like a lot, alternated with a Mizuno that I somewhat like.
I think the idea of a stainless usuba is interesting. I've never used a usuba because most of what is available is carbon, and I would want to use it on reactive ingredients.
I've waited all day to respond to this so I could make sense of it, but there was three hours of plumbing problems, we had to close the restaurant on a Saturday night, and then there was bourbon. Thanks for responding, more input would be valued.

Dardeau said:

So since you have the Gesshin it is the stainless? I liked the steel on the gyuto I had, enough that I ordered a shorty 210 to use on the line.
Right now I use a Masamoto that I like a lot, alternated with a Mizuno that I somewhat like.
I think the idea of a stainless usuba is interesting. I've never used a usuba because most of what is available is carbon, and I would want to use it on reactive ingredients.
I've waited all day to respond to this so I could make sense of it, but there was three hours of plumbing problems, we had to close the restaurant on a Saturday night, and then there was bourbon. Thanks for responding, more input would be valued.

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yeah... he has the stainless

I wouldnt go with heiji for a first usuba though... its gonna chip like crazy while you figure out how to use it

I was actually going to buy an Uraku to learn to use a usuba. It's not something I would use daily, more to learn new skills and maybe spark some creativity.

I'm more looking at the knives I already use, but the idea of a usuba that could be used on red onion, cabbage, etc without worry is attractive.

why not try something in ginsanko... there are some makers out there who do a tougher HT on ginsanko that might be ok as a first usuba to learn on

Ok, I have sobered, slept, and put the memory of the New Orleans Sewer and Water board, the cretins from the drain company, and the grossness behind me.

I wasn't really thinking about a usuba other than in a nebulous, maybe one day I could get some new ideas from this kind of way. The idea of a stainless usuba put me on a track of thinking about cabbage, and how shaving red cabbage with a carbon knife can get a little old. Now I am somewhat interested in the idea of a learner ginsanko usuba for an inspirational tool. This is all off of my original topic.

I am specifically interested in a 210mm deba and a 270-300mm yanagiba to put into my daily work rotation. I'm looking for general impressions like Taro gave of how they feel when being used and sharpened, how forgiving (or not) the steel is, how the stainless feel when compared to a typical carbon knife.

A hopefully better written description of what I use as far as yanagibas:
Right now I use a Masamoto KS rotated with a Mizuno Tarenjo Honantren, both 270mm. Like you, anything bigger would be a tight squeeze. I enjoy both of them, but like the Masamoto a bit more. The tip on the Masamoto is much more nimble for trimming the silver skin (not sure what this stuff is actually called) off of tuna bellies, but the Mizuno gets the job done. The Mizuno stays sharp much longer, but it is so easy and quick to touch up the Masamoto it doesn't really matter. I do like the Mizuno better for skinning very thick skinned fish like Lemonfish (Cobia) especially when I have to do a lot. It just seems to do it a little smoother and cleaner.