Deba: have I been doing it wrong?

[Boondocker]

I've had my deba for the better part of a decade now, my chef/mentor told me to not invest a lot of money into it because "it's going through bone so don't throw $400 away on a masamoto".

I use it only for fish butchery, but It's gotten pretty chipped over the years, is this to be expected from a deba or some technique I need to work on?

 

[KenHash]

That's wrong. Yes it goes through bone, but it also removes the fillets off the backbone. I have never chipped any of my Debas which have been in use 20-30 years. How do you remove the head and tail? Do you push down with your left hand on the spine of the blade?

 

[coffeelover191919]

i always wondered... what happens when we eat a little piece of chipped metal in our food?

 

[Boondocker]

Most of it's use has been removing fillets on fish from 5#-30# over the years. Don't remove tails or steak fish with it. I press on the spine of the knife when I remove halibut collars, I struggled to find the sweet spot on a couple hiramasa heads today though and I think that did some damage. Maybe I should just use one of the breakers at work for that, if I can get a good edge on it.

 

[KenHash]

Surprised you have much chipping with mostly fillet work. I assumed it was mostly from head removal. Yes, I find the sweet spot, and let the ago part (heel) of my Masamoto do the work.

 

[KenHash]

i always wondered... what happens when we eat a little piece of chipped metal in our food?

I always assumed it came out the other end provided it was small and harmless enough. But if larger I am sure it will stand out in an X-ray.

 

[Boondocker]

Do you have a secondary bevel on it?

Maybe it is worth paying a bit more for a quality maker?

 

[KenHash]

Do you have a secondary bevel on it?
Maybe it is worth paying a bit more for a quality maker?

No. I have been using the low end KK series with no issues at all.
https://japanesechefsknife.com/products/masamoto-kk-series-kasumi-white-steel-no-2-deba

 

[slickmamba]

I put double bevel on the last inch or so by the heel to go through/between bones no microbevel on the rest.

 

[Boondocker]

I think I spent less than 100 on mine. JCK doesn't seem to even carry the maker anymore. From my old old posts it is a minamoto kanemasa deba

 

[Carl Kotte]

I only have debas I’ve bought second-hand (some in a really bad condition). They have all come sharpened in such a way that the cutting edge has the same angle as the wide bevel - and they’ve all been chippy. In my case it’s definitely partly a matter of technique (it’s not so good) but I’ve had good results (against the chipping) sharpening the very edge in a less acute angle.

 

[Dendrobatez]

I keep the edge on my debas pretty stout at the heel 1/3rd for spines and tails and let it get progressively thinner towards the tip. I dont have trouble with chipping but the main fish I work on aren't too awful tough: pompano, yellow/red snapper, bronzino, sometimes salmon and black grouper

 

[refcast]

You can also use two debas. . . . one sharpened with a stouter edge for bones, and one only for fine fillet work. The stouter edge one may or may not be a cheaper knife . .. you could use a more expensive one as long as it sharpened to be tougher for that purpose

 

[daveb]

You can also use two debas. . . . one sharpened with a stouter edge for bones, and one only for fine fillet work. The stouter edge one may or may not be a cheaper knife . .. you could use a more expensive one as long as it sharpened to be tougher for that purpose

Another knife is always a correct answer I've started getting out a cleaver or beater knife for heads, mostly do store bought salmon and inshore saltwater fishies.

 

[NO ChoP!]

I have a Yoshikane V2 deba that I often use like a heavy cleaver and haven't experienced any chips.

It is torquing/ wiggling that causes chips, mostly.

 

[Boondocker]

Thanks I've learned a lot here.