What are small (150-200mm) Yanagiba for?

[cotedupy]

I have a couple of small yanagiba which I polish, and I look at, and I think: 'how pretty they are!' And very occasionally I use them to cut things up, and then I polish them again, and put them back in the drawer, and wonder to myself what they're actually meant to be for. Is it...

a.) Regular people who slice small fish.

b.) Small people who slice regular fish.

c.) Other (please specify).

 

[BillHanna]

Regualr fish who slice small people?

 

[childermass]

single bevel petty:

 

[Nemo]

You already said it-

They are for polishing

 

[Matus]

I loved to use a 180 single bevel petty to slice chicken liver or other smallish meat pieces.

 

[Eloh]

single bevel petty:

Lolz

 

[Ochazuke]

Perfect for pretty much all the different types of ika or for further work on shellfish that have been removed from their shell. Also good for decorations. People will use them to make baran (though nobody does this anymore) or for sasagiri (also pretty rare).

I mostly see them for ika and kai though.

 

[cotedupy]

I loved to use a 180 single bevel petty to slice chicken liver or other smallish meat pieces.

Yeah - that's the kind of thing I use mine for from time to time. And they are great for it .

Though frankly if I could use one to chop a shallot as quickly as the person in @childermass 's video, I might be tempted to try that too!

 

[cotedupy]

Perfect for pretty much all the different types of ika or for further work on shellfish that have been removed from their shell. Also good for decorations. People will use them to make baran (though nobody does this anymore) or for sasagiri (also pretty rare).

I mostly see them for ika and kai though.

TY for this! It's good to know what they're actually meant to be / traditionally used for (once I've googled all those things ).

 

[Jovidah]

I guess they're great for people who want to try or practise on a single bevel on a budget?
Don't know, maybe they make nice butchering or silverskin petties? Or are they too thick for that around the tip?

 

[cotedupy]

I guess they're great for people who want to try or practise on a single bevel on a budget?
Don't know, maybe they make nice butchering or silverskin petties? Or are they too thick for that around the tip?

That's an interesting thought, and actually I'm smoking some beef tomorrow, so will it a go for whatever trimming needs done.

One of my two I think you're right - would be a bit thick at the front for delicate stuff, but the other's a fair bit thinner at the tip, and a bit shorter length-wise, so might work quite well...

 

[VICTOR J CREAZZI]

You already said it-

They are for polishing

You forgot 'and looking at'.

 

[daveb]

So while we're all here...

Difference between a 150mm yani and a mukimono?

I like the precise work I can do with Mukimono and scallions, etc. But only use one at home.

 

[Ochazuke]

The big difference is that the small yanigiba (or kaisaki, ikasaki, barankiri, koyanagiba) shape is actually used by a small number of sushi chefs. It's pretty rare outside of high end sushi (like you'll never see one at a kaitenzushi place), but you do occasionally run in to chefs who like them. 90% of use I see with them is for sushi related work with small shellfish, mollusks, or sushi garnishes involving kyuuri or sasanoha.

I've only spotted a mukimono being used in the wild once with a kaiseki chef. I know a couple hobbyists who use them too, but in practical use they're pretty rarely seen. Mukimono is a very specific shape to do a very specific task (decorative vegetable carving).

I see kawamuki being used more often. While kawamuki is used by many as an interchangeable term for mukimono - I think there are some who differentiate them. Kawamuki tend to come in kataba or ryoba versions with a variety of profiles. A lot of home chefs like to used them for peeling and portioning fruit. Some people treat the kamagata profiled versions as knives for children. You would never see that with mukimono. I actually have a lot of fondness for kawamuki, but I think most western chefs wouldn't get much use out of them.

 

[BillHanna]

A kawamuki (moritaka) was my son’s first knife!

 

[VicVox72]

I have been told they are used for sukibiki (removing scales by sawing them off from the outside) and I have tried that with my 180mm yanagiba a couple of times with reasonable success. Certainly more success than if I had used my 270mm one.

 

[KenHash]

I have a couple of small yanagiba which I polish, and I look at, and I think: 'how pretty they are!' And very occasionally I use them to cut things up, and then I polish them again, and put them back in the drawer, and wonder to myself what they're actually meant to be for. Is it...

a.) Regular people who slice small fish.

b.) Small people who slice regular fish.

c.) Other (please specify).

c) Other. For people with limited kitchen space and use small boards. But even people who have space and large boards may sometimes choose to use a small board and knife for a small quantity of fish or small work.

 

[Ochazuke]

I have been told they are used for sukibiki (removing scales by sawing them off from the outside) and I have tried that with my 180mm yanagiba a couple of times with reasonable success. Certainly more success than if I had used my 270mm one.

Maybe this is true if you’re using small fish. But for any fish used commercially, a longer knife is preferred. Using the length of the blade allows you to remove large sections of scales in big strips. Saves time, motion, and overall edge.

 

[WiriWiri]

c) Other. For people with limited kitchen space and use small boards. But even people who have space and large boards may sometimes choose to use a small board and knife for a small quantity of fish or small work.

d) Inhabitants of the fishing village of BolakEchizen*, where the local speciality is a dish Involving filleted whitebait sashimi.

*aka Sprat-Processing Village, a lesser known tourist attraction supported by the regional prefecture of Fuksake

 

[VicVox72]

Maybe this is true if you’re using small fish. But for any fish used commercially, a longer knife is preferred. Using the length of the blade allows you to remove large sections of scales in big strips. Saves time, motion, and overall edge.

Quite plausible that you'd want a longer one for bigger fish, the largest I process is like 15-20lbs sea bass, or 10lbs California halibut.

Though, the short blade would probably still be neat for the small harder to reach areas of the fish, after you removed the "easy" flat areas.

Next time I get a fish towards the upper end of that range, I will do the "flat" areas with my longer yanagiba to try that tho!

 

[KenHash]

d) Inhabitants of the fishing village of BolakEchizen*, where the local speciality is a dish Involving filleted whitebait sashimi.
*aka Sprat-Processing Village, a lesser known tourist attraction supported by the regional prefecture of Fuksake

LOL. Funny, but.....
That is one of the few sashimi where the fish is prepared entirely by hand.　No knife involved.
お魚屋さんの魚のさばき方‐きびなご編 - YouTube