Why no usuba love?

[kdizzog6]

All I see is gyutos! A great multi use blade, for sure. I have several, some higher end. I’ve cut with a halcyon, spare, isasmedjan, bloodroot, txk, and several other Japanese makers. Sweet knives for sure.

I own 3 usubas, keijiro doi, a 20 dollar eBay score, and a vintage honyaki.

My honyaki, that I usually keep in the drawer was used for meal prep today and after using gyutos for a while I was blown away by the performance. It blew through onions, peppers, carrots, potatoes, and trimmed the beef for pot roast. I have to confess, it performed better than anyone of my gyutos. Laser cuts, great food release, and a joy to use. Not to mention it can literally shave your face afterwards.

The Japanese really did it right. If you haven’t tried a usuba, you should really give it a go. You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Welcome fellow Rectangler.

While not just usuba focused, you can find a strong fellowship here early every year.
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/all-rectangle-march.63694/

2025 will be our third year.

FWIW, nakiri are my daily drivers. I keep threatening to get an usuba but haven't yet.

 

[zizirex]

All I see is gyutos! A great multi use blade, for sure. I have several, some higher end. I’ve cut with a halcyon, spare, isasmedjan, bloodroot, txk, and several other Japanese makers. Sweet knives for sure.

I own 3 usubas, keijiro doi, a 20 dollar eBay score, and a vintage honyaki.

My honyaki, that I usually keep in the drawer was used for meal prep today and after using gyutos for a while I was blown away by the performance. It blew through onions, peppers, carrots, potatoes, and trimmed the beef for pot roast. I have to confess, it performed better than anyone of my gyutos. Laser cuts, great food release, and a joy to use. Not to mention it can literally shave your face afterwards.

The Japanese really did it right. If you haven’t tried a usuba, you should really give it a go. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Because 98% of people here don't have the skills and don't know how to maintain it.
Also, it's easier to sell Gyuto and flip it.

 

[billybunka]

Refreshing post and I love using usuba for garnish prep at work! I rather prefer the k usuba (maybe a hot take). You should drop some pics too, curious to see the honyaki

 

[kdizzog6]

Refreshing post and I love using usuba for garnish prep at work! I rather prefer the k usuba (maybe a hot take). You should drop some pics too, curious to see the honyaki

Honestly, probably the best performing, sharpest knife I’ve ever used. I don’t know much about it, but it’s old. Such a unique feeling on the stones because the Shiro steel is so hard.

 

[billybunka]

Aight im sold, adding to sakai shopping list. Will report back soon

 

[Ochazuke]

Here here! Usuba can totally be used on board. I use one regularly myself.

I think the general hate comes from so many people in the early days of Japanese knife discovery using it like a cleaver and finding out that it can’t withstand that kind of use.

There’s also the steering complaint, but I also think that’s not a huge issue once you get used to the shape. Plenty of sushi chefs use their yanagiba as all-purpose knives, so it’s not that single bevels can’t be used in more diverse applications. That said I do get why double bevels are preferred for most users.

I think the average home cook is probably better off sticking to more robust double bevels (and stainless).

But professional chefs and knife enthusiasts would probably benefit from giving many single bevels a prolonged chance.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Because 98% of people here don't have the skills and don't know how to maintain it.
Also, it's easier to sell Gyuto and flip it.

Here here! Usuba can totally be used on board. I use one regularly myself.

I think the general hate comes from so many people in the early days of Japanese knife discovery using it like a cleaver and finding out that it can’t withstand that kind of use.

There’s also the steering complaint, but I also think that’s not a huge issue once you get used to the shape. Plenty of sushi chefs use their yanagiba as all-purpose knives, so it’s not that single bevels can’t be used in more diverse applications. That said I do get why double bevels are preferred for most users.

I think the average home cook is probably better off sticking to more robust double bevels (and stainless).

But professional chefs and knife enthusiasts would probably benefit from giving many single bevels a prolonged chance.

Any suggestions for entry-level offerings? I'm not afraid to learn single sharpening but I'm not keen on doing it on something more expensive.

I'll admit to being intimidated on what to look for, especially on the secondary market. Now granted, I know this is on the low end but when I look at something like this, I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for (alarm bells):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2357768124...5TFQA5&hash=item36e564a5af:g:zGEAAOSwqYtnAqVY

When I see that I feel like there should be a more pronounced ura but then I also don't know if that is correct.

Maybe @refcast has some insight too.

 

[kdizzog6]

Any suggestions for entry-level offerings? I'm not afraid to learn single sharpening but I'm not keen on doing it on something more expensive.

I'll admit to being intimidated on what to look for, especially on the secondary market. Now granted, I know this is on the low end but when I look at something like this, I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for (alarm bells):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2357768124...5TFQA5&hash=item36e564a5af:g:zGEAAOSwqYtnAqVY

When I see that I feel like there should be a more pronounced ura but then I also don't know if that is correct.

Maybe @refcast has some insight too.

I’ve had great luck on eBay. Make sure it’s straight, make sure the blade edge is flat, and check the backside where the hollow grind has life left in it. When over sharpened to flat, you won’t get the performance. I also noticed the better made ones have real horn above the handle. I bought this one for 15 dollars plus shipping from Japan. My wife loves it. It took a little bit of work to get the grind right, but it was a great knife to practice on and is a cutting machine. Just a little chippy edge, probably cheaply made steel and heat treatment but for 15 bucks I didn’t expect much.

 

[instantramen]

Refreshing post and I love using usuba for garnish prep at work! I rather prefer the k usuba (maybe a hot take). You should drop some pics too, curious to see the honyaki

Intrigued by this thread... might have to pick one up sometime. Is there any difference between a k tip usuba and a single bevel kiritsuke?

 

[Ochazuke]

Kamagata is the name for the sickle shape tip.

It’s used more in Kansai (around Osaka and Kyoto) rather than Kanto which has the kakugata or square shape.

Kamagata just allows for some tip work where kakugata doesn’t. Other than that it’s mostly a regional/stylistic choice.

 

[kujaku]

Usuba perform wonderfully but are prone to chipping. Repairing those chips is much more hard compared to Yo knives. Because of this, their use is usually limited to specific tasks like making katsura-muki or slicing vegetables, and I think this lack of versatility plays a big role in their unpopularity.

 

[billybunka]

If I see some for good prices maybe I’ll bring a few extra back. I believe Nakagawa is doing a really nice ginsan one, tempting. I know jikko and mizuno have some beautiful honyaki pieces as well. I’ll post some pics for curiosity sake. Yes in my personal work with knives I would say they are 10/15% usage but for those tasks I do deeply appreciate that thin edge

 

[Dan-]

They are great for crudités. Love the shiny surface.

Or cucumbers when the only sushi your kids like is friggin California rolls

 

[ethompson]

word of warning, a poorly ground usuba is exceptionally painful to deal with. And grinding one well is hard. I wouldn’t recommend getting one personally unless it was quite a reputable shop and brand (so if you’re in the U.S. just bite the bullet and do something from JKI)

 

[refcast]

I have a good entry level usuba I need to list but I have a backlog of knife commitments I need to get to first. It has a subtle recurve I need to address but it's ground well. What you should look for is a crisp shinogi, no ura microbevel, consistent grinding. . . Which is hard

 

[blokey]

I had one from Ichimonji, they did initial Honbazuke free of charge, great seller

 

[Taurahe]

Welcome fellow Rectangler.

While not just usuba focused, you can find a strong fellowship here early every year.
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/all-rectangle-march.63694/

2025 will be our third year.

FWIW, nakiri are my daily drivers. I keep threatening to get an usuba but haven't yet.

I have no need for an usuba .... Yet I still need one. My nakiris need extended family

 

[calc]

Any online retailers with a good usuba (or single-bevel in general) selection? Maybe some mukimono?

 

[Dan-]

Yes, JCK

https://japanesechefsknife.com/collections/kama-usuba

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Thanks to our friend @refcast, I have one enroute.

 

[DitmasPork]

I love usubas, have wanted to land one for more than a decade—but haven’t found a lefty usuba I liked thus far. Truth.

 

[M1k3]

I have one. Used it once.
Really been meaning to put it in rotation. Give it a chance.

Once I get past this hotel opening, I'm definitely going to give it a chance.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I love usubas, have wanted to land one for more than a decade—but haven’t found a lefty usuba I liked thus far. Truth.

You probably already know but Michael has one available:

https://knifejapan.com/nojiyama-marunaka-kama-gata-usuba-bocho-left-handed-180mm/

He might be able to help you find something more specific too.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I have one. Used it once.
Really been meaning to put it in rotation. Give it a chance.

Once I get past this hotel opening, I'm definitely going to give it a chance.

For me, the hesitation is in the sharpening. I'm a little intimidated by it.

 

[M1k3]

For me, the hesitation is in the sharpening. I'm a little intimidated by it.

At least it's a little more straightforward than a yanagi or deba. I followed the single bevel sharpening video from JKI and made sure to remember "bevel angle gets shallower towards the tip". Sort of like a twist.

 

[SWF]

Love my usuba. It's a ginsan 180, heavy and sharp as hell. Easy to be sharpened. Completely underrated. I'm thinking about also getting a single bevel santoku.

 

[Ochazuke]

For me, the hesitation is in the sharpening. I'm a little intimidated by it.

Sharpening is not as bad as people might make you think.

Fixing them is not great, but sharpening single bevels I (personally) think is easier to pick up on.

 

[DitmasPork]

You probably already know but Michael has one available:

https://knifejapan.com/nojiyama-marunaka-kama-gata-usuba-bocho-left-handed-180mm/

He might be able to help you find something more specific too.

Cheers!

 

[Dan-]

Wow a left handed single bevel that’s not $600!