Mino Takumi Japanese 145mm Deba Kitchen Knife - Vintage Restored

This beautifully restored Deba is in pristine condition and has many years of life remaining. It has been fully reground, polished and shows a lovely kasumi finish on the bevel and has been sharpened, fully ready for use. The steel is easy to sharpen and feels like Shirogami #2 (Also known as White Paper Steel #2, a high-carbon Japanese steel made by Hitachi Metals, prized in traditional Japanese knife-making for its extreme sharpness and ease of sharpening). The new handle is a high class octagonal ebony wood with black buffalo horn ferrule. The knife has a 145mm cutting edge and 275mm overall length. History: 美濃匠 (Mino Takumi): "Mino" could be a part of Gifu Prefecture. Maybe a Takumi could be an artisan's name. a.関孫六 (Seki Magoroku): Appears to be a brand name. Based on my research, it was founded by Kai.  The Japanese Deba knife (出刃包丁, deba bōchō) is a traditional Japanese kitchen knife primarily used for butchering fish, although it's also suitable for cutting meat and poultry with small bones. Key Characteristics: Blade Shape: Thick, broad blade with a pointed tip. The heel of the blade is very sturdy, ideal for cutting through fish heads and small bones, while the tip is precise enough for filleting. Blade Thickness: Much thicker and heavier than most Japanese knives, giving it the power needed for heavier cuts. Single Bevel: Traditionally, Deba knives are single-beveled (usually for right-handed users), meaning one side is flat while the other is ground. This allows for more precise and cleaner cuts, especially when filleting fish. Primary Uses: Breaking down whole fish (cutting through heads, bones, and filleting) Chopping meat and poultry (small bones only—it's not meant for hacking through large bones like a cleaver)