Saji Yanagiba G3 270mm (10.6″)

A true connoisseur of Japanese knives will be able to tell straight away that this is a Takeshi Saji knife. A living legend, master blacksmith Saji, started working in this industry nearly six decades ago, crafting mostly hunting knives, before eventually turning his attention to kitchen knives.

Saji Yanagiba G3 in 270mm (10.6″) blade length is a heavy traditional Japanese knife originally used for cutting thin slices of raw fish – yes, sushi! 😃 Its fine sharpness ensures very little cellular damage in the cut surface, which is particularly important for dishes where the fish is eaten raw because it helps to preserve the original flavor and texture of the fish. Nowadays it can also be used for cutting large pieces of meat (especially for steaks) due to its long, thin blade.

It’s a single bevel knife (for explanation read the Blade Construction: Geometry article), which means only right-handed users can wield it. Yanagiba is a proud member of the traditional Japanese trio (along with deba and usuba knives).

The construction of this deba is ni-mai (read more about it in the article Blade construction: Lamination). The heart of this knife is made from Hitachi’s Silver III steel (also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko – for more go to Steel: the heart of Japanese knives) which was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well, which is especially convenient when working with salty fish. It is also highly regarded for its fine sharpness and edge retention, in addition to low maintenance requirements. Read more about how to take care of Japanese knives in our Knife maintenance blog post.

The handle falls into one of those you-like-it-or-you-don’t categories: it’s made out of stag antlers and each individual piece was hand-picked by Saji himself to ensure it balances the knife, is comfortable and secure to grip. The choice of the material not only gives it a special look but is more resilient than traditional wooden wa handles. Adding an element of prestige is a brass ferrule and a single, delicate rivet.

It’s hard to argue with the statement that Saji’s knives are on a whole different level to the rest. Heavily influenced by his start with hunting knives, you can spot them from miles away and the attention to detail is exquisite. There is no room for imperfections, which is just one of the reasons that make this knife a collector’s piece.