Kitaoka Blue #2 Deba 165mm

Hideo Kitaoka has been forging knife blades for over 30 years from his shop in Takefu Village, Echizen. Rather than trying to master every style and steel, he has spent his career concentrating on perfecting a handful of traditional single-bevel blade designs in just a couple of steel types. His deba knives are among his most prized and appreciated work, and this 165mm version is a great example of that focused dedication.

The blade is built in the traditional steel jacketed awase method, with a core hagane of Blue #2 carbon steel for the cutting edge and a jigane of soft iron protecting the spine and upper blade body. Blue #2, sometimes called Blue Paper #2 for the blue paper it ships in, is made at the Hitachi Yasugi plant from Japanese pure sand iron and outperforms White Steel in a couple of meaningful ways - better edge retention and the ability to take a more acute edge geometry. Kitaoka-san tempers his Blue Steel to 62-63 HRC, a sweet spot for this alloy that balances hardness with manageable sharpening. This strong, beautifully finished blade is fitted with a sandalwood octagonal handle and black pakka wood ferrule.

What Customers Are Saying: Reviewers consistently praise the out-of-box sharpness on this deba. One first-time deba owner calls it very sharp right out of the box with good weight and the right size for the job. Another reviewer who had been using a sujihiki for fish work for years calls switching to this deba a real treat, noting it gets screaming sharp after some initial work on the stones and has held its edge through repeated use on snapper, though he notes it takes a patina a bit quicker than most Blue steel he has used.

Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel and will develop a natural patina with use - this is normal and helps protect the steel. Wipe the blade dry immediately after each use and avoid leaving it wet or in contact with acidic foods. Hand wash only. Apply a light coat of camellia oil for long-term storage. Please note that Kitaoka installs the machi with an intentional gap known as Tokyo Style - this is a traditional aesthetic choice, not a defect.

Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.

Blacksmith: Hideo Kitaoka

Location: Takefu Village, Echizen, Japan

Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai

Edge Steel: Blue #2

Cladding: Soft Iron

HRC: 62-63

Grind: Traditional Single Bevel, Right-Handed

Finish: Satin

Handle: Octagonal Sandalwood

Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood

Handle Install: Tokyo Style (Gapped Machi)

Weight: ~9.5 oz (~268 g)

Blade Length: 170 mm

Total Length: 305 mm

Spine Thickness at Base: 7-8 mm

Blade Height: 51 mm

Please Note: We only ship Kitaoka knives within the USA