The usuba, meaning thin blade in Japanese, is the traditional single-bevel vegetable knife of professional Japanese cooking. Unlike the nakiri, which is double-beveled and accessible to any cook, the usuba requires practice with single-bevel sharpening and technique but rewards that investment with cuts of a precision and cleanliness that a double-bevel knife cannot match. This 180mm version is hammer forged in Sakai from Blue #2 carbon steel, with a convex front face and hollow-ground ura on the back side.
The blade has a flat edge with virtually no curve, tall for knuckle clearance, and a squared tip optimized for push cutting through firm vegetables without cracking or compressing them. At 173mm blade length and 44.4mm tall it is a practical working size, and the Sakai construction brings 600 years of accumulated expertise to what is one of the most demanding knife shapes in the Japanese kitchen.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a fully reactive carbon steel. The exposed edge and soft iron cladding will develop a natural patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after use, avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer term storage. Hand wash only. Use quality water stones suited to single bevel geometry when sharpening.
The blade has a flat edge with virtually no curve, tall for knuckle clearance, and a squared tip optimized for push cutting through firm vegetables without cracking or compressing them. At 173mm blade length and 44.4mm tall it is a practical working size, and the Sakai construction brings 600 years of accumulated expertise to what is one of the most demanding knife shapes in the Japanese kitchen.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a fully reactive carbon steel. The exposed edge and soft iron cladding will develop a natural patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after use, avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer term storage. Hand wash only. Use quality water stones suited to single bevel geometry when sharpening.
- Maker Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, Traditional Grind
- Edge Steel: Aogami #2 (Blue #2)
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- Weight: 5.8 oz
- Blade Length: 173 mm
- Total Length: 320 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 3.8 mm
- Blade Height: 44.4 mm
