The 270mm yanagiba is the more versatile length for professional fish work - long enough to break down larger fish and pull through a whole salmon fillet in a single stroke, still manageable enough for the precision slicing that sashimi and sushi preparation demands. Where the 240mm suits a home cook or someone just getting started with traditional Japanese single bevel knives, the 270mm is where most working sushi and fish cooks settle. This is the left-handed version, ground with the bevel on the left side and the concave ura on the right - the configuration required for left-handed single bevel technique. Using the right-handed version produces compromised results regardless of hand dominance; the geometry is fundamental to how the knife cuts.
The construction is traditional Sakai: White #2 (Shirogami #2) carbon steel core hammer-forged with soft iron cladding in San Mai construction. The soft iron outer layer provides strength, durability, and lightness while the White #2 core brings the fine grain structure and edge-forming capability that makes this steel a first choice for traditional Japanese single bevel knives. The finish is understated and classic - a slightly polished upper blade face, matte secondary face, with the visible hagane line marking where the two steels meet. Hand-engraved kanji script, ho wood oval handle with buffalo horn ferrule, and a matching custom saya with pin included.
Care Instructions: White #2 is a reactive carbon steel - wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use. Avoid leaving fish proteins or acidic foods on the edge. Apply a light coat of camellia oil after use and for any storage. Maintain the concave ura flat on a flattening stone if it begins to develop convexity. Single bevel sharpening technique is required. Hand wash only. Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
The construction is traditional Sakai: White #2 (Shirogami #2) carbon steel core hammer-forged with soft iron cladding in San Mai construction. The soft iron outer layer provides strength, durability, and lightness while the White #2 core brings the fine grain structure and edge-forming capability that makes this steel a first choice for traditional Japanese single bevel knives. The finish is understated and classic - a slightly polished upper blade face, matte secondary face, with the visible hagane line marking where the two steels meet. Hand-engraved kanji script, ho wood oval handle with buffalo horn ferrule, and a matching custom saya with pin included.
- Blacksmith: Undisclosed
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, Traditional San Mai
- Edge Steel: White #2 (Shirogami #2) Carbon
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- Grind: Single Bevel, Left Handed, Concave Back
- Engraving: Hand Engraved
- Handle: Ho Wood Oval
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Weight: 5.9 oz (168 g)
- Blade Length: 262 mm
- Total Length: 414 mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 3.6 mm
- Blade Height: 35 mm
- Saya: Included
Care Instructions: White #2 is a reactive carbon steel - wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use. Avoid leaving fish proteins or acidic foods on the edge. Apply a light coat of camellia oil after use and for any storage. Maintain the concave ura flat on a flattening stone if it begins to develop convexity. Single bevel sharpening technique is required. Hand wash only. Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
