Samura Kaiju Yanagiba Knife 240 mm

The Samura Kaiju yanagiba knife is a long Japanese-style slicing knife with a 240 mm blade. It is made for slicing fish, and it handles vegetables as well. Its hammered AUS-8 stainless steel blade is paired with a Pakka wood handle.

Blade and steel

The blade is made from a single layer of AUS-8 stainless steel and hardened to 58–59 HRC. At this hardness the edge holds up well in regular use and is straightforward to restore on a whetstone.

The hammered finish carries the lunar pattern of the Kaiju series. Its small craters help slices of fish and vegetables come away from the blade rather than sticking to it. The polished double-bevel edge is ground on both sides, with an original factory bevel angle of 15–17°.

Handle and balance

The handle is made of Pakka wood with classic geometry. The dense wood resists moisture as well as odours. The knife weighs 171 g net and measures 369 mm overall.

Best uses

• Slicing fish fillets
• Cutting fish into portions
• Slicing vegetables

Care and sharpening

Rinse the knife with hot water and wipe it dry before first use. Wash it by hand with non-abrasive materials, wipe it dry and do not leave it in the sink for a long time; a dishwasher is not recommended. Use it only on wooden or plastic boards, never on glass, and take care with food that contains bones: use a SAMURA cleaver for meat and bones and a double-sided serrated saw knife for frozen food. Store it in a brush block or knife holder away from metal items, hone it between sharpenings and sharpen on a whetstone at the original factory bevel angle of 15–17°.

About the Kaiju series

The Kaiju series borrows its name from the giant monsters of Japanese myth and pairs hammered, lunar-pattern blades with Pakka wood handles, in two lines with and without a bolster. This yanagiba is from the line without a bolster and, like all SAMURA knives, comes with a 2-year warranty.