Akira Sasaoka Aogami Damascus Yanagiba 280mm

About the Shape - The Yanagiba is a slicer’s dream. Graceful, sexy, and capable of amazing sharpness, you’ll find a Yanigiba in the hands of every sushi chef worth their salt. Yanagi means “willow leaf” and refers to this knife’s long, narrow shape. The Yanagiba is a traditional Japanese blade that is only sharpened on one side, which is called “single bevel”, and allows it to cut more precisely than other blades. Traditionally used for slicing sashimi, they are equally at home with roast beef, ham, or calf’s liver. Once you go Yanagiba, you’ll never go back.

About the Maker -Sasaoka-san and his brother are well known Tosa knife-makers that specialize in single-bevel blades. They're known for using blue carbon steel as opposed to white carbon steel, the steel typically used for debas, yanagibas and usubas. We originally carried their work with the Masakage single-bevel line, but they have since forged out their identity as knife-makers and produce blades under their own brand.

This damascus blade is truly special. Blue carbon single-bevel blades are rare enough, that rareness is multiplied many times over when forged into damascus steel. The increased hardness means the edge will hold up quite a bit longer than typical single bevel knives.