Deba Bocho Traditional Japanese Knife | Carbon Steel Utility Cleaver

Deba Bocho Traditional Japanese Knife A traditional styled chopping and slicing knife used in Japanese kitchens for preparing meat, fish, and poultry, this version of the Deba Bocho is like so many of the interesting knives I see on the shelves of Asian groceries--they look like good buys, but it could go either way. If there's a warranty, don't count on anyone to back it up.

Strong enough to chop small bones and sharp enough to efficiently and quickly slice fish and other delicate meat, with proper care this stout knife should be a welcome addition to your cutlery collection. With this type of construction--a rat tail tang force fitted into a wooden handle through a metal ferrule--washing in a dishwasher is out of the question. In fact, you should be careful to keep that handle from picking up moisture at all. If the wood swells, the handle will loosen.

Less expensive knives may still sometimes be forged from carbon steel, not stainless. That doesn't mean they are bad knives, but if you get a bargain that's plain old carbon steel you'll need to rub it down with a drop or two of vegetable oil before storing it away. You can also expect blemishes that don't affect its utility.