Masahiro Bessen Yanagiba

Masahiro Yanagibawith a blade length240 mm is a knife whose long and a slim blade, it is used when cutting very thin slices or filleting fish. In Asian cuisine, Yanagiba is most often used to prepare sushi or sashimi. Characteristic of traditional Japanese knives, it is sharpened on one side, enabling precise, fully controlled cutting of products that easily separate from the knife, revealing a beautiful and shiny cutting surface - an important and appreciated detail in Japanese cuisine. Yanagi means willow in Japanese, and the name of the knife most likely refers to the long and flexible branches of this tree.

The most important features of Yanagiba are:
 

• length - the long blade is used to cut only in one direction ("toward itself") to avoid zigzag cutting marks and leave a perfect cross-section,
• thickness - it has a very thin blade to enable cutting with low force so as not to crush, shatter or tear the cut products,
• hardness and durability - the knives are made of very hard and durable steel, allowing for perfect sharpening,
• the design of the knife is intended to facilitate the separation of cut slices from the plane of the knife.

The knives from this series were made in the spirit of Japanese tradition and style, which has its roots hundreds of years ago, when craftsmen forged the most exquisite samurai swords. The blades of the knives from the Bessen series are made of steel with a high (1.1%) carbon content, hardened to 61-63 HRC. Single-sided sharpened by craftsmen with over 30 years of experience, they are characterized by incredible sharpness.

The handle is made with attention to detail typical of Japan, from lightmagnolia woodreinforced with a plastic ring.