Bevel Type Analysis
Single Bevel (Kataba)
Traditional single-bevel (Kataba) blades are flat or slightly concave on the back (Urasuki) and beveled only on the front. This enables clean, razor-sharp surgical slices without pushing or squeezing foods—highly favored by Japanese sushi and sashimi chefs.
Single vs Double Bevel Cut Mechanics
Hankotsu (Boning Knife)
Hankotsu
Description
The Hankotsu is a unique Japanese butchery knife designed specifically for deboning meat from hanging carcasses. It features a thick, stiff blade with a straight edge that terminates in a strong tip. The first third of the blade near the heel is kept unsharpened (dull) so that the chef can safely choke up on the blade or scrape bone directly without chipping the edge.
Best For
Blade Characteristics
- Extremely thick spine and rigid blade with zero flex.
- Dull heel area (Muto) allows a specialized grip for scraping.
- Short blade (usually 150mm) for maximum leverage and control.
- Single-bevel (Kataba) or strongly asymmetrical bevel.
Steel Recommendations
For this type of blade, professional makers typically suggest: Yasuki Blue Paper Steel (Aogami) or White Paper Steel (Shirogami) for ultimate push-cutting geometry and ease of hand whetstone sharpening.