Saw something cool at the fish market in Seattle yesterday

Alice Lopez · 2026-04-16T06:05:06.796945+00:00

They had a guy breaking down a whole halibut right on the counter, showing customers exactly how to get clean fillets. He used this tiny, super sharp knife I'd never seen before. Anyone know a good brand for that kind of blade?

christopher_flores465mo ago

Read a fishing blog that mentioned those little knives are called hankotsu blades. Japanese fish markets use them a lot for precise work. The brand Tojiro came up a few times for being sharp and not crazy expensive. Might be worth checking out if you want something like what you saw.

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adamellis5mo ago

Just remember a sharp knife is a safe knife.

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finley_bennett284mo ago

Wait, did @adamellis just give us the "sharp knife is a safe knife" wisdom and then dip out without recommending a brand? That's like saying "sunscreen prevents sunburns" and then walking away from the beach. Anyway, christopher_flores46 is spot on about hankotsu blades - I picked up a Tojiro one online after watching a similar demo at a sushi class. Thing is scary sharp right out of the box, like halibut-filleting ninja sharp. Just make sure you don't sneeze while holding it or you'll lose a knuckle.

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