Carbon steel is the traditional choice for a yanagiba, but it isn’t the only one worth considering. The VG XEOS Nimai line from Sukenari brings a modern stainless steel into a familiar single-bevel format. For those who enjoy preparing sashimi but would rather spend less time worrying about a reactive cutting edge, the appeal is straightforward.
Developed by Takefu Special Steel, VG XEOS is designed to combine high corrosion resistance with hardness and wear resistance. Its special melting process produces a fine microstructure, although Takefu keeps the exact composition undisclosed. Here, it forms the cutting steel in a traditional nimai construction—two layers, with a softer cladding supporting the hardened steel. It’s a combination of modern metallurgy and the established Japanese approach to building a single-bevel knife.
The yanagiba is all about the draw cut: using the length of the blade to slice through a piece of salmon or tuna in one controlled movement, rather than sawing back and forth. This remains a specialist tool, though. Single-bevel sharpening takes some learning, and the fine edge is intended for boneless fish and delicate slicing, not cutting through bones or frozen ingredients.
I’d put this line on the shortlist for chefs and enthusiasts who want traditional yanagiba geometry with a stainless cutting edge. Stainless doesn’t mean maintenance-free, so washing and drying after use still matter, but the core steel is less demanding than White or Blue steel. For sushi chefs and keen home cooks alike, that offers a practical reason to consider something beyond the traditional carbon-steel options.
