Deba bocho is Japanese style kitchen carvers used to cut fish, as well as chicken and meat. They come in different sizes, sometimes up to 30 cm (12 inches) in length. The deba bocho first appeared during the Edo period in Sakai. It is designed to behead and fillet fish. Its thickness, and often a more obtuse angle on the back of the heel allow it to cut off the heads of fish without damage. The rest of the blade is then used to ride against the fish bones, separating the fillet.
The deba is not intended for chopping of large diameter bones.
Syoubu bocho (fish-slicing knife) is one of the piece kitchen knives. Raw fish and shellfishes are used in order to slice cut fish etc. for sliced raw fish etc. Unlike a cleaver, the distance of the length of a blade from the back to the edge of a blade is narrow at about 20-35 cm.
Santoku bocho is a general-purpose kitchen knife originating in Japan. Its blade is typically between 6.3 and 8 inches (16 and 20 cm) long, and has a flat edge and a sheepsfoot blade that curves in an angle approaching 60 degrees at the point. The top of the santoku's handle is in line with the top of the blade. The word santoku loosely translates as 'three virtues' or 'three uses', a reference to the three cutting tasks the knife performs well: slicing; dicing; and mincing. The santoku's blade and handle are designed to work in harmony by matching the blade's width/weight to the weight of blade tang and handle, and the original Japanese santoku is considered a well-balanced knife.
Nakiri bocho is a vegetable knife.The nakiri bocho are similarly made but sharpened from both sides. They are preferred for home use.
A paring knife is a small knife with a plain edge blade that is ideal for peeling and other small or intricate work (such as de-veining a shrimp, removing the seeds from a jalapeño, 'skinning' mushrooms or cutting small garnishes). It is designed to be an all-purpose knife, similar to a chef's knife, except smaller. Paring knives are usually between 12 and 16 cm (4.7 and 6.3 inches) long.
