Care & Sharpening

A Knife Cared For
Outlives Its Owner

The Three Rules

Wash. Dry. Immediately.

1. Hand wash only. Never put a Japanese knife in the dishwasher — the heat, detergent and knocking will ruin the edge and the handle.

2. Dry it the moment you finish. Water is the enemy, especially for carbon steel. Wipe the blade completely dry with a cloth after every use.

3. Rinse after acids and salt. Lemon, vinegar, tomatoes and salt accelerate rust on carbon steel edges. If you cut them, rinse and dry straight away.

Kurouchi (黒打) Blades

The Black Finish Is a Feature

The black surface on a kurouchi blade is an oxide layer formed in the forge. It protects the steel from rust and helps food release from the blade. Do not scrub it off.

If rust appears on the black area, rub gently with a nylon scourer and a little cleanser — rubbing too hard will strip the oxide layer, and once removed it does not come back.

Sharpening

The Whetstone Is Part of the Knife

A Japanese knife is designed to be sharpened on a water stone (whetstone). A #1000 grit stone covers most maintenance; a #3000+ finishing stone refines the edge further. Steel honing rods and pull-through sharpeners are not suited to Japanese blades.

Every knife we sell includes a free first sharpening. Bring it to our market stall any time within a year of purchase and we'll restore the edge on the spot.

Storage

Give the Edge Room

Store knives on a magnetic strip, in a knife block, or with a blade guard (saya). Loose in a drawer, the edge chips against other tools. For long storage of carbon steel, wipe the blade with a thin coat of food-safe oil (camellia oil is traditional).

Use wooden or soft plastic cutting boards. Glass, ceramic and stone boards will destroy any edge in minutes.

Questions?

Bring It to the Stall

Sharpening, rust, chips — bring your knife to our next market and we'll look at it together. Sharpening service available for knives from anywhere, not just ours.