Artisanal Knives

Handmade Japanese Knives.
Handpicked for you.

Japan is the land that honors its traditions like no other culture on this planet. The land where hundreds of years of accumulated knowledge and experience are passed down from masters to apprentices, from teachers to pupils, from generation to generation – culminating in the finest crafts known to man. Each tradition, from martial arts to kabuki theatre, follows its own distinct set of rules, procedures, and schools. The art of making artesian Japanese knives is fashioned by techniques that were originally developed over 1.000 years ago for crafting katana samurai swords. The most common fact about Japanese knives is most likely the process of folding the steel of the blade countless times until they reach the superior quality they’re known for in every corner of the world. But there’s more to them than just the quality of their blades. There are different kinds for different usages, individually crafted to every need.

For the layman, it is almost impossible to coordinate through the vast variety of possibilities in the realm of handmade Japanese knives. That is why we made it our mission to find the most immaculate products and carefully curate them to our audience. Through numerous travels to Japan and personal bonds with the manufacturers, we are proudly able to offer the most refined selection of Japanese knives out there. So that quality isn’t just a word but a promise we can personally guarantee for. 

This being said, we hope you will find the following guide helpful for choosing the right Japanese kitchen knife for your needs. 

The Nakiri Knife:

A vegetable chopping knife with an extremely sharp symmetrical blade. 

The boxy shape comes from the traditional Japanese Usuba bōchō knife used by Japanese chefs for centuries. 

Kiya’s „Nakiri Aogami Steel Knife“ In contrast to most modern knives, the Nakiri knife you will find in this shop is made from separate pieces of Aogami carbon steel that have been heated and then hammered together by the master knifemakers of Japan.

The Shobu Knife:

A traditional knife is also known as the Sushi knife. Its shape can be attributed to its role in cutting straight down the length of fish to produce slices of Sashimi. 

Kiya‘s „Shobu Aogami Kinfe“ is crafted from carbon „Aogami Super Blue Steel“. Carbon steels can deliver amazing levels of sharpness and Super Blue is considered to be about as good as it can get. Easy to sharpen with a silky smooth cut that is unparalleled.

The Petty Knife:

This convenient size knife is one of the most versatile additions to anyone's kitchen knife block. Its blade is a perfect allrounder for delicate work: From cutting or peeling small vegetables to slicing fruits and herbs.

Kiya’s „No.333 Petty Knife“ uses 8A stainless steel. The series remains one of the most popular choices for knife makers because it is easy to sharpen and it is resistant to corrosion. The steel has a carbon content close to 0,75% and holds sharpness perfectly for stainless steel. The added vanadium provides extra durability.

The Gyutou Knife:

Gyutou meaning „Beef Knife“ is the Japanese version of the chef’s knife. 

It can be used for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables, making it suitable for preparing a vast range of ingredients and meals. Gyuto knives have a reputation for their lightweight and the thin blade that maintains long edge retention.

Kiya's „No.333 Gyuto Knife“ also uses 8A stainless steel. The series remains one of the most popular choices for knife makers because it is easy to sharpen and it is resistant to corrosion. The steel has a carbon content close to 0,75% and holds sharpness perfectly for stainless steel. The added vanadium provides extra durability.

How to take care of your knives.

„Care for the things that matter to you and they will last a lifetime.“

To make sure your Japanese Kitchen knives last a lifetime and to honor these amazing pieces of craftsmanship we took the freedom to provide this additional little guide on how to keep them in pristine condition. 

Cleaning of your Japanese Knives:

The easiest way to clean your knives is to rinse off the blade under running water until all remains are removed. Immediately dry the blade and the handle with a cloth. Please do so with caution. 

Handle with care and love:

As the steel of Japanese kitchen knives is far more delicate than the steel of European knives they should be treated with extra care. 

• Avoid any kinds of washing detergents, soaps, or the dishwasher
• Don’t store your knife’s with your other cutlery as it might damage the blade
• Wrap it in a piece of cloth or store it in its original box.
• Only cut on wooden surfaces as glass, plastic, and stone are too hard and might damage the blade

Sharpening:

The best way to keep your knives razor-sharp is to use traditional Japanese sharpening stones. This might take a little practice to get used to but it’s time well spent. „Why so?“ you might ask yourself. Here’s a small explanation:

A thinner blade offers less resistance but at the same time is much more vulnerable to cracks and brakes. Therefore the hard steel of Japanese kitchen knives can not be honed with common honing steels as they‘re simply too delicate. The best results can be achieved with a Japanese Waterstone. There are many stones to choose from, but we recommend the following two. 

Medium Stones:

Medium stones are essential to establish the edge and for bringing up the even burr necessary for sharpening. Larger stones provide a wider sharpening area which makes them ideal for quick sharpening of your Japanese kitchen knives.

Fine Stones:

Fine stones will remove surface scratches created by the abrasion of the rougher medium stones and are perfect to polish the edges of your knives to a precision mirror-finish. A fine stone is essential to hone traditional Japanese blades. 

We hope that you find this guide helpful. For any further inquiries feel free to get in touch with our team at any time. 

Sincerely,

Japanism