Proper cutting surfaces - use only soft cutting boards such as wood, plastic or rubber. Do not cut on hard surfaces such as marble, glass or ceramic.

Storage - Blades should be protected to prevent chipping or injury. Knives are best kept in a knife block, wood covered magnetic rack (Mag-Blok) or original box. If left in a drawer or knife roll, blades should be covered by a plastic or magnetic edge guard or a wooden Saya cover

Cleaning - Do not put any knife in the dishwasher, this will lead to rust and chipping. No knife is completely stainless and must be washed by hand and dried immediately.

Carbon Care - Carbon steel knives must be kept as dry as possible and oiled when not in use. Patina development is normal and should not be confused with rust. Knives can be cleaned with a carbon cleaning solution or a mild cleanser such as "Bar Keepers Friend" or "Ajax" and a dish towel.

For long term storage, blades should be cleaned, oiled with Tsubaki oil or a food safe mineral oil and wrapped in paper. Do not use a vegetable oil which can break down and become rancid.

Honing - The use of a honing device such as a high grit whetstone, ceramic rod or European style "Butchers" steel will help maintain your edge and allow you to go longer periods of time between sharpening.

Diamond steels should not be confused with honing steels as they remove large amounts of metal and should be used sparingly.

Sharpening - It is recommended each owner know how to sharpen their own knife. We believe that free-hand sharpening by water stone is the best method (this is especially important for the large beveled traditional Japanese knives). Draw though mechanical sharpeners should be avoided.

If you do choose to have your knives sharpened professionally, please choose carefully and make sure the sharpener knows how to care for your particular knife. Sharpening by hand or with a water cooled device is recommended.