about Japanese knives
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 12
Story of Echizen Uchihamono
Echizen uchihamono was founded by sword master Chiyotsuru 700 years ago. There was a civil war in Japan. Chiyotsuru moved from Kyoto to Echizen (present-day Fukui region) to get a better blacksmith shop.
Even though Chiyotsuru was a swordsman, he always wished he could make his last sword, and a world where there is no need to draw swords.
In addition to swords for Samurai (warriors), he made everyday knives and agricultural tools for local people, which was very unusual at the time, as a man of high status (sword master) did not mix with farmers and civilians.
Good tools for everyday use. His spirit was passed on, and the Fukui region became one of the best knife producing areas in Japan.
Chiyotsuru sharpened his sword with a whetstone and carved a komainu—a guardian lion-dog said to watch over the gates of Shinto shrines. He then lowered it into a lake, offering it as a prayer for peace upon the earth.
Hagane (Steel)
Most knives today are made of stainless steel, but steel knives are still popular among chefs.
Steel knives rust quickly and require maintenance, but they can last for many years.
Echizen uchihamono is made from two steel plates that are heated and pounded together several times. The method has remained largely unchanged since 1300, when Chiyotsuru began, and is still handmade in many workshops in the Fukui region.
General advice about Japanese knives
Avoid turning the knife (tilting it to the sides) while cutting, as Japanese knife blades are very thin and can easily break.
Avoid cutting in the same place on the blade all the time
Avoid cutting frozen products and very hard products (fish bones, pumpkin, chocolate, etc.)
Use a cutting board made of soft material (preferably wood, but not walnut or mahogany)
Never put it in a dishwasher and do not use bleach.
Avoid rust as much as possible
Wipe the knife with it after use.
Avoid hanging the knife on a magnetic knife holder where it is exposed to moisture from the stove or kettle.
Lubricate the blade with Camellia oil/tea seed oil (available online) if you are not using it for a long time.
Rust can be easily removed with a scouring pad or scouring cream.
Store the knife so that it does not rattle around among other kitchen utensils.
Sharpening a Japanese knife
Sharpening knives is a craft and requires some practice. There are many ways to do it, and as long as the knife is sharp, the method is good!
The traditional Japanese approach is described here.
There are many materials and types of whetstones, but you can basically choose 3 levels of roughness for different purposes.
#80 - 400 (Ara-toishi)
To sharpen a blade that is lost or damaged and to correct the shape
#1000 (Chuu-toishi)
General grinding
> # 2000 (Shiage-toishi)
Finishing. To strengthen the blade at the end.
For a beginner, or everyday general grinding, it is fine to use Chuu-toishi (#1000).
It's a matter of taste and preference when choosing a whetstone material.
It is important to find out whether your whetstone is a waterstone or not.
If it is limescale, it is important to put it in water for 5-15 minutes before use.
(To find out if it is limescale, you can put the stone in water. If air bubbles come out of the stone, it is limescale.)
The water stone should absorb enough water. If the stone dries immediately when you take it out of the water, it has not absorbed enough and it should be left in longer.
How to sharpen a Japanese knife
Find a stable table and place a wet tea towel under the whetstone so that the stone does not move during sharpening.
Divide the knife into 3 parts (the top, middle, and bottom), and start sharpening from the top.
How to hold the knife. In the hand holding the knife, the wrist should be kept stiff.
The knife and the lower edge of the whetstone should form an angle of approximately 45 degrees (see picture).
The blade and the whetstone should meet at an angle of about 10-15 degrees (the same height as if you placed 2 coins on the whetstone, see the drawing). Always use the center of the whetstone.
Place 2 fingers with your other hand on the blade where you want to sharpen and push out (be careful of your fingers!). Pull back with a little less force.
When you have sharpened enough on one side, 5-10 minutes, depending on the condition of the blade, you can see/feel “Kaeshi” on the blade, which is a small edge, this is a sign that you need to turn the blade over and sharpen the other side.
You must repeat the same grinding on the other side until kaeshi appears on the opposite side.
Finally, increase the sharpening angle to approximately 45 degrees and sharpen very carefully (the blade should almost slide on the stone) 3-4 times.
Here you can use a very fine whetstone, but you can also just use newspaper or a heavy cloth to wipe the blade 4-5 times to remove the last of the Kaeshi.
If you have any questions or challenges with the knife, don't hesitate to contact us!
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