News

All of the sharpening images from our YouTube Videos
These are the images we use in our knife sharpening videos on YouTube. The first 4 images are the double bevel ones, the second 4 are the single bevel ones, and the last one is the Sharpie technique sheet. Feel free to reach out with any questions you have about any of these. Sharpie technique sheet (text version) What the sharpie should look like when you color in the bevel. Where the sharpie is removed when your angle is too high. Where the sharpie is removed when your angle is... Read more...
Double Bevel Sharpening Class Imaages
Sharpie technique sheet (text version) What the sharpie should look like when you color in the bevel. Where the sharpie is removed when your angle is too high. Where the sharpie is removed when your angle is too low. Where the sharpie is removed if you under-rotate the knife. Where the sharpie is removed in over-rotation. Where the sharpie is removed when not lifting up enough in the tip adjustment. Where the sharpie is removed when lifting up too much in the tip adjustment, and what happens to the tip... Read more...
Know your Knife Sharpener, with the Japanese Knife Imports logo
Interview with Jon Broida on KnifePlanet
KnifePlanet (www.KnifePlanet.net) had asked to interview me a few days back. The interview is now up on their site here: http://www.knifeplanet.net/japanese-knife-imports-jon-broida-interview/ Hope you guys enjoy it. Read more...
Rows of sharpening stones on racks in a stone factory
Some Thoughts on Sharpening Stones and Cutting Speed
I often get asked about sharpening stones, and one of the main things people are looking for are faster cutting stones that don't dish.  While there are things like this,... Read more...
Two curved atamatori knives with wooden handles on a wood surface
Japanese Butchery Knives- Shapes and Functions
Hi, my name is Josh Melara. I started working here at JKI back in February. You might have seen me in the back or I might have even helped you... Read more...
Portrait of Josh in a cap, in front of a row of knives
Introducing Josh... He's going to be taking over the blog for a bit
Josh started working for us a few months ago, and as he's going through a lot of training right now, we thought it might be fun to have him share... Read more...
Expected Price Raises Across Japan for Knives
Just a heads up for everyone... a number of knife maker associations across japan have agreed upon price raises for products made by their members. It seems this is occurring in multiple regions, and even those outside of these associations will be raising prices. In many cases, we expect to see 20% increases (though we have been told that some will be more). We have been told that these changes will begin in the fall, but people are going about it differently. Some have already started, while others will take... Read more...
Screenshot of the new Japanese Knife Imports website homepage, with a Hinoura knives banner
Welcome to our new website
After a lot of work, and a bit of a wait, we were finally able to launch the newest version of Japanese Knife Imports today. Though the website looks similar,... Read more...
A note on the subject of microbevels
I had a discussion about this on another forum and i thought it might be useful here... i think people misunderstand microbevels (and also have no clue what thin behind the edge actually looks like with regard to thinning)... microbevels are intended to achieve the following things (not necessarily all of them, but at least one, if not a combination of a couple or more): -maintaining extremely thin geometry on a knife that could not otherwise handle it -reduce chipping in super hard steels -increase stability in larger carbide steels... Read more...
Rethinking How Restaurants Hire - The Hiring Process at 3-Star Michelin RyuGin
Here, at Japanese Knife Imports, we have been expanding our library of books and magazines.  One of the magazines we get is essentially the equivalent of Art Culinaire in Japan.  Unlike Art Culinaire, however, there is a greater emphasis on professional chefs sharing information about how they run their businesses.  In the most recent issue, there was a very interesting article by Seiji Yamamoto, the chef and owner of 3-michelin-star RyuGin restaurant in Tokyo.  He discussed his hiring process in depth.  As we have been hiring lately, and as our job board has... Read more...
Steel Type Vs. Blacksmith
I had an interesting question from a customer today and wanted to post about it here, since i thought it was a great question and i'm sure many of you probably were thinking about the same thing... Question- Is it true that white steel #1 is considered the top of the line steel since it is so clean and offers a blacksmith a "white canvas" more than the blue steels that have additional alloys? Answer- I don't believe that any steel can be called top of the line... all of... Read more...
On single bevel sharpening- Hamaguri and Beta Togi
Recently, a customer/friend asked me a question about how single bevel knives are properly sharpened and if the concavity from the large wheels the knives are made on has any functional purpose. Here was my answer: The concave part of the blade road is a function of how the knives are made. Often, they go from a wheel to a buffer and are finished with minimal stone contact, so the low spot in the center of the blade road remains. As a rule of thumb (though not always 100% accurate),... Read more...