How can I purchase a knife?

First of all, thank you for expressing interest in my work! I have stopped taking orders 3 years ago – being a one man operation, I found it very difficult to keep up with the demand and the pressures of maintaining an ever expanding list of orders. Instead, my model is now a lot simpler – I will be listing completed knives in the sales corner of my website when they become available and will be notifying all the mailing list subscribers when any knives are listed. Please feel free to sign up to the mailing list.

How much does a knife cost?

The main 2 factors that determine the cost of the knife are the cutting edge length and the blade steel. A simple carbon steel Petty could be $600, while a Damascus steel Sujihiki could run $2,000.

How to look after a knife that I have purchased?

Great question! A little care goes a long way and will ensure that your knife can be passed down to your children or loved ones.

• Wash the knife with warm water and dish soap after every use. Please do not put your knife into the dishwasher.

• Wipe the knife to ensure it is dry before storing it.

• If storing the knife for a period of time, apply a few drops of oil (I use Camellia oil) on the blade - this will prevent oxidization.

• Every few months, apply a few drops of oil (Camellia, or any other wood- friendly oil) to the handle – this will keep the wood looking good and will help to prevent moisture absorption and cracking.

My knife has changed colour – what is happening?

You have purchased a carbon steel knife and your knife is developing a patina. The iron in the steel matrix is oxidising. Your knife is safe to use on food and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this - you should now enjoy the beautiful patterns that are being created. If you are like me and enjoy this look, all you need to do is keep the knife dry and oiled. If you have neglected the knife for a little while and the patina is starting to turn orange, you do need to address this as you are now seeing the signs of rust. You can dab some polishing compound (e.g. Flitz, Autosol, Brasso, etc.) on the cloth and vigorously wipe the blade – within a matter of minutes you will see the patina disappearing. Please be careful not to cut yourself when polishing the blade. Before using the knife on food again, please clean the blade thoroughly with water and soap.

How do I keep my knife sharp?

I recommend water stones. There is a wide range of opinions re which stones are the best and there are enthusiasts that have hundreds of stones in their collection. This is vastly unnecessary and confusing, at least for beginners. All you need are a couple of stones – I would recommend a 1k, 2k and 5k stones. You will be able to bring a dull edge to life and to polish it up nicely. There are countless water stone sharpening tutorials on YouTube to get you started. Please do not feel intimidated. With a few hours of practice you will be able to sharpen any knife.