Hitohira Kikuchiyo Izo 180mm Santoku Ginsanko Yakusugi Cedar Handle

This is a stainless steel knife. It should be hand washed and towel dried. Habitual dishwasher use will result in degraded edge and handle. Consistent long term exposure to moisture can lead to oxidation.

Twisting, scraping and heavy use as well as use on hard and very dense objects can lead to edge damage. Using a quality wooden cutting board will keep a sharper edge for longer. Materials like glass, ceramic and bamboo should be avoided and will make the edge go dull quickly.

We recommend hand sharpening on whetstones. We have found that most Japanese knives perform best at a finer finish starting around 4000 grit. Avoid pull through sharpeners and non-water cooled mechanized sharpening. Ceramic honing rods are preferred.