Product Questions
Do you offer gift wrapping?
Yes, gift wrapping is offered as an optional service in the View Cart page.
We will wrap all items in the order unless requested otherwise. Items wrapped individually are subject to additional charges.
Will my knife be sharp when it arrives?
Yes, you can expect to have a good or better than good working edge on your knife when it arrives. Most Japanese style knives now come with honbazuke edges. Traditionally, knife makers would leave the edges on new knives unsharpened assuming that the user will apply their preferred edge finish. Some traditional single bevel knives are still sent this way, but most double bevel knives are ready to use out of the box.
Our approach is to not sharpen unnecessarily, but we have identified certain knives that do need to be touched up before they are sent and we will do this by default unless requested otherwise. This includes some fine Japanese knives and most western knives. Vintage knives are left unsharpened unless requested otherwise to help maintain collectability. Please add a note to the order on the View Cart page (not Checkout) requesting for a knife to be sharpened prior to being sent. If it is a knife we don't already sharpen before sending, this may be at the cost of the First Free Sharpening Card normally received with the knife.
My Japanese knife has a gap between the blade and the handle, is this normal?
Yes, what you are seeing is not a chip or defect. It is a gap left by the knife makers that's referred to as a machi gap. The approach in handling a Japanese knife is to have the distance between the heel of the knife and the handle to be "80% of the width of the user's finger" and machi gaps are a result of this. Of course this is a subjective measurement, especially with the potential for handmade blades and handles to be slightly different, but knife handlers will stop when this distance is "correct" rather than when the neck is fully seated into the handle.
My brand new knife came with scratches in it, what can be done?
While it does happen from time to time, new, out-of-the-box knives usually do not leave the knife maker or our shop scratched. If the scratches you are seeing are deep, an inch or two above the handle and look like they could have been carved, you are most likely seeing the engraving of the knife maker's name or brand. Most errant scratches are not deep and show up as scuffs or hairline scratches as significant force is needed to deeply gouge steel. If you think what you are seeing could be errant scratches, please email us with your order number and photos of the entire knife as well as detailed photos of the scratches.
I bought a gift card online as a gift for someone else. How do I send it to the recipient?
All gift cards purchased online are sent digitally through email only. You can enter the recipient's email at checkout or you may forward the gift card email to them separately. We recommend the latter so that you also have a copy of the gift card email in the case it needs to be resent.
How do I use my Bernal Cutlery gift card online?
Gift cards can be used instore or online. For instore purchases, bring the card or email with digital card and QR code to be scanned. For online purchases, enter the 16 digit code on the back of the card or email in the discount code field at checkout.
If you bought or received a gift card purchased before November 4, 2020, please do the following:
- Create a customer account if you don't already have one and login.
- Contact info@bernalcutlery.com with a photo of the back of the gift card with the entire number clearly shown.
- You will be issued a new gift card code that can be applied at checkout.
It may take up to 48 hrs for a new code to be issued. Thank you for your patience.
Shipping Questions
We fill all online orders in the order that they are received. We use a third-party shipping agency that picks up from the shop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. They perform the final packing and shipping of orders. Orders are usually processed with tracking information sent out the same day or early the following day. During times of high order volume, processing can be delayed by 24-48 hours. Certain items, including but not limited to, western kitchen knives, pocket knives, outdoor knives, and Tosa knives, are sharpened prior to being shipped out. This can sometimes delay shipping. This also applies to orders with special arrangements and requests.
Do you ship to my country, how much is it and how long will it take?
We ship to most countries. The easiest way to find the cost and time is to progress to the checkout page with the item in your cart and enter your specific address. You will be shown a calculated rate from the carriers we are offering and an approximated time to arrive.
f you do not see your country listed in the drop down menu of countries at checkout, email info@bernalcutlery.com to see if it is one that can be added.
Though unusual, please allow up to 60 days for arrival on delayed international shipments.
Are packages sent with Signature & Insurance?
No, we do not include Signature Confirmation & Insurance on all shipments but this can be added as an optional service at checkout.
I didn't choose to add Signature & Insurance to my order and now it's lost or really late, what do I do?
The fastest way to get resolution is to contact the carrier directly, either visiting a physical location or completing a help request or missing mail form online prior to reaching out to us. This will save you time in having to wait on us to do the same. Once the carrier has declared the item lost, reach out to us with the statement of loss and we can discuss refund or replacement options. Please know that missing or damaged items are out of our control and we are not obligated to refund or replace orders that have gone missing or arrived damaged without the addition of the optional Signature and Insurance on the order.
You can find the Help Request options on your tracking information page of by using the links below with access to your tracking number.
USPS Help
FedEx - I can't find my Package
Can I get a refund or replacement if my items arrive damaged or get lost?
All orders include the basic insurance coverage from the shipping carrier, usually up to $100 and this value can be applied to a reshipment or sent as a refund in the instance that an item is broken or a package gets lost.
To help further protect your purchase from delivery errors while maintaining flat-rate shipping, we offer additional insurance coverage for the full value of the order. You can opt-in to this additional insurance coverage at checkout (see image). This allows for full refunds or replacements on shipments that are lost, stolen or damaged. Domestic shipments require a 20-day-from-shipment waiting period on lost and missing shipments to ensure that they are not recoverable. International shipments require a 60-day waiting period. There is no option for signature without insurance or vice versa. In the event of damaged items, please provide photos of the damage to the knife and any damage to the packaging.
For shipments sent without additional insurance, we are generally willing to but are not obligated to help with recovery or resolution. All recovery options from the carrier must be exhausted prior to exploring additional refunds or replacements options.
In the event a package without additional insurance added to the shipment is lost, damaged or stolen, a USPS claim for the included $100 coverage can be filed and can take 15-30 days to process once submitted to USPS.
What shipping services do you use?
Our standard shipping method is USPS and includes up to $100 of insurance coverage in the case that the package is lost, goes missing or arrives damage. This value can be applied towards a replacement or can be refunded once a claim is submitted and processed. Optional FedEx shipments include up to $100 insurance coverage.
To help further protect your purchase from delivery errors, we offer additional insurance coverage for the full value of the order. You can opt-in to this additional insurance coverage at checkout (see image). This allows for full refunds or replacements on shipments that are lost, stolen or damaged. Domestic shipments require a 20-day-from-shipment waiting period on lost and missing shipments to ensure that they are not recoverable. International shipments require a 60-day waiting period. There is no option for signature without insurance or vice versa. In the event of damaged items, please provide photos of the damage to the knife and any damage to the packaging.
For shipments sent without additional insurance, we are generally willing to but are not obligated to help with recovery or resolution. All recovery options from the carrier must be exhausted prior to exploring additional refunds or replacements options.
In the event a package without additional insurance added to the shipment is lost, damaged or stolen, a USPS claim for the included $100 coverage can be filed and can take 15-30 days to process once submitted to USPS.
See our full Shipping Policy for additional information. Please contact us with. any additional questions.
How much is shipping?
Orders under $150:
- $8 without Insurance and Signature Confirmation
- $15 with Insurance and Signature Confirmation
Orders $150-500:
- Free without Insurance and Signature Confirmation
- $10 with Insurance and Signature Confirmation
Orders over $500:
- Free Shipping with Insurance and Signature Confirmation
- Contact us to ship orders over $500 without Insurance and Signature Confirmation
FedEx shipment is available for domestic shipments and is a calculated rate. International Shipments are sent FedEx by default. Fedex orders are not currently eligible for insurance options, but we're working on it.
Shipping on non-standard, large, and/or heavy items are subject to additional charges with the option for Insurance and Signature Confirmation. These charges are shown automatically at checkout.
Please direct any questions regarding this policy to info@bernalcutlery.com
How long does it take to be delivered?
Shipping times can vary and are subject to delays. Standard USPS domestic services will generally arrive in 3-7 business days from the time you receive your shipping confirmation and tracking information. Delivery timelines and handling depend on the destination and the efficiency of local post offices.
What do I do if my package is delayed, arrives damaged or never shows up?
We understand it can be disappointing to not receive your order on time, but we cannot take responsibility for shipping delays or mishandling by the shipping carriers. We will do everything that we can to help in finding your package or providing assistance and filing a claim with the carrier. For shipping insurance claims on damage or missing packages on eligible orders, please see below.
If your items are determined to be missing or irretrievable:
Without optional signature and insurance, please provide a statement of loss. Both USPS and FedEx should provide a statement that your package has been lost. Please email info@bernalcutlery.com with a copy of this statement and we can go over options to move forward.
Shipping insurance requires that all missing package claims be made no earlier that 20 days (domestic) and 60 days (international) from shipment date prior to making a claim. This is to allow ample time for late packages to arrive, which they generally do. Shipping insurance claims cannot be submitted after 120 days from shipment.
We will do our best to provide like-for-like replacement items if they are available at the time the claims are finalized. We will provide suitable replacements refunds for any items that we are unable to replace once the claim has been processed.
Industry List
How do I sign up for the Industry List?
The industry list allows people who work in the food industry to get a 10% discount on most purchases and the ability to sign up for industry sharpening appointments.
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Create a customer account if you don't already have one.
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If you already have already registered for our industry list (most likely in person at one of our locations), please log into your account and enter "INDUSTRY" at checkout to receive the discount. For discounts on in-store purchases, please let us know you are on the list. If you get an error, please continue with the instructions below.
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Fill out the Industry List Form with your name and email as it appears on your account, along with some sort of proof of industry employment attached. This includes, but is not limited to: Name tag, redacted pay stub, photo evidence.
We will let you know when you have been added to the industry list and you will be able to enter INDUSTRY at checkout to have the discount applied. Emails sent without complete information or proof of employment may be ignored. Please allow up to 48 hrs to be added to the list.
Sharpening
Almost all sharpening questions can be answered by looking through our sharpening services information page. Please give it a look prior to sending an email about general sharpening questions.
Do you accept sharpening drop-offs at the Ferry Building?
We do not accept drop offs at our Ferry Building location at this time. We hope to be able to offer this service in the near future.
Do you sharpen serrated knives?
Yup. See Sharpening Services for more info.