Care
Always keep your knife dry and clean.
Hand wash with warm soapy water. No abrasive sponges.
Never put your knife in the dishwasher or leave it soaking in water.
Dry your knife completely with a towel after washing.
Use a whetstone to sharpen your knife.
Use a knife only for what it’s supposed to be used for.
Materials
Shirogami and Aogami are the steels that are often used in Japanese high-grade cutlery. This is a type of Yasuki steel developed by Hitachi Metals. The steel has been wrapped in colored paper for decades and this is why it’s called blue or white.Shirogami #1
Also known as Shiro-ko, White paper #1, steel used for high-grade blades. This is a very pure Carbon steel alloy.
Since it does not contain alloy components, the skill of the blacksmith will be noticeable. With excellent craftsmanship, Shirogami has hardness and tenacity comparable to other steels, making it a good sharp knife. It is very reactive so wiping down and drying should be done after every use.
Shirogami #2
Almost identical to Shirogami #1 this alloy has a slightly lower Carbon content. This is very popular steel for high end Japanese cutlery. It is very reactive so wiping down and drying should be done after every use.
Aogami #1
Often referred to as Blue paper #1 this is a great knife makers steel. In addition to theShirogami material, Aogami contains chromium (related to toughness and hardenability), tungsten (related to wear resistance) and carbon compounds.
It is hard, extremely easy to maintain, capable of an outstanding mirror finish and long lived edge. Takes patina easily, but just wiping it clean during cutting and washing after using it, prevents rust completely.
Aogami #2
Blue paper #2 is the another great knife maker’s steel. Just as hard as #1, but tougher and more durable. Basically it is less likely to chip. Takes patina easily, but just wiping it clean during cutting and washing after using it, prevents rust completely.
VG10
VG-10 is one of most popular cutlery grade stainless steel produced in Japan.
It is a stainless steel with a high carbon content containing 1% Carbon, 15% Chromium, 1% Molybdenum, 0.2% Vanadium, 1.5% Cobalt, and 0.5% Manganese.
R2/SG2
Composed of carbon, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium and manganese. Hardness is 62-65HRC. Highly resistant to oxidation and wear, and strong against deformation. Although it is a high-grade steel material that guarantees excellent performance, polishing is relatively easy.