Yoshihiro Cutlery Guides & Tips

Japanese knife terminology glossary: steels, finishes, blade parts and knife types
Japanese Knife Terminology Glossary: Key Terms & Concepts Explained
Japanese knife terms explained: steels like Shirogami and Aogami, honyaki and kasumi construction, finishes, blade parts, knife types, handles and sharpening.
Stainless-clad Japanese knife showing the san-mai layered blade construction
What is Stainless Cladding?
What stainless cladding (san-mai) means on a Japanese knife, why bladesmiths wrap a carbon steel core in stainless layers, and how to care for the exposed edge.
Sharp kitchen knife making clean cuts in cooking
Why a Sharp Knife Makes All the Difference: Benefits of a Fine Cut in Cooking
Why a sharp knife cuts cleaner, preserves ingredient texture and flavor, and takes less effort than a dull one — plus how often to sharpen and why it matters.
Japanese knives with different blade finishes, including kurouchi, kasumi and Damascus
Understanding Japanese Knife Finishes: Kurouchi, Damascus, Kasumi & More
A practical guide to Japanese knife finishes — kurouchi, nashiji, kasumi, hammered and suminagashi damascus, and mirror polish — and their real trade-offs.
Japanese wa and Western knife handles compared
Japanese vs. Western Knife Handles: What’s the Difference?
Japanese wa handles and Western knife handles are built differently for balance, weight, and grip. Here's how each is constructed and how to choose.
Rust spots on the blade of a high-carbon steel kitchen knife
How to Remove Rust from Knives
How to remove light surface rust from a high-carbon steel knife with a rust eraser and oil, when to see a professional, and how to prevent it recurring.
Measuring the blade length of a Japanese knife from tip to machi with a ruler
How to Measure Your Japanese Knife
Japanese blade length runs from the tip to the machi, where the blade meets the handle. How to measure yours, blade vs edge vs overall length, common sizes by knife...
Japanese knife steel guide comparing carbon, stainless and high-performance steels
Japanese Knife Steel Guide: Choosing Between Carbon, Stainless, and High-Performance Steels
Compare Japanese knife steels — White, Blue, ZDP-189, Ginsan, VG-10, INOX, R2/SG2, HAP-40, SRS13 — by edge retention, hardness, and required care routine.
Deba knives shown at various stages of the forging process
The Japanese Knife Making Process
How a Japanese knife is hand-forged: bonding iron and steel, shaping, annealing, quenching, tempering, grinding, and handle attachment, step by step.