The cutting surface you use makes a big difference in keeping your knives sharp. A good cutting board will help retain a sharp edge for substantially longer. Wood boards are excellent choices. Tile, ceramic, marble, granite, or any kind of glass cutting boards are poor choices and are very hard on your knives.

Nakama knives are designed to be used in a smooth, slicing motion—and never in a forceful, up-and-down “chopping” manner. The proper cutting motion is a "locomotive" motion, pushing the knife forward and down as you cut through the food, then pulling the knife up and back towards you (in order to position it for the next cut). This motion is also similar to cutting wood with a handsaw—forward and down, then back. The razor-sharp Japanese blade makes this practically effortless.

When you first begin using a Nakama knife, go slowly and enjoy the precision cutting ability of your new kitchen cutlery. As you gain experience, you will be able to work more quickly. No matter what your experience level, be careful and always pay attention to where your fingers are in relation to the knife.

You can use your chef knives on meats and vegetables but not on bones. For very thick-skinned vegetables or heavier kitchen work, try to use on of our butcher knives. These knives are designed to handle more aggressive work in the kitchen, such as breaking down chickens and preparing thick-skinned vegetables like butternut squash or melons.

As with any lifetime investment, it’s important to take the best care possible in order to prolong the life of your knife. Wash your blades with gentle dish soap. Don’t use soaps with citrus extracts or bleach; they can promote corrosion. Rinse and towel dry immediately. Let the knives air dry for a few minutes before returning them to storage. Never leave your knife sitting in a sink full of soapy water. It does metals no good to be submerged in water for prolonged periods of time, and it’s a danger to you when you reach in.

Micro-corrosion, which can result in tiny chips or missing pieces in your knife’s cutting edge, can occur because moisture is left on the cutting edge. Moisture weakens the stainless steel and promotes micro-corrosion. If moisture is left on the cutting edge repeatedly, even normal use in the kitchen can result in small chips in the weakened sections of the edge. To guard against this, wash your knife immediately after use and dry it very thoroughly with an absorbent cloth or towel. Please take extra care to safely dry the sharp cutting edge of your Nakama knives, keeping your fingers away from the edge.

In order to maximize the life of the blade, regular honing is recommended. With heavy use knives can benefit from yearly sharpening. However, monthly honing although not necessary, is recommended to maintain the razor sharp edge and will extend the time between sharpening significantly.

Stainless steel, although stain & rust resistant is not impervious to water. We strongly suggest you hand wash and wipe the blade completely dry after each use. Corrosion can occur if food or moisture is left to sit on the blade overnight. We also recommend you to gently wipe the handle under running water with a cloth and immediately dry with a towel but do not soak or leave it submerged in water.

Nakama knives are quality investment pieces and by taking the proper precautions you will enjoy many years of stress free service.

Please remember, that you must re-sharpen the knife blade periodically. If you are using a whetstone, please keep the correct blade angle while sharpening (8-15 degrees depending on your knife). If you feel the knife snagging a bit, the blade just needs a little stropping or honing, not re-sharpening.