Care and Handling
After using the knives, wash them well with a soft sponge soaked in dishwashing liquid and rinse them. Give them a final rinse with lukewarm water, and then dry them well.
When washing, use a soft sponge since the coating could be damaged if steel wool or an abrasive are used. If possible, sharpen the knife after each use. A daily sharpening will preserve the cutting edge. Avoid using the knife after sharpening it in order to prevent oxidation and any other eventuality. As a general rule, metal knives including those made of stainless steel, should never be cleaned with chlorine-based products such as bleach as these may cause oxidation. It is especially important to avoid using such products right after sharpening.
Before sharpening
Before sharpening, soak the whetstone in water for 10-20 minutes, and then place it on a damp cloth or other support in order to stabilize it. Attach the Safety Guard Grip onto the knife. The Safety Guard Grip is intended to prevent the blade from scraping against the whetstone and should never be used for determining the sharpening angle or for any other purpose.
Attach the Safety Guard Grip provided with each knife:
(1) Grasp the handle so that the blunt edge of the knife is facing towards you, and insert the Safety Guard Grip onto the tip of the knife, pressing down so that it slides on easily.
(2) Gently move the Safety Guard Grip to the middle of the blade. Be careful not to press down too hard as this may prevent it from sliding smoothly onto the blade.
Sharpening
(1) Place your fingers on the blade while grasping the handle with the other hand so as to hold it at an angle of 15 degrees (as seen from the side). This is the optimal angle for obtaining satisfactory results. When seen from above the angle needs to be adjusted in relation to the surface being sharpened so that neither the forward metal portion nor the handle comes into contact with the whetstone. To sharpen the surface with the cutting edge turned towards you hold the blade at an angle of 25 to 30 degrees. When turned away from you hold it at an angle of 70 to 80 degrees.
(2) Divide the length of the blade into 4 sections, and sharpen each section by shifting and adjusting your fingers along the blade. Be careful that the Safety Guard Grip does not come into contact with the whetstone.
(3) Do not rinse away the liquid produced during the sharpening as it is an essential part of the process.
(4) Sharpen both sides of the blade the same number of times and with the same pressure. Make sure the cutting edge does not become irregular.
(5) If a burr should develop, remove it with a finishing stone.
(6) Rinse the sharpened knife in water and dry it well to eliminate any trace of moisture.
The Sheath
Match up the line on the surface of the blade with the line on the sheath so that the blade slides snugly into the magnetized interior of the sheath.
When removing the knife, take hold of the sheath on the side with the line with one hand, grasp the handle firmly with the other hand and slowly withdraw the knife. In this way you run no risk of injuring yourself.
