Removing Rust and Dirt for Japanese carbon steel knives
The knives we primarily sell at our store
are hand-forged and made of carbon steel, not stainless steel.
Carbon steel knives are very easy to sharpen, and in terms of hardness and sharpness, they are superior to stainless steel in some respects;
however, if left wet, they will rust very quickly.
A small amount of rust is not harmful to the human body,
but ideally, you’ll want to keep them in a clean, rust-free condition.
Here’s a guide to
simple rust removal without using power tools.
-- Reference: Required Tools --
Waterproof sandpaper
sabitoru Rust Remover
Stationery eraser
Dish polishing compound
Masking tape
-- Precautions for Polishing --
Sharpen the knife while it is wet.
Polish in a single direction.
Start with a high grit and determine the finest grit that effectively removes the rust.
Finishing the blade with a grit of around #2000 or finer will help prevent rust from recurring. *Please be careful, as grinding with a grit of #800 or lower right from the start will cause grinding marks.
Resin-based polishing tools, such as Sabitoru,
are very convenient to have on hand because they make it easy to polish even the finest irregularities. Also An eraser makes it easy to remove various types of dirt and grinding dust from the whetstone.
Additionally, just as with car paint repairs,
be sure to cover areas you don’t want to scratch with sandpaper
with masking tape or similar material beforehand.
Finally,even knives that appear beautiful at first glance
may have microscopic polishing scratches or forging marks remaining. Food particles and dirt can accumulate in these areas along with moisture, leading to rust.
After using a knife, wash it thoroughly and dry it completely.
If you won’t be using it for an extended period, apply oil and store it in a dry condition.