I’ve been sharpening knives on whetstones for over a decade, and nothing kills a sharp edge faster than a dished stone. After burning through three Japanese waterstones in two years, I finally got serious about flattening. That’s when I learned that the best flattening stones aren’t optional accessories. They’re as essential as the whetstones themselves. … Read more
I have sharpened knives every service for the past 18 years at KAZ Sushi Bistro, and nothing in my kit has earned a permanent spot faster than Shapton whetstones. When our team set out to find the best Shapton whetstones for , we already owned six of them personally. The question was whether the rest … Read more
A sharp knife is the foundation of any serious kitchen, and after three years of testing Japanese water stones at our sushi bistro, I can say with confidence that the best Naniwa whetstones are worth every penny. We have run every stone in this guide through hundreds of sharpening sessions on gyuto knives, petty knives, … Read more
After 12 years running the kitchen at KAZ Sushi Bistro, I have sharpened more knives on King whetstones than I can count. The best king whetstones have earned their place in professional sushi kitchens worldwide, and for good reason. They deliver Japanese-quality sharpening at prices that do not scare off home cooks. King whetstones are … Read more
I’ve sharpened knives for 12 years in our family restaurant, and I can tell you that a quality knife sharpening system is the single best investment any cook or outdoor enthusiast can make. A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one because it slips, and a guided sharpening system removes the guesswork from … Read more
Last year I pulled my favorite carbon steel gyuto out of a drawer and found three orange freckles staring back at me. That’s the moment I started hunting for the best camellia oil for knives, because nothing else stopped rust on my Japanese blades the same way. Camellia oil, also called tsubaki oil, has been … Read more
At our sushi bar in KAZ, our chefs reach for Japanese kitchen shears more than almost any other tool besides our knives. These shears are precision instruments forged from high-carbon stainless steel in Seki City, the same region that produced the legendary samurai swords of Japan for over 800 years. After testing more than two … Read more
I have spent the last several years testing Japanese kitchen tools at home and in the test kitchen behind our sushi bistro, and one tool keeps earning a permanent spot in my drawer: a good pair of Japanese poultry shears. The best Japanese poultry shears cut through chicken bones, snip herbs cleanly, and butterfly a … Read more
After testing dozens of fish scalers in our kitchen over the past three years, we’ve learned that the right tool makes all the difference. The best Japanese fish scalers remove scales cleanly without tearing the skin or creating a mess that takes hours to clean up. I remember the first time I tried scaling a … Read more
When it comes to protecting your expensive Japanese knives, a hinoki cutting board is more than just a prep surface. It is an investment in blade longevity. Our team spent three months testing 15 different boards to find the best hinoki cutting boards for , and what we discovered changed how we think about knife … Read more