* Never place the knife in the dishwasher. Hand wash and dry after every use.

* Regularly sharpen the knife using a whetstone. Under no circumstances should a sharpening steel be used, as it will damage the blade.

* Store the knife in a safe, secure manner, for example, in a knife block so the blade is not left exposed.

* Only use wooden or plastic cutting boards, never marble or glass when cutting with a Type 301.

* Only use the knife to prepare food. Do not use it to cut frozen foods, bones, or as a utility knife. Ideally, the knife should be sharpened daily (for professional cooks) or about every six months (for hobby cooks), and by the same person each time. Each person has an individual angle at which he or she sharpens the knife. The blade of the knife becomes sharper each time it is sharpened in the same manner, by the same person.

The knives you find today in the home and commercial kitchen have several compromises; the first begins with the steel - the heart of every knife. The majority of manufacturers have proprietary steel blends and are very tight lipped about the formulation of their steels. According to industry insiders, these steel blends are formulated for stain and wear resistance rather than holding a high performance edge, which as most would agree is indeed a crucial factor in knife cutting ability.

Upper-end kitchen knives are a little better, but are still softer than they need to be at 52 to 56 on the Rockwell cale. By contrast, Japanese knives tend to be around 61-62 on the Rockwell scale.

Apart from compromise in the performance of the edge, this is further compounded by a heat treatment that leaves the metal softer than it could be. In general, the harder the steel, the keener the edge it will take. But hard steel makes it more difficult to get that edge in the first place.

Our Chroma Type 301 is made Molybdenum Vanadium type 301 Japanese blade steel - one of the best quality blade steels used in Japanese cutlery today. It is capable of attaining high tensile strenght and ductility by cold working and is not hardenable by heat treatment. For sharpening we recommend an 800 grit Japanese whetstone.

The next compromise is in the manufacturer's edge angles. Most kitchen knives come with an edge that is a minimum 25 degrees per side and even greater angles have been observed. If you add the two sides together you get a 50 degree included angle as depicted in the image below.

An angle that obtuse is more suited to an axe than a chef's knife!

So, the theory is that the thick angles will allow the edge to resist damage from impaction, rolling and wear better than a thin edge. This isn't necessarily so and Type 301 has a much more acute angle than this - which means a finer cut.

    

Japanese stones are considered to be ultimate sharpening tools.

We highly recommend a Japanese Whetstone which cut very quickly (and wear more quickly as well) and are available in extremely fine grits that will put a high polish on an edge.

Step 1. Always hold knife's edge at 15-20 degree angle when sharpening.

Step 2. Hold the knife's handle firmly in your right hand. Guide the knife's edge away from your body with your left hand while pressing down gently on the stone. Maintain a regular motion at all times.

Step 3. Turn the blade so that the other side of the edge faces upwards. This time be sure to lead the knife very lightly over the stone's surface using the tips of your fingers.

Step 4. Finish the edge on the stone and by this time you should have a frighteningly sharp edge on your knife. Over time, your ears shall be trained to notice the 'sound' of sharpness! (This is the sound the knife makes as it goes along the whetstone)

With regular sharpening your knife will provide you with much pleasure in the kitchen.

CHROMA guarantees your knife to be free from defect in material, construction or workmanship for the life of the product under normal use and following the care instructions. This excludes damage caused by misuse or accident. This warranty extends only to the product's original purchaser. Chips in the knife blades, broken knife tips, discolorations from food and rust spots are not covered. Knife chips and broken knife tips can often be repaired by re-sharpening. Chips in the knife blades, broken knife tips, discolorations and rust spots can be avoided by following the care instructions.