About Blade & Steel

Blade & Steel translates Japanese knife-world sources into English. The best information about Japanese kitchen knives — maker histories from forge websites, steel specifications from the original datasheets, pricing on Kakaku.com, consensus from Japanese enthusiast forums — was never written for English readers. We read it in Japanese and publish what matters, in plain English, with a link back to the original source.

What We Cover

• Maker profiles built from forge websites and Japanese interviews, not retailer copy
• Steel guides (Aogami, Shirogami, SG2 and more) sourced from manufacturer datasheets
• Knife reviews grounded in Japanese forum consensus, not a single tester
• Sharpening and care techniques as they are actually practiced in Japan

How We Work

Our process is AI-assisted and editorially reviewed: AI tools read and draft translations from Japanese sources, and maker names, steel compositions, hardness numbers, and prices are checked against the original before publishing. The full methodology — source selection, translation standards, attribution — is documented in our editorial policy.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Coverage and rankings follow the Japanese source data, never affiliate relationships. See our affiliate disclosure.

Contact

Questions, corrections, or feedback? Reach us at hello@jpnknife.com.