Knives and Stones (K&S)

Established in 2014 and based in Sydney, Australia, Knives and Stones (K&S) has grown into the country’s leading premium kitchen knife retailer, with a reputation recognized worldwide. Through close relationships with renowned Japanese blacksmiths, K&S directly imports some of the most sought-after Japanese kitchen knives, offering unmatched authenticity and value.

Founder James Zhang’s Chinese heritage also brings a unique dimension to the business: collaborating with Chinese craftsmen to forge high-performance cleavers using premium Japanese steels—what James proudly calls “the real deal.”

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia, Knives and Stones (K&S) has grown from a passionate project into one of the most respected premium kitchen knife retailers in the world. What started as a small business dedicated to sourcing the very best Japanese blades has now become a trusted global name, serving chefs, collectors, and home enthusiasts across Australia, the USA, and China.

At the heart of K&S is a deep and personal connection with Japan’s most celebrated blacksmiths. Over the years, we have built strong relationships with both traditional masters and rising talents, allowing us to import their knives directly. This not only ensures authenticity and craftsmanship but also delivers outstanding value to our customers by removing unnecessary layers between the maker and the end user. From household names to exclusive collaborations, K&S offers access to some of the most coveted Japanese kitchen knives available today.

Our international outlook is also shaped by founder James Zhang’s Chinese heritage. With a vision to bridge traditions, James has introduced Japanese steel to skilled Chinese makers to create a series of cleavers that stand apart in both quality and performance. These blades, which James calls “the real deal”, embody the perfect balance of Japanese metallurgy and Chinese culinary tradition.

With physical presence and distribution networks in Australia, the USA, and China, Knives and Stones is uniquely positioned to bring world-class kitchen knives to customers around the globe. Whether you’re a professional chef seeking a reliable workhorse, a collector chasing rare masterpieces, or a home cook ready to elevate your craft, K&S is committed to delivering tools that inspire confidence and creativity in the kitchen.

Est. 2014

Knives by Knives and Stones (K&S)

KnS VG10 Tsuchime Sanmai

The KnS Tsuchime Sanmai is the first model that Knives and Stones carries with our own branding 岩刃(Stone/Blade). Bearing this name means we are putting our r... Read more

The KnS Tsuchime Sanmai is the first model that Knives and Stones carries with our own branding 岩刃(Stone/Blade). Bearing this name means we are putting our reputation on these knives, and you can expect that we only gonna pick the items that can hold up to our standards and stand out in their categories.These VG10 blades are produced in Seki, which is known for operating large machineries in factory blade manufacturing. What's unique about this VG10 line is the exceptional cutting performance. I had an impression that the machine manufactured blades tend to have less optimised geometry that results wedging and sticking, creating resistance and lead to worst cutting performance(Kireaji), however, the smooth cut offered by these blades proved me wrong. They have a very low thickness behind the edge that leads to excellent food penetration, and a well-polished bevel that release food off at Shinogi line halfway across the blade.This kind of smooth cut is not rare in a store that specialise in high performance Japanese kitchen knives, but what excites me is that we can now see this level of performance on a factory manufactured knife, with a price tag that matches a typical European counterpart of same size. As much as I enjoy viewing or owning the collector pieces and the "Unicorn Knives", an affordable knife that cut well is what benefits most users at the end of the day.The first line that bears the KnS name is not a statement piece, but rather a entry level item. Its the excellent performance is a combination of optimised design and manufacturing procedure with a low maintenance, solid performing steel. And they are a series of knives that I can comfortably recommend to anyone that seek the amazing experience that Japanese cutlery can offer. Read less

Pros

Budget friendly
Excellent performance
Great OOTB

Cons

Mirror polish can be hard to maintain

Sanmai - Stainless Clad Tsuchime

K&S Blue 2 Kurouchi Iron clad

This Chinese cleaver under our in-house brand 岩刃 (Knives and Stones, or K&S) is the result of more than a year of extensive product development, which le... Read more

This Chinese cleaver under our in-house brand 岩刃 (Knives and Stones, or K&S) is the result of more than a year of extensive product development, which leads to a high-performance cleaver that excel in cutting performance, maintainability and perceived sharpness.Chinese cleaver is a profile that is rather rare on the market, as it is unfamiliar to most of users outside of China. Many may heard this is the only knife profile that Chinese chefs use and it is really good at chopping vegetables and scoop them into the wok, both I can confirm to be true. What we are facing is, due to the low demand, there are rarely any maker willing to develop a product that is well forged and has a good core steel to match it. Even the Sugimoto, the brand that is known for making great Chinese cleavers, makes their Chinese cleaver out of a flat bar with no evidence of forging.This K&S Chuka is our answer to this blind spot in the market, and the only knife we have in the store forged in China, but with a authentic Hitachi Blue 2 carbon steel core cladded in iron. A forged thick spine concentrate most of the weight along the axis of the handle, giving the hefty weight that the Chinese Cleaver is known for. The blade thins down towards the edge rapidly, making it much lighter to rotate this wide blade - something that most made in Japan Chinese Cleaver can't do. Overall, this forged body handles extremely nice for someone who have been using Chinese Cleaver since very young.The steel selection is the highlight of the blade: a Hitachi Blue 2 core. The bity edge formed by Blue 2 penetrate the surface effortlessly, then the gravity just pulls the blade through. With the great handling this Chinese Cleaver presents a better overall experience than any other cleavers I've tried.One thing we cannot miss is the very competitive price of this knife, it sits at a much lower price point than most Japanese cleavers but offer a better experience. Essentially it is a combination of the strength of Chinese Cleaver forging skill and Japanese steel. If you are looking for a Chinese Cleaver to try out, this is undoubtably my first recommendation. Read less

Pros

Excellent performance
Budget friendly
Thin behind the edge

Cons

Prone to rust
Need extra care

Warikomi - Soft Iron Clad Kurouchi

K&S VG10 Tsuchime Damascus

Following the success of the K&S Tsuchime Sanmai, we are proud to introduce the K&S Tsuchime Damascus Finish — the latest addition under our own bran... Read more

Following the success of the K&S Tsuchime Sanmai, we are proud to introduce the K&S Tsuchime Damascus Finish — the latest addition under our own branding 岩刃 (Stone/Knife). Bearing this name means we are putting our reputation behind these knives, and you can expect that we only choose items that meet our standards and stand out in their categories.These VG10 blades are produced in Seki, a region renowned for its advanced factory blade manufacturing. What’s special about this VG10 line is its exceptional cutting performance. I once thought machine-manufactured blades often had less optimized geometry, resulting in wedging, sticking, and resistance that compromised cutting feel (Kireaji). However, the smooth, effortless cut from these blades proved me wrong.With a very thin geometry behind the edge, they deliver excellent food penetration, while the well-polished bevel ensures food releases cleanly along the Shinogi line halfway across the blade.This kind of refined cutting performance is not unusual in stores specializing in high-performance Japanese kitchen knives, but what excites me is that this level of precision is now available in a factory-manufactured knife — at a price comparable to a typical European counterpart of the same size.As much as I enjoy viewing or owning collector pieces and “Unicorn Knives,” an affordable knife that cuts beautifully is what benefits most users at the end of the day. The Tsuchime Damascus Finish line continues the philosophy behind the original Sanmai series — combining optimized design, precise manufacturing, and a durable, low-maintenance steel — now enhanced with a stunning Damascus finish that adds visual depth and elegance to its already outstanding performance. Read less

Pros

Budget friendly
Excellent performance
Great OOTB

Cons

Mirror polish can be hard to maintain

Sanmai - Stainless Damascus Clad Tsuchime

Sentan Blue 2 Kurouchi Stainless Clad

Sentan Blue 2 Kurouchi Stainless Clad series is the sister line of the White 2 cleavers under the same brand, it keeps the low maintenance stainless Sanmai s... Read more

Sentan Blue 2 Kurouchi Stainless Clad series is the sister line of the White 2 cleavers under the same brand, it keeps the low maintenance stainless Sanmai structure, changes the core steel to the Blue 2 and now has a more uniform Kurouchi finish. Featuring a variety of different profiles, this is a line that can easily fulfil your need for Chinese cleavers regardless of the specific task you need to complete.There is an existing blank in the market of Chinese cleavers. From what we can see, Japanese makers rarely forge this type of knife and they tend to create a blade that has a different sectional profile compared to Chinese ones. This leads to different cutting behaviour and often heavier weight. On the other hand a reputable maker like CCK would forge their knife down to the thickness of a leaf with excellent cutting performance and balance, but the lower edge retention and high maintenance can often put off many potential users.This is a line that is designed in house by Knives and Stones to fulfil this blank, our aim was to create a series of authentic Chinese cleavers, while incorporating the characteristics and performances you would find on a fine Japanese knife. We chose the classic Hitachi Blue 2 carbon steel for its high carbon content, then a layer of stainless cladding was forged on each side to create a low maintenance blade. As a result, we get an aggressive cutting edge made with a pretty hard carbon steel that is only exposed on the very edge of the blade, most of the blade would be free from rusting or patina and even if the exposed carbon steel rusts, they can be removed easily by sharpening.The blade is forged into shape before the final bevel is put on, and by looking at the front of the knife, you can see there is a “S” shape contour on each side of the blade. The spine starts thick, giving the knife the stiffness it needs when doing precise cut, it then tapers down to reduce the weight of the blade so it is not tiring to cut for an extensive amount of time. The blade then thickens up again at the beginning of the bevel, this allows it to have some volume so it can build the geometry that we desire.We chose a rather strong convex grind as the primary bevel geometry, it emphasises on food release rather than low thickness behind the edge. When slicing with these knives, there will be a very positive release, the slice of food will curl sideways and fall off the blade easily without much chance of sticking to the side of the knife. The wedging issue can be mitigated by the cutting method, as the common way of cutting with Chinese cleaver is a strong push cut, the momentum of the blade can usually push through the food without getting stuck halfway.This line offers two different profiles other than the standard 175mm and 195mm rectangular cleavers. This blade features a raised tip and a thickened edge, allowing more energy to be delivered during chopping while providing the necessary strength to cut through small bones, such as fish bones, without chipping. The “Tall Santoku” is more useful in butchery, having a more clearly defined tip allows it to perform precise dissection and carving in these scenarios.This Blue 2 line is our answer to the demand of a great workhorse chinese cleaver, it combines many features we believe are useful and it also offers many different profiles to fit the needs of different users. I have to mention they are not the most beautiful knives you can find because at the end of the day, they are still hand forged products. We opt for performance and value instead of beauty, so you can get these very organic looking, great performing knives at a very reasonable price. Read less

Pros

Great for professionals
Workhorse grind
Budget friendly

Cons

Fit and finish can be improved
Prone to rust

Sanmai - Stainless Clad Kurouchi

Sentan White 2 Stainless Clad

Sentan White 2 Stainless Clad series is the sister line of the Blue 2 cleavers under the same brand, it has the low maintenance stainless Sanmai structure, w... Read more

Sentan White 2 Stainless Clad series is the sister line of the Blue 2 cleavers under the same brand, it has the low maintenance stainless Sanmai structure, with the reactive core steel wrapped in a rough, organic-looking protective clad. Featuring two different sizes, this is a line that can easily fulfil your need for Chinese cleavers whether you want something big and choppy or small and nimble.There is an existing blank in the market of Chinese cleavers. From what we can see, Japanese makers rarely forge this type of knife and they tend to create a blade that has a different sectional profile compared to Chinese ones. This leads to different cutting behaviour and often heavier weight. On the other hand a reputable maker like CCK would forge their knife down to the thickness of a leaf with excellent cutting performance and balance, but the lower edge retention and high maintenance can often put off many potential users.This is a line that is designed in house by Knives and Stones to fulfil this blank, our aim was to create a series of authentic Chinese cleavers, while incorporating the characteristics and performances you would find on a fine Japanese knife. We chose the classic Hitachi White 2 carbon steel for its high carbon content, then a layer of stainless cladding was forged on each side to create a low maintenance blade. As a result, we get an aggressive cutting edge made with a pretty hard carbon steel that is only exposed on the very edge of the blade, most of the blade would be free from rusting or patina and even if the exposed carbon steel rusts, they can be removed easily by sharpening.The blade is forged into shape before the final bevel is put on, and by looking at the front of the knife, you can see there is a “S” shape contour on each side of the blade. The spine starts thick, giving the knife the stiffness it needs when doing precise cut, it then tapers down to reduce the weight of the blade so it is not tiring to cut for an extensive amount of time. The blade then thickens up again at the beginning of the bevel, this allows it to have some volume so it can build the geometry that we desire.We chose a rather strong convex grind as the primary bevel geometry, it emphasises on food release rather than low thickness behind the edge. When slicing with these knives, there will be a very positive release, the slice of food will curl sideways and fall off the blade easily without much chance of sticking to the side of the knife. The wedging issue can be mitigated by the cutting method, as the common way of cutting with Chinese cleaver is a strong push cut, the momentum of the blade can usually push through the food without getting stuck halfway.This line offers two different sizes in the standard rectangular cleaver form, sized at 175mm and 195mm respectively. The 195mm is very much the standard size for Chinese chefs, it has that reassuring weight you would expect from a knife of this size, the broad blade is very fun when chopping dense produce, smashing ingredients and transferring food that’s already been cut. However, weighting at 354g means this is not a knife that most people can easily get used to, so we offer a smaller 175mm size that is less than ⅔ of the weight of the lager version, designed specifically for people who want to get their hands on this type of knife.This White 2 line is our answer to the demand of a great workhorse chinese cleaver, it combines many features we believe are useful and it also offers many different profiles to fit the needs of different users. I have to mention they are not the most beautiful knives you can find because at the end of the day, they are still hand forged products. We opt for performance and value instead of beauty, so you can get these very organic looking, great performing knives at a very reasonable price. Read less

Pros

Workhorse grind
Budget friendly
Great for professionals

Cons

Fit and finish can be improved
Prone to rust

Sanmai - Stainless Clad Kurouchi

K&S AUS10

The K&S AUS10 Series is designed with practicality front and centre—a true no-nonsense workhorse built for demanding, real-world kitchens. This is a budg... Read more

The K&S AUS10 Series is designed with practicality front and centre—a true no-nonsense workhorse built for demanding, real-world kitchens. This is a budget-friendly line featuring full metal construction, pairing an AUS10 stainless steel blade with a comfortable stainless steel handle for maximum durability and hygiene.The all-stainless design makes these knives exceptionally tough, corrosion resistant, and easy to clean, ideal for fast-paced environments where time and maintenance matter. One of the standout advantages is that the series is dishwasher safe—a rare feature in Japanese-style knives—though, as expected, this does mean more frequent sharpening to keep the edge at its best.With no wood, no seams, and no fuss, the AUS10 Mono series is perfectly suited for students, culinary schools, and professional chefs alike. Especially in busy commercial kitchens, these knives shine as reliable, low-maintenance tools that simply get the job done, shift after shift. Read less

Pros

Budget friendly
Easy to look after
Ideal for the household

Cons

Non-premium steel

Monosteel Migaki

Knives and Stones White 2 Tsuchime Stainless Clad

Knives and Stones’ brewed in-house knives is now joined with a new member, compared to its predecessors, this new White #2 cleaver would offer better usabili... Read more

Knives and Stones’ brewed in-house knives is now joined with a new member, compared to its predecessors, this new White #2 cleaver would offer better usability, fit and finish and construction quality, only at a small cost on the price.This chinese cleaver we newly developed employs laminated billet produced by Sanyo Riki - a factory specialised in laminating steel to produce Sanmai(Three-piece) billets. The stainless cladding warps around the rust-prone White #2 core steel, minimising the biggest issue of the high carbon steel - maintenance. As long as the strip of exposed steel near the edge is looked after, the knife can deliver excellent cutting feel and ease of sharpening at the same time. Build quality would be the highlight of this new item. When I first received it, the solid feel in my hand was truly impressive. This isn’t about simply being heavy, it’s more about having every single part properly assembled together tightly, offering you a confidence as you know you can command the blade to go exactly where you want it to be. The secret is the integral handle construction, where the handle is cut out of the same piece of steel as the blade. The bolster and handle scale are then tightly attached to the blade using glue and pins, which is then polished to finish off the handle.The difference between integral handle and Through-tang handle is essentially the same difference between the “western” and “Japanese” handle. In the world of Japanese kitchen knives, the western or integral handle is often less favoured as it is heavier and leads to a backward balanced knife. But as Chinese cleavers have larger blades, a heavier integral handle can make the knife feel less tip heavy. It is harder to service and replace than the Japanese through-tang handle, but it is usually stronger, lasts much longer and feels more solid as all parts are connected through solid pins instead of glues.The finish of this knife is rather fascinating. Taking a closer look at the grey surface and you would find a fabric-like texture, and it’s hard to define it as Nashiji or tsuchime. This surface offers some friction for a tighter grip, while not being too deep that it would hold dirt and grease, at the same time, this roughness also makes it more resistant to scratches. This fit and finish is at a pretty high level: highly polished core steel contrasting with the cloudy cladding, rounded choil and polished spine allows a gentle feel when warping your fingers onto this knife, then, when looking closely at where the handle meets the blade, that flawlessly satin finished bolster complement the organic texture on the blade, completes the knife with a premium look. Just by visual, I can still give this knife a pretty high score.The sharpening is held up to Knives and Stones’ standard. The thin, slightly convexing bevel can create very thin slices effortlessly, when the slice gets thicker, the food would also fall off naturally instead of building up on the side. Although there is an impression that chinese cleaver is designed for heavy chopping and splitting, I think it is a wrong perception misguided by the cleaver in the name. This knife, as well as most of other cleavers developed by us are designed for and excels at fine slicing, they are not to be used on dealing with hard items. If you treat them properly, you can enjoy the fun dicing, chopping, and food transfer experience offered by the chinese cleaver.For many people, the weight of the chinese cleaver is the major barrier of entry. If you are a carbon steel lover and can overcome that weight, I would say this cleaver would deliver an excellent user experience. Read less

Pros

Excellent fit and finish
Excellent performance
Thin behind the edge

Cons

Prone to rust

Sanmai - Stainless Clad Tsuchime

K&S White 2 Kurouchi Iron clad

This Chinese cleaver under our in-house brand 岩刃 (Knives and Stones, or K&S) is the result of more than a year of extensive product development, which le... Read more

This Chinese cleaver under our in-house brand 岩刃 (Knives and Stones, or K&S) is the result of more than a year of extensive product development, which leads to a high-performance cleaver that excel in cutting performance, maintainability and perceived sharpness.Chinese cleaver is a profile that is rather rare on the market, as it is unfamiliar to most of users outside of China. Many may heard this is the only knife profile that Chinese chefs use and it is really good at chopping vegetables and scoop them into the wok, both I can confirm to be true. What we are facing is, due to the low demand, there are rarely any maker willing to develop a product that is well forged and has a good core steel to match it. Even the Sugimoto, the brand that is known for making great Chinese cleavers, makes their Chinese cleaver out of a flat bar with no evidence of forging.This K&S Chuka is our answer to this blind spot in the market, and one of the few knives we have in the store forged in China, but with a authentic Hitachi White 2 carbon steel core cladded in iron. A forged thick spine concentrate most of the weight along the axis of the handle, giving the hefty weight that the Chinese Cleaver is known for. The blade thins down towards the edge rapidly, making it much lighter to rotate this wide blade - something that most made in Japan Chinese Cleaver can't do. Overall, this forged body handles extremely nice for someone who have been using Chinese Cleaver since very young.The steel selection is the highlight of the blade: a Hitachi Blue 2 core. The bity edge formed by White 2 penetrate the surface effortlessly, then the gravity just pulls the blade through. With the great handling this Chinese Cleaver presents a better overall experience than any other cleavers I've tried.One thing we cannot miss is the very competitive price of this knife, it sits at a much lower price point than most Japanese cleavers but offer a better experience. Essentially it is a combination of the strength of Chinese Cleaver forging skill and Japanese steel. If you are looking for a Chinese Cleaver to try out, this is undoubtably my first recommendation. Read less

Pros

Excellent performance
Thin behind the edge
Exceptional profile

Cons

Prone to rust
Fit and finish can be improved

Warikomi - Soft Iron Clad Kurouchi

Frequently Asked Questions about Knives and Stones (K&S)

Who is Knives and Stones (K&S)?

Knives and Stones (K&S) is a Japanese knife maker based in Other, Japan , established in 2014. Available at Knives and Stones Australia.

What knives does Knives and Stones (K&S) make?

Knives and Stones (K&S) produces the following knife lines: KnS VG10 Tsuchime Sanmai, K&S Blue 2 Kurouchi Iron clad, K&S VG10 Tsuchime Damascus, Sentan Blue 2 Kurouchi Stainless Clad, Sentan White 2 Stainless Clad, K&S AUS10, Knives and Stones White 2 Tsuchime Stainless Clad, K&S White 2 Kurouchi Iron clad. We currently carry 18 products from Knives and Stones (K&S) at Knives and Stones.

Where is Knives and Stones (K&S) located?

Knives and Stones (K&S) is located in Other, Japan. Japanese knife-making regions each have distinct traditions.

Where can I buy Knives and Stones (K&S) knives in Australia?

Knives and Stones is an authorised Australian stockist of Knives and Stones (K&S). You can shop online at knivesandstones.com.au with free shipping on orders over $99, or visit our stores in St Peters (Sydney), Crows Nest (Sydney) and Braddon (Canberra) to handle the knives before buying.