About FOGAMA — Japanese Knife Research & Editorial Authority
About FOGAMA
FOGAMA exists because most knife advice online is not reliable. Affiliate sites dressed as editorial publications, review scores determined by commission rates, product recommendations written by writers who have never held the knives they describe. We built FOGAMA to do the opposite: independent research, structured testing, and editorial standards that answer to the craft rather than the sale.
Our Mission
FOGAMA’s mission is to become the most trusted educational and performance-testing platform for Japanese kitchen knives. We treat knives as what they are: precision tools with measurable engineering properties, centuries of craft tradition behind them, and real consequences for how food is prepared. Our goal is to make that world legible — to home cooks choosing their first gyuto, to experienced sharpeners comparing steel grades, and to professionals who expect accuracy, not enthusiasm.
What We Do
Performance Testing
Every knife reviewed on FOGAMA goes through our seven-protocol Blade Index testing framework. This is not a qualitative impressions system — each protocol produces a measurable result that contributes to the knife’s overall score.
| Protocol | What It Measures | Weight in Blade Index |
|---|---|---|
| Edge Retention Test | How long the factory edge maintains cutting performance under consistent use | Steel Intelligence (20%) |
| Tomato Skin Test | Tip sharpness and geometry quality — the most sensitive everyday indicator | Geometry Engineering (20%) |
| Rope Cut Test | Raw sharpness and initial edge quality from factory | Kitchen Performance (20%) |
| Food Release Test | Blade geometry and surface finish — resistance to food sticking | Kitchen Performance (20%) |
| Corrosion Exposure | Steel reactivity with acidic foods and moisture resistance | Maintenance Intelligence (15%) |
| Sharpening Response | How readily the steel takes a new edge on whetstones | Maintenance Intelligence (15%) |
| Geometry Measurement | Spine thickness, edge angle, grind symmetry — measured with calipers | Craftsmanship (15%) |
Editorial Research
Beyond testing, FOGAMA maintains a growing knowledge base covering Japanese knife steel grades, regional production traditions (Sakai, Echizen, Seki, Sanjo, Tosa), sharpening methodology, and the craft history behind the tools we evaluate. Our steel profiles, blacksmith archives, and buying guides are written to be reference-quality — accurate enough to cite, detailed enough to change how you cook.
Price Intelligence
Through our price comparison engine, FOGAMA tracks current pricing across multiple authorised retailers for every knife we cover: Amazon, ChefKnivesToGo, KnivesAndStones, HochoKnife, JapaneseKnifeCompany, and other specialist vendors. We surface the best available price at the time of your visit — not a promotional rate from our preferred partner.
Our Editorial Independence
FOGAMA operates on affiliate revenue — when you click a link and purchase a knife, we may earn a commission. We are transparent about this. What we are equally transparent about is what that relationship does not do: it does not determine our rankings, influence our scores, or affect which knives we recommend. Knives are ranked by Blade Index performance. The affiliate relationship follows the editorial decision, never the other way around.
No manufacturer, retailer, or distributor pays for placement on FOGAMA. No review score has ever been adjusted in exchange for access, samples, or commission rates. If a knife scores poorly on our testing protocols, that score is published regardless of the brand behind it.
For full details on how our affiliate relationships work and who we partner with, see our Affiliate Disclosure. For a complete explanation of our testing and scoring methodology, see our Editorial Policy.
The FOGAMA Blade Index
The Blade Index is FOGAMA’s proprietary scoring system for Japanese kitchen knives. It combines six weighted evaluation categories into a single score out of 100, allowing meaningful comparison across different knife types, steel grades, and price brackets.
| Category | Weight | What It Captures |
|---|---|---|
| Steel Intelligence | 20% | Alloy composition, HRC hardness, carbide structure, heat treatment quality |
| Geometry Engineering | 20% | Spine thickness, edge angle, grind symmetry, tip profile |
| Kitchen Performance | 20% | Real-world cutting performance across food types and tasks |
| Maintenance Intelligence | 15% | Sharpening ease, edge stability, corrosion behaviour |
| Craftsmanship | 15% | Handle quality, fit and finish, construction integrity |
| Value Efficiency | 10% | Performance relative to price — how much you get per pound spent |
A Blade Index score is not a recommendation in isolation. A 78/100 Tojiro DP at under $100 is not the same as a 92/100 Miyabi Birchwood at $400 — they serve different buyers, different kitchens, and different maintenance habits. Our reviews always contextualise the score within its category and intended use.
What We Cover
FOGAMA focuses exclusively on Japanese kitchen knives and the knowledge required to choose, use, and maintain them well. Our coverage spans every knife type used in Japanese and Western professional kitchens: gyuto, santoku, nakiri, petty, bunka, yanagiba, deba, usuba, sujihiki, kiritsuke, and honesuki. We profile the major steel grades in depth — VG-10, SG2, Ginsan, Aogami, Shirogami, ZDP-189, HAP40 — and the production regions that shape Japanese knife character.
We do not cover Western knives, kitchen gadgets, cookware, or general culinary equipment. The depth of our knife knowledge comes from the discipline of staying within the category.
Get in Touch
For editorial enquiries, corrections, or press contact: [email protected]
We read every message. We do not accept paid placement, sponsored reviews, or guest posts.
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