Something not quite right with your order? Don’t worry, our Zanvak team is ready to spring into action! Please contact us to advise of the issue, and to help resolve things quickly we request you include photos so we can help identify what has happened.

These things happen! Please email us immediately with the subject line CHANGE or CANCEL and we will do our absolute best to carry out your request. If it has already been dispatched from our fulfilment partner you will need to go through our returns process.

As we do our best to get your orders out to you as soon as we can, occasionally an order will be processed before the team has a chance to change it. We cannot guarantee a change of order after the order is placed so please select your items carefully. 

We always strive to be the best so we love hearing your thoughts. We also love hearing your beautiful sharpening stories, as it warms our hearts to see our sharpening gear being so well loved out in the big wide world. Should you have any feedback for us, please feel free to email us at hello@zanvak.com.au

Our Zanvak HQ and Customer Service team are located in Sydney, New South Wales. Your Zanvak gear starts its journey out into the wide world from our fulfilment centre in Sydney.

*Please note: Our Zanvak HQ is not a retail store and we hold no stock there, and we are unable to offer collection at any of our fulfilment centres. 

Want fun, Sharpening related emails straight to your inbox (plus stacks of awesome offers and discounts!)? Of course you do! You can sign up to our mailing list by emailing us at hello@zanvak.com.au and asking to jump on board.

Inbox hitting 1k and doing a spring clean of all those businesses you’ve signed up for? You can also unsubscribe or request fewer emails by going to the bottom of any of our emails and clicking the ‘unsubscribe me’ link - (we’ll miss you though!). 

Missed out on your favourite sharpening product, and now the world just seems that little but more dull? Don’t worry, we continuously restock all sharpening systems and stones, so keep an eye out on the website for when they will be available again.

We get it - you guys can’t get enough of the sharpening gear, literally! Sometimes when our sharpening gear start selling like hotcakes, unfortunately we can completely sell out before our next batch of stock reaches our fulfilment centre.

If this happens, we will put those products up for pre-order before they’ve arrived. We know what date our stock is due to arrive, so this is the date displayed in the description. All orders will then be shipped out to our customers on that specified date.

You’ve made an order, the sun is shining and an angelic choir is singing in the background knowing your Zanvak gear is on its way - now what?

Once an order is placed, our team will carefully collect your gear and package it with care and protection, so please allow up to 72 hours for our team to pick and pack your order. All orders are sent when all items are ready in full - this means that if you have a pre-order item in your order, all items will wait until that latest item is available and then will be sent out at the same time.

Sometimes there is too much fantastic sharpening gear to put in one parcel so you may get multiple Zanvak packages from our different fulfilment locations across Australia. Not to worry though, they will still be sent at the same time.

Your Zanvak gear will then be sent via Australia Post, and then it should be safely in your patiently waiting hands within **2-8 business days.

As soon as your order is sent you will receive a shipping confirmation email from us complete with a tracking number so you can follow this exciting journey.

Although some parcels require a signature on delivery, due to current COVID-19 limitations this is at the discretion of the Australia Post delivery driver and they may leave your package in a safe place, or take it to your nearest post office if you are not home.

*Please note: We are not responsible for the package in the rare case it is missing or stolen once it is in the hands of Australia Post.

**Please note: all shipping timeframes are from the advertised date of dispatch. Should your item have a pre-order date (advised next to the product name in brackets), this is the date of dispatch. The delivery timeframe starts from the pre-order date it ships on. If there’s no date or comment next to the product name, you’re in luck - it’s ready to go! 

If you’re located in Australia and you spend over $200 not a cent! We send out all orders over $200 via free standard shipping with Australia Post. Australia Post quotes us 2-8 business days for this delivery service after your order has been picked and packed.

For all orders under $200 we provide competitive rates based on the weight and size of the items being shipped. 

Think your order might be lost in transit? Although Australia Post quote us 2-8 business days for delivery, sometimes life happens and they aren’t able to deliver within this timeframe. When this is the case, your tracking number may update to advise of a ‘delayed’ delivery date.

If your item still hasn’t been delivered within 12 days, please contact us and we can launch an investigation with Australia Post.

*Please note: Once we pass your Zanvak order to Australia Post, your package is with a different provider. We completely understand delays are frustrating, however once your order is with the courier, any issues need to be investigated by Australia Post. We are able to contact them on your behalf to resolve any issues. Please be assured, we will always do our best to get the issue sorted as quickly as possible for you, Australia Post is experiencing delays due to COVID-19 so please be patient with the process. 

Yay, time to celebrate – it’s on its way! After we pass your order to Australia Post, we will send you a shipping confirmation email which will have a ‘Track Order’ button. This will take you directly to the Australia Post site so you can follow the live tracking updates!

Haven’t received your shipping confirmation email yet? Your order may be on pre-order, as confirmed on the website at time of purchase. Be sure to check your original order confirmation, you won’t receive a shipping confirmation email until that pre-order date. 

Oops, Zanvak gear not being sent to the right address? We can absolutely help change this for you! Provided your order has not shipped, please send us the new details and we can change this over for you.

If your order has been shipped, don’t panic! You can still redirect it via the Australia Post tracking link we provide on your shipping confirmation email.

*Please note: We can only send your order to the address you provide on your order - if you have provided an incorrect address, and the package is delivered there, we are unable to retrieve it so please check your address carefully! 

We ship to most regions worldwide. Please check this detailed breakdown before ordering to make sure we can deliver to your geographical location.

Australia Post offers deliveries to the following countries, If you are unsure if we ship to your region please contact us for a personal responce,

Afghanistan, Åland Islands, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Ascension Island, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Caribbean Netherlands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Vatican City, Honduras, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao SAR, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Cameroon, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, St. Barthélemy, St. Helena, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre & Miquelon, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé & Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard & Jan Mayen, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, U.S. Outlying Islands, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, British Virgin Islands, Wallis & Futuna, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe 

All of our products are shipped right here in Australia, out of our distribution centres. This means there’s no need to stress about any customs fees, as it’s shipping from your own backyard.

If you are an international customer:

PLEASE NOTE that you are responsible for paying all import taxes, duties, and fees. These are not included in the cost of shipping and must be paid to your local Customs office at the time of import.

PLEASE NOTE that you are responsible for determining that our products can be lawfully and legally imported into your country, in accordance with your country’s standards, specifications, and/or labelling requirements.

Transit times for all shipping methods cover the period from when your item leaves our warehouse to when it arrives at your Customs office. Neither we nor the shipping carrier has any control over how long it takes to get through Customs. (Though we’re happy to provide documents and other info to help you get your package ASAP!) 

All jokes and puns aside - your privacy and security is our highest priority. We use Shopify Payments which is an extremely secure and highly encrypted system designed to protect customers and also hold merchants accountable.

We accept the good old-fashioned methods of payment, such as credit cards (Visa/Mastercard/American Express) as well as debit cards that can be used for online transactions. If you’re a bit more tech-savvy, we offer PayPal, Google Pay and Apple Pay too!

Need a little longer to pay for your Zanvak order? We offer After pay, Shop Pay, PayPal Pay In 4 and Zip Pay payment plans. 

For when payday is just that bit too far away, we have 4 payment plans available. You can select from either After pay, Zip Pay, Shop Pay and PayPal Pay-In-4 provided you are located in Australia.

*Please note: These are separate companies to us and you will need to create an account with either of them. 

Woo, it’s on sale - so you’re basically saving money (at least, that’s what we tell ourselves when something is on sale). Simply head to the checkout, and on the first page of the checkout there will be a box for you to enter your discount code in - make sure to click ‘Apply’! This is offered before the payment page so you’re totally aware of how much you can save.

*Please note: Only one discount code can be used per order. If you are purchasing multiple bundles and discounts, we suggest placing separate orders. Strikethrough prices may consider the discount code mentioned in the description. Please check email offers for which items the code is applicable for (eg. Wicked Edge Stones only). 

Made your Zanvak purchase, and as the payment was loading you realised with horror you hadn’t added your discount? Never fear, that opportunity hasn’t slipped away! Simply email our lovely Zanvak team at Hello@zanvak.com.au and they will be happy to help correct this for you.

*Please note: Only one discount code can be used per order. If you are purchasing multiple bundles and discounts, we suggest placing separate orders. Strikethrough prices may consider the discount code mentioned in the description. Please check email offers for which items the code is applicable for (eg. Wicked Edge Stones only). 

Want to share that Zanvak love? Unfortunately we don’t offer gift cards or vouchers, but we have a flexible return policy - so you can buy that lucky person some sharpening gear, and we can help them find the right system!

If your item still hasn’t been delivered within 12 days, please contact us and we can launch an investigation with Australia Post.

*Please note: Once we pass your sharpening gear order to Australia Post, your package is with a different provider. We completely understand delays are frustrating, however once your order is with the courier, any issues need to be investigated by Australia Post.

We are able to contact them on your behalf to resolve any issues. Please be assured, we will always do our best to get the issue sorted as quickly as possible for you. 

All pricing for our Australian store is listed in Australian dollars (AUD). Still kind of sad that the petition to call them ‘dollary-doos’ didn’t work though…

If you Land on our www.zanvak.com website you will see USD

If you land on our www.zanvak.co.nz website you will see NZD

The usual order is to start with coarser stones having larger abrasive grains, then move to finer stones with smaller grains.

No. Don't soak our stones for more than 30 minutes, because this may cause the stone to become softer.

No. Don't use hot water with our sharpening stones, because the water will cause extreme changes in temperature that can cause cracks.

No. Don't use detergents with our sharpening stones, because they can cause changes in the quality of the stones.

No, do not attempt to dry a sharpening stone rapidly by directly applying a fan or the like, as this can cause cracking.

Cracks can form when a sharpening stone is not used for some time, or if usage precautions are not observed. The main causes are sudden drying or extreme changes in temperature.

Shave off the surface at the cracked part. Cracks get deeper as they get wider, so it is important to do this at an early stage, while the crack is still small. If the stone is used in an extremely dry environment, we recommend keeping it in a plastic bag or a sealed plastic container, to prevent acute dry-out after use.

Sharpening stones start deforming the moment they are used to sharpen a blade. Repeated sharpening then causes the flatness of the blade to be damaged too, mirroring the deformed surface of the stone.
Use a lapping plate such as Jende Glass, KUBO, DGLP or NAORU to return the surface of the sharpening stone to its flat state.

We take pride in our packaging skill, we are masters of Tetris and ensure that your gear gets to you safely and securely.

We want everyone to feel like their Zanvak delivery is special, even if it's a gift to yourself! All Zanvak gear come packaged in non branded mailing boxes, so nothing goes walk-about before getting to you. 

Our sharpeners and accessories are only sold on our online store, so we do not offer wholesale discounts for reselling. If you are looking to make a bulk personal purchase (like Professional sharpening businesses or Teachers) please email us at hello@zanvak.com.au for more information!

*Please note: This is subject to stock availability. 

Have a special someone who you think needs an sharpener in their life (or just trying to earn some major brownie points)? A knife sharpener is the perfect gift! You can ship a knife sharpener directly to that lucky lad or lady by entering their address as the shipping address, and your own as the billing address.

All sharpeners don’t include any value invoices inside the bag as any receipts are sent directly to your own email address. It’s that easy!

*Please note: We are unable to include messages in the package - we’re sorry! We think sending a knife sharpener is a message of love enough though. 

Be careful when selecting the starting stone in your sharpening progression as selecting a stone that is to coarse can result in overworking the bevel and removal of to much metal, this can also result in more work trying to remove the heavy scratches from the edge.

A handy tip is to use a stone that is middle range like a 1000 grit Naniwa Chosera, attempt to sharpen the blade at the desired angle and give it some scrubs for about 1 minute just on one side to see the result.

There are three thing that will possibly happen:

1. A burr will form in most areas along the bevel, this will indicate a good starting stone to begin with
2. A large heavy burr will form across the full length of the bevel indicating that the stone of choice may be to coarse for that steel and blade option.
3. Absolutely no burr develops along the bevel, which indicates that the stone is to fine or the bevel is to damaged for that stone to work correctly, you would want to test a lower grit sharpening stone till you achieve the results from #1 option. 

A general rule of thumb is once a burr has been formed on the entire length of the bevel on each side, confirming an apex has been made it is ok to progress.

The burr will indicate that the apex has been met across the entire bevel, this indicates that the metal has been worked and removed appropriately, confirm that your angle is still at the desired amount and continue to sharpen.

Always confirm your angle with the angle cube when changing stones, as when the stones start to change in thickness this can result in minor angle changes and sometimes can cause the user to not achieve a burr.

As you progress through the stone grits the burr will get smaller and smaller to the point that you cannot feel it easily, this is where a magnifier or microfiber cloth can be used to help see/feel the bur.

The Angle Cube will be your trusted friend in the sharpening journey. 

How long is a piece of string? There is no 1 size fits all angle for all blades.

So how do you determine what angle is best for my blade?

Their are pros and cons of Higher VS Lower angles, Higher angles tend to be more durable but wont cut as cleanly and require more effort to cut lower angles can achieve a higher sharpness but are far less durable and degrade faster.

Sharpness can be determined by what the knifes intended purpose was, to cut down branches or to sliver a fine piece of tuna sashimi.

As a guide for sharpening here are some general suggested angles:

• Anything below 15° is saved generally for specialist knives such as razors and knives that do delicate work on softer materials.
• 15°-20° is a general range for most kitchen knives that are mainly used for slicing
• 20°-22° is generally for all purpose knives like folding knives and chopping knives 
• 22° and up is saved mostly for bush craft, outdoors and hunting knives as these blades regularly require a thicker blade stock and are often hitting through harder items like branches and bones.

Match the factory angle, this may seem obvious but is generally overlooked as finding the angle can be somewhat tricky if you do no know how to do it.

The sharpie method is a common trick used by professionals to help determine the angle that the knife was sharpened from factory, simply run a sharpie carefully down the bevel on each side so the primary bevel is "painted" with marker, proceed to run the blade over the stone and watch to see if any of the marker is being removed.

If you’ve only removed the marker near the bevel, then you’re at a wider angle than the existing edge is, i.e. at 25° when the edge is 20°.

If you’ve only removed the marker farthest from the edge, or you didn’t hit the bevel at all, then you’re at a narrower angle than the existing bevel is, i.e. 20° when the bevel is 25°.

For either of these scenarios, you can move to the next angle up or down to see if it is a better match.

If you sharpen at the angle that is the closest match while being wider than the existing angle, then you will not have to remove much metal, and you will create a secondary bevel.

This means that you will lose a small amount cutting power while gaining some durability for the edge. 

Strop compound is an extremely fine abrasive used in the final polishing stages of sharpening.

These abrasives are sometimes loose, but are usually held in a medium like a wax bar, a paste or a spray. The particles in our selection of compounds range from 15 microns, roughly equivalent to a 1000 grit water stone, down to 0.5 micron, or about 60,000 grit. Various materials are used for the abrasive particles such as aluminium oxide, chromium oxide and diamonds.

Zanvak has Australia's largest range of stropping products under the one roof

see the range HERE 

A strop is a surface that is used after the finest stone for the final stage of sharpening. The function of a strop is to polish the edge and work off any burr left behind by sharpening stones.

Although other materials are used such as Balsa wood, Nano Cloth and Denim, strops are generally made of leather. Both the suede and smooth sides of the leather can be used.

They can be mounted to a rigid base, like leather on a wood paddle strop, or can be flexible like leather or a linen razor strops traditionally used by barbers.

Check out Zanvak's extensive range of Strops HERE 

The Process

Hold the blade bevel against the surface of the strop with light pressure and move the blade away from the cutting edge. Flip the blade over and do the same on the other side. The process is the same on any stropping medium like Balsa and Nano cloth, with or without a honing compound.

Final Tips

Avoid moving the blade toward the cutting edge as it will cut into the strop surface, resulting in dulling of the edge and cutting into the strop. A few strokes is usually enough to bring the edge back. A strop is best used prior to the edge becoming dull. Used consistently, it is a key step in maintaining a razor sharp edge. 

No, there are no time limits on when sharpening stones can be used.

No, Japanese stones do not need to be soaked except the very first time after purchase. We do recommend that on first use, you pre-soak the stone in water for five to six minutes to secure even smoother sharpening.

No. It is in the nature of sharpening stones that spots or uneven colours appear on the stone surface. This is not a quality problem, and you can use the stone without concern.

No. These white marbled patterns can appear on the surface of a sharpening stone under certain conditions, depending on how the stone is stored. This is not a quality problem, and you can use the stone without concern.

Sharpening stones are made of abrasives such as alumina and silicon carbide, combined with binders and other compound materials.

That depends on the blade's material, purpose and frequency of use, as well as the level of cut you are seeking.
Our recommendation is to sharpen a blade whenever you feel its cutting ability has declined.

It may have become clogged. We recommend that you try using a lapping plate.

As a guide, use a pencil to draw a grid on the stone surface to be flattened.
Parts where the lines get erased show where the lapping plate has made contact, i.e. where flattening has been performed correctly.

Sorry, we know this is the boring legal mumbo-jumbo, but take a minute to have a read of our return policy. We offer free returns for 30 days from date of delivery/receiving of order.

However, not all items are eligible. Any exclusions will be called out on product pages and / or at checkout. To be eligible for a return:

1. Item(s) have to be initiated for return and placed in the post within 30 days of the delivery/receiving of order.

2. Item(s) were not marked “Final Sale” or “Non-Returnable” at the time of purchase, unless faulty.

3. Item(s) must be in the original packaging, which must be in original condition.

This includes Carboard sleeves, wrapping, plastic bags, Stones unused, Box in the same condition .You will be asked to put your photography skills to the test and provide a photo of your item prior to sending it back to us so we can assess the condition.

*Please note: If you are returning one of your items from a bundle, your order is no longer valid at that bundle pricing.

For more details please view the full policy HERE 

Sadly, we know that sometimes the Sharpening products is just not quite the right fit for some people. You can certainly return your sharpening gear to us for a full refund, provided it is returned within 30 days.

*Please note: all sharpening gear must be returned in as new condition, with the original box, accessories, sleeves, stickers to be eligible for a return.

**Please note: If you are returning one of your items from a bundle, your order is no longer valid at that bundle pricing. 

All returns (for both refunds and exchanges) except warranty cases within Australia will need to be covered by the purchaser.

Just contact our friendly team a hello@zanvak.com.au and they will be able to help you along the way. 

We are working hard behind the scenes to get the sharpening gear in and out of our fulfilment centres. We strongly encourage that you send through a photo of your receipt from the post office as proof your return has been lodged.

As soon as we have this information, we can action either your exchange or refund immediately! If you forget to grab this receipt, we will just need to wait until that one gets back to our warehouse before we can go ahead.