Kitchen Knife Care Tips for Longer Lasting Use

A kitchen can hardly run without a sharp knife. A kitchen knife is very important in food preparation for slicing meat, vegetables and spices. And it is important that it is properly used, kept and cared for to maintain its sharpness and quality. And unless you know how to care for and maintain your kitchen knife, you are likely to deal with a blunt knife from time to time.

To maintain the sharpness of your knife and keep it at its best, there are several important tips that you can observe:

1. Cutting

• Use the right knife for its intended purpose. Different types of kitchen knife include filleting knife, paring knife, boning knife, turning knife, carving knife and several others. Each knife is designed for a special purpose; don’t interchange them.
• Don’t use your kitchen knife as a substitute for scissors, a screwdriver, pry bar, chisel or hammer as it is not designed for purposes other than cutting as it can bend or ruin the blade.

2. Cutting Surfaces

• Always use the appropriate cutting board when cutting with the knife.
• Avoid using hard surfaces and table tops such as glass, granite, metal or porcelain surfaces as chopping board as they can cause your kitchen knife to be easily blunt.
• The ideal chopping boards are those made of wood.

3. Cleaning

• Clean your kitchen knife after each use.
• Use mild soap in washing knife then dry immediately.
• To remove stains from the blade, use non-abrasive metal polish.
• Don’t soak your knife in water; it will cause rust and lose its sharpness.
• Don’t wash your knife in the dishwasher as heat can seriously damage the blade.
• When washing kitchen knife, make sure it will not touch or bump other hard objects because it can damage the sharpness of the blade.

3. Oiling

• Oil the handle and blade of your kitchen knife from time to time for a sleek effect.

4. Storing

• Wash and dry your kitchen knife before storing.
• Don’t mix it with other pieces of cutleries; instead use a wooden knife block, knife tray or magnetic knife holder.
• Store knives in a dry storage place.

5. Sharpening

• Keep your kitchen knife sharp; it is safer and easier to use a sharp knife than a blunt or dull knife.
• Sharpen your knife regularly using a knife sharpener or have it done professionally.

6. Honing

• Hone your knife regularly to recalibrate the blade to its original shape and maintain its sharp edge.
• Use sharpening steel to hone the knife.

 

Knives can easily deteriorate and turn dull with lack of proper care and maintenance. Believe it or not, working with a dull knife is more dangerous than working with a sharp one; it requires more effort to cut without giving you the perfect cut you want. Additionally, it increases the possibility of slipping and accidentally cutting yourself with it. By observing these kitchen knife care tips, you can ensure that your knife will last for a long time, maintain its sharpness and do perfect cut every time.