If you don’t already have a set of high-quality knives, there’s a good chance that you’ll purchase one at some point in your life.
When that happens, you’ll need to know how to provide good care to the blades to make sure they stay in top shape for as long as possible.
Related Reading: Best Butcher Knives On The Market Today
Below, we’ll guide you through taking care of your knife, from storing them to cleaning them, and even taking into consideration your cutting board.
With this knowledge, you’ll have knives that can last for years, meaning there will be one less thing that you have to worry about replacing too often.
Tips for Caring for Your Knife
Knives can be a big investment, and they can make your life a lot easier when they are well taken care of.
On the other hand, they can become dull if they aren’t properly taken care of. Use the following tips to make sure your knives can have the longest lives possible.
Considering Storage
For many, knives are an expensive investment, which means they need to be taken care of.
There are a couple of ways in which you can make sure your cutting tools are kept sharp and functional.
The first way is very simple. Make sure to store your knives away from other silverware.
If they come into contact, the other pieces can cause damage to your good knives.
In addition, you can choose to get inexpensive guards for your knives.
This is just one more way to make sure they are safe while not in use. Quality guards can not only protect the knives, but also those who are handling them when taking them out for a task.
Choosing Knives
You may notice that your knives come in different shapes and sizes. This is largely because they are designed to take on different tasks.
Paring knives are ideal for things like cleaning up potatoes, while cleavers are great for quickly chopping up thicker food items like meat.
Using the right knife for a given task can keep them from receiving unnecessary wear and tear.
Because they are used for their own unique tasks, trying to use them for any cutting task can cause them to dull more quickly and in some cases it may even break them.
Cleaning Your Knives
Most knives are safe to clean in the dishwasher. However, it’s not the most effective way of getting them clean.
Think about how often you run your dishwasher, and how long food may sit on those knives before it gets running.
While for other dishes, that might not be a large problem, that food stuck on the knife can damage it.
The longer it rests on the blade, the more it can wear the blade down. Instead, wash knives carefully by hand as soon as possible after using them, to limit any damage caused by the food.
Knife Sharpening
Even the best knives may become a little dull at some point. However, it’s not extremely difficult to get them back into shape.
Pick up a steel sharpener that is at least the same size as your largest knife and learn how to use it. This will allow you to get more use from your blades.
You’ll also want a whetstone around that you can make use of.
Typically, both a whetstone and a steel sharpener would be used in keeping your blades sharp.
Don’t be intimidated by these items if you haven’t used them before, they don’t take long to learn!
Consider the Material of Your Knives
The material your knife is made from may dictate that it needs a little more care, or slightly different care, than other kinds of knives.
For example, carbon steel knives can require an extra wipe before cutting into acidic foods in order to avoid damage to the steel.
Make sure to take a look at your knives and get an idea about the material they are made from.
Then, do a little bit of research about how to take the best possible care of the kind of knives you have.
The good news is that most steel knives don’t require much extra care.
Take a Look at Your Cutting Board
Your cutting board can make a difference in the life of your knives.
Surfaces that are too hard can damage your knife, so stay away from cutting on your countertops, glass boards or other options that are especially hard.
To keep your knives in good shape, make sure to use a cutting board that is made from either plastic or wood.
While there are many who have strong opinions about which is better, both will be safe with regard to how well they allow your knife to cut without becoming dull or blunt.
