5 Tips for Looking After Your Kitchen Knives

A great knife is the only thing standing in the way of you becoming the next best kitchen sensation. Well, that and years of practice and fantastic recipes. However, for this article, we will focus on the knife part.

Too many accidents happen in the kitchen because of blunt kitchen knives. At least when you know your knives are super sharp, you are much more careful when using them. A high-quality knife set can set you back hundreds and even thousands of dollars, so make sure that yours are well taken care of.

Below are five tips for looking after your kitchen knife investment:

Store Them Properly

You might have grown up in a house where knives were stored in the drawer with the other cutlery and utensils. That is the wrong place to store your precious sharpies. Not only is that incredibly dangerous (some people have the scars to prove it), but it will also damage the blade.

Store your knives in a block or an in-drawer leather organizer. If you’re short on space, then mount them to a magnet on the kitchen wall.

Cleaning Instructions

Read the cleaning instructions that came with your knives very carefully – they will show you the best way to look after your new kitchen investment and become a pro in the kitchen. Most steel knives are technically dishwasher safe, but that doesn’t mean that is the correct way to clean them.

If any food particles get left on the knife, they can damage the blade. Instead, wash and dry your knives as soon as possible after use.

Keep Them Sharp

Keep your knives in good condition by keeping them sharp. For the best job, invest in a quality whetstone – that will help keep your knife in tip-top shape for many years to come. You can also use other methods to sharpen your knives, but stones are the best choice for taking care of the blade.

Learn how to use a whetstone for sharpening, it is straightforward, but you need to know what you’re doing.

Choose The Right Board

Your choice of chopping board is directly related to the health of your knives. Glass boards might be all the rage in kitchens, but they are not meant to be chopped on. Besides the immediate danger of the glass shattering underneath your knife, the harsh glass surface will wear away at your blade over time.

The best choice for chopping on is a wooden board, it allows the knife to sink in, and the good-quality wooden boards can self-heal.

Use The Right Knife

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t know what each knife’s purpose is. Never use a paring knife to fillet a fish, likewise, you should never use a carving knife to cut a tomato.

Knives are designed with purpose and intent in mind, that is the easiest way to ensure that your knives are kept in good condition, and you are safe in the kitchen. Always be careful when handling sharp knives.