Knife Care and Maintenance Tips

We all know that most of our kitchen work cannot be done without a good knife. Because a good knife has more control, fewer slips, is more secure, is faster, consistently makes more slices, and is more durable. So, in regard to this, we are had written some excellent knife care and maintenance tips through which you can extend the life of your knives and keep them in brand-new shape.

Guide for Knife Care and Maintenance

• Choose the Right Cutting Surface:

Picking the right surface is essential before you even think about using a knife such as chopping, slicing, dicing, etc.

Go with the following materials for the cutting board:

• Plastic
• Wood,
• Composite mix

Surfaces like glass, granite, and marble look classy but they can be harder for your knife’s blade resulting in getting its blade, dull.

Related: How to Decorate Kitchen Counters without Clutter?

• Always Remember the Purpose of Knife:

The knife is made for cutting, only. Never try to use it for other purposes like using it as a screwdriver. It can often break the tip of the knife.

Don’t try to cut anything frozen and make your good sharp knives, dull.

• Pick the Right Knife:

Many people love to buy a whole set of knives. But professional advice that two knives are enough for most households: an 8-inch chef’s knife and a paring knife. As you can use the chef’s knife for slicing, dicing, mincing, and carving.

You can use your paring knife for coring tomatoes, hulling strawberries, slicing a single shallot, etc.

If you really want a third one, buy a Santoku knife that is perfect for rough and tough work like hacking through bone, etc.

• NEVER Use Dishwasher:

This is one of the best tips among our knife care tips. It is highly recommended to not use the dishwasher.

Dishwashers are a nightmare for knives.

Firstly, the water pressure can crack their wooden handles and its severe heat is also not appropriate for their blade.

Secondly, the prolonged use of the dishwasher will soften the steel as the heating element inside the dishwasher heats up the steel of the knives over time and this heating will dull the blade.

The heating of steel is known as tempering. When the knives are made, the steel was tempered.

Reheating weakens the metal. Over time, the blade of your knife won’t keep its nice, sharp edge. 

• Proper Storage:

Never just throw your knives in the utensil drawer. As the banging up with other spoons and knives in the drawer will dull its edges.

Store them properly either in a knife block or magnetic strip.

If you really want to store them in your common utensil drawer then must go for knife guards.

They will help to protect the blades and also be a safety tip against kitchen hazards for you and your family.

• NEVER Forget Sharpening:

Always keep in mind that the sliver rod that comes in a knife set is not actually for sharpening your knife. It’s just honing it.

Common households should sharpen their knives once a year with a good sharper. Or you can gain help from knife shops and even some knife manufacturers can do this for you.

• Do Condition Knife Handle:

One should condition the handles of their knives just like condition their wooden cutting boards.

Good conditioning is just like treating your knife handles with a little moisture.

You can either use mineral oil, cutting board oil, or natural beeswax in this concern. Next, leave it overnight to soak in, and then wipe it off. Your knife is ready for use.