How to Care for Your Kitchen Knives

Kitchen knives come in a variety of types and can be made from multiple materials. While the best way to care for them is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations that came with them upon purchase, there are a few general rules of thumb that apply to the care of most kitchen knives. An important factor in learning to care for your particular set of knives is to know the anatomy of knives, and the materials that comprise your set of knives. A crucial element to caring for kitchen knives is to know how to sharpen and hone them.Once that knowledge is in place, caring for your kitchen knives becomes a relatively quick and simple process that can help extend their life. Developing good habits when it comes to the use and maintenance of your kitchen knives will not only help extend their life, but it will also shorten the length of time overall needed to care for your knives.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• All of your kitchen knives
• sharpening stone and oil
• honing kit
• lemon oil or high-quality furniture polish
• hot soapy water
• dry towel

1. Identify the kitchen knives in your collection that are ceramic. Ceramic knives are loved for their light weight. These knives do not leave a metal taste in food and do not rust, but they are subject to chipping and breaking. Ceramic knives are valued for how long they remain sharp, so they rarely need sharpening. If they do need to be sharpened, they will need to either be returned to the manufacturer, or sent to a qualified knife sharpening company that has the specialized equipment needed for the job.Inspect each knife carefully for chips, breaks, and dullness. Dispose of those knives that are unusable. Set aside those that are dull, to be shipped in later to the appropriate source for sharpening. Return the remaining ceramic knives to their storage place.Hand washing is recommended for these knives.

2. Pull out the kitchen knives in your collection that are made from carbon steel. Knives made from carbon steel are higher maintenance than most kitchen knives. These knives must be dried and lubricated after each washing. These knives are among the easiest to sharpen. A slight patina over time is normal, and part of the rust-prevention quality this material offers.Inspect each knife, and sharpen those that are becoming dull. Wash, dry, and lubricate each knife that is in good condition. Return the sharpened and cleaned knives to their storage place. Dispose of the broken or otherwise unusable knives.

3. Inspect the remaining knives. Dispose of those that are unusable. Lubricate and sharpen those that are in good condition. Return these knives to their storage place.

4. Each time you use your knives, be sure to clean and dry them properly. Lubricate and sharpen them as needed. Inspect each knife for dullness, chips, and other damage every time you clean it.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to dispose of your old knives, there are a couple of options to consider. Call your local metal recycling center if your knives are in poor condition. Call your local thrift shop if they are in working condition.
• Wood and plastic cutting boards are better than metal, marble, or other hard surfaces for helping to maintain your kitchen knives. Hard cutting surfaces can cause your kitchen knives to become dull more quickly.
• A wooden knife block or an installed hanging magnetic knife strip is the best way to store your kitchen knives. Magnetic strips are not recommended in households with small children.
• Knives with wooden handles should not be submersed in water or put in a dishwasher. When washing a wooden handled knife, be sure to immediately and thoroughly dry the handle. Lemon oil should be applied to the wooden handles of knives to help maintain them. If you cannot find lemon oil, try using a high-quality furniture polish.
• Never use a knife to pry anything open. Not only is using a knife to pry things open a safety hazard, but it can damage or break your knife. Only use your knives for the purpose they were designed, and you will extend their life.
• Kitchen knives are not generally made to cut through extremely hard or frozen objects. Trying to do so may damage your knife, and could result in you being injured if the knife breaks or if you lose control of it while trying to force it through a too-hard object.
• Never test the sharpness of a knife against skin. Use a fingernail instead, for safety reasons.
• Dropping a kitchen knife into the sink or a knife drawer can damage the blade. Gently place knives into the sink for washing, and store them in a knife block or other storage device that keeps them separate from each other.

Resources

• Illustrated instructions of how to sharpen and hone knives