Knife Maintenance and Storage

Each kitchen knife is designed for a specific use and should be used only for that purpose. They should not be used to pry lids off cans, bottles or cut against hard surfaces. If given adequate care, they last a life time. Buy a honing steel to straighten the edge and a sharpener to sharpen the edge. Get a pair of good wood cutting boards, one for meat and the other for cutting vegetables. Wooden cutting boards are easier to clean and harbor less germs than plastic ones.

Keep the blades of your kitchen knives dry, and wipe finger prints and moisture off after each use, with a soft cotton cloth. This is particularly important with blades of high carbon steel. Tarnishing is a normal property of carbon steel and cannot be avoided. Applying a couple of drops of any quality oil or silicon treatment to the blade with a soft cotton cloth will provide excellent protection. Check your kitchen knives often for possible trouble spots. If any stains appear, try removing the stains with a standard metal cleaner or polish. Never use a dishwasher for cleaning your good kitchen knives. Doing so could possibly remove the temper from the edge and render the blade soft so it will not hold an edge. Always use soap or hot water to clean your kitchen knives after they have been used to cut poultry, fish or meat. Wash by hand and dry immediately.

Store kitchen knives in a knife block or in a magnetic knife rack designed specifically for storage of kitchen knives. Kitchen knives stored in a drawer will dull more quickly.