How Do I Care For My Set Of Culinary Knives?

My previous blog post covered “How Do I Sharpen My Set Of Culinary Knives?”. The step after is now caring for them.

If you use a knife, whether it’s your favorite set of chef knives that you use to feed your family or the hunting knife you use to skin a deer, or the pocket knife you carry with you for everyday tasks, learning how to properly care for it will help it last as long as possible. Fortunately, caring for knives is quite simple and straightforward. I am going to lay out my basic guidelines for use, cleaning, storage, and sharpening, to help you get the most out of your edged tools.

Use: Every knife is designed to accomplish a specific set of tasks, and using a knife for a task that it is not intended for is a sure way to damage your blade. Using your pocket knife to cut wires, for instance, will likely dull the blade. A knife should never be used as a pry bar.
Culinary knives are particularly specialized, and that’s a good thing! A knife that is made to do everything will not perform well for anything, so you should be aware of what tasks your knife is made to do. If you use a thin knife that is designed to slice vegetables to quarter a chicken or hack through something frozen, the chances of chipping or warping the edge are quite high.

You should also consider the cutting surface you use in your kitchen. Wooden cutting boards are the gentlest on your kitchen knife edges, and will keep them sharp for longer. Bamboo is quite a bit harsher than wood, and hard materials like glass, ceramic, and metal should be avoided entirely.

Cleaning: It is important to clean your knife after use. As a rule of thumb, you should use the gentlest cleaning method possible. Abrasives such as steel wool, scouring pads, and Scotch-Brite should be avoided, as they tend to scratch both blades and handles and can also dull the edge. A soft sponge with water and dish detergent is usually sufficient for cleaning knives.

Carbon steel blades will rust if they are left to air-dry after cleaning. If you have a carbon steel knife, be sure to clean it soon after using it, and dry it with a towel. If a blade becomes rusty, a good solution is to scrub it with the original Barkeepers Friend powdered cleaner on a sponge or cloth. As always, be sure to rinse and dry the blade afterward to keep it in good condition.

Wood handles should not be left to soak in water, otherwise they will swell, shortening their lifespan and potentially cracking. Like carbon steel blades, wood handles should be towel-dried after washing. If the wood starts to look dry, a cutting board oil or wax, such as Beekeeper’s Gold, should be applied to restore the protective oils in the wood.
Do not leave your knives to soak. Soaking knives can allow water to seep into handle materials and seams between components, particularly with natural handle materials that tend to shrink and swell with changes in moisture. Additionally, most people who soak knives put them in a tub or jar with other utensils, which is not only a safety hazard, but it will also cause the edges to become dull and chipped.

Do not put your knives in the dishwasher. There are plenty of knives that claim to be dishwasher safe, and those with plastic or silicone handles often are more resilient in the harsh conditions of a dishwasher. However, the high temperature can damage many handle materials, and the risk of the edge coming into contact with other metal utensils is high. Carbon steel, wood, and other natural handle materials should absolutely never be put in a dishwasher.

Storage: The most important consideration when storing your knives is to keep the edges from contacting other knives or hard surfaces. Knife blocks, magnetic strips, knife rolls, sayas, sheaths, or protective sleeves are all great ways to keep the edges sharp and prevent damage.
Carbon steels should be stored in a dry place. If the knife is going to be stored for a long period of time, oiling the blade will help prevent rust. If a sheath becomes wet, be sure to let it dry thoroughly before putting a knife back in it, otherwise it may rust the blade.
Sharpening: It is easier to keep a knife sharp than it is to sharpen it. Regular touchups with a strop or a ceramic honing rod will help to keep your edges cutting well. 

As a reminder for more detailed information on how to sharpen your knives, take a look at my blog post from last month.

If you would like to commission a culinary knife to your specifications, you can start the process by filling out my contact form and sending me a description of what you are looking for.
If you are looking for a limited edition culinary knife that has been hand forged and is ready to order, feel free to check out my shop.