Knives are a staple in every kitchen. No one wants a dull knife to use when they cook though. Did you know there are ways for you to make them last longer? Here are 10 tips to take better care of your kitchen knives.
Properly Store Them
Storage is very important for the longevity of your knives. If you just lay them in a drawer, they are more likely to become damaged. It is best to store your knives in a knife rack or block! These are usually wooden storage containers that you can get at most stores that will help your knives be sharp longer.
Hand Wash Your Knives
Did you know that putting your knives in the dishwasher can ruin them? Dishwashers are extremely harsh on blades and handles. No one wants a dull knife because of a dishwasher! It’s best to hand wash your knives to keep them sharper longer.
Make Sure You Use the Right Cutting Surface
Hard surfaces like glass are bad for your knives. The harder the surface, the duller your knife will become. It is important to make sure your cutting boards are made of plastic or wood. Your knives will thank you for that!
Don’t Chop Your Food, Slice It
Chopping your food can make your knives dull. It is recommended to gently slice food instead of chopping them. To make sure you are slicing, cut back and forth with a rocking motion. Chopping sounds exactly like what it is, you just cut straight down. Be a slicer not a chopper!
Make Sure You Use a Honing Steel
Honing steel will make your knives last longer. What does honing steel do exactly? It helps straighten the metal on your knife without removing any of the metal fibers. This will help prevent dullness. Honing is not the same as sharpening a knife.
Don’t DIY Sharpen
One of the worst things you can do is do-it-yourself sharpening. You could seriously damage your knives by using whatever tips and tricks you learned on the internet. There are knife services that can do the sharpening for you. Let a professional sharpen your knives and they will be good as new!
Clear Your Cutting Surface With the Spine
The blade is what you use to cut your food. The spine is the less sharp part on the other side of your blade. It is better to use the spine to clear food off your cutting board than the blade. You can damage the blade by scraping it along a cutting board. Using the spine will prevent damage to your blade and help your knives cut for a longer period of time.
Don’t Soak Your Knives
It’s okay to use soap to clean your knives but soaking them is a bad idea. Soap has chemicals in it and the chemicals could eat away at the blade of the knife, making it dull. Cleaning your knives is one thing, soaking them is another thing. Just remember, never soak when cleaning!
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Keep Knives Away From Heat
It is sort of a no-brainer, but heat is bad for knives. Knives are used for cooking, so sometimes it is easy to forget to move your knife as you cook. If a knife gets heated up, that could spell disaster for the handle. Once your handle is melted, you can’t really use your knife.
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Send Out Your Old Knives
When it is time for sharpening, it is best to send your knives out to a company that will handle them with care. They can do the sharpening for you, so you don’t have to worry about damaging them on your own. Sending your knives out will also help them last longer! Who doesn’t want that?
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