Don't Use That Kitchen Knife Until You Know How
To Care For It
D Ruplinger
When using a kitchen knife, or any sharp object, remember to
put safety first. Although it sounds obvious don’t run around
with a sharp knife in your hand, don’t point a knife at anyone
and always cut away from yourself not towards yourself. Also,
don’t use your finger to see how sharp the blade is. Yes, I
know some of you reading this article have been guilty of this
at least once and have found out that the edge of the knife was
indeed very sharp because you cut yourself on it!
Another important safety tip is to never use the knife for
other than its intended purpose. No, a sharp kitchen knife
should not be used as a makeshift screwdriver or as a device to
try and pry open a locked door that you can’t find the key for.
Nor should it be used to pry apart a stack of frozen hamburger
patties. You could easily cut yourself if the knife slips and
you are also in danger of breaking the tip of your knife off.
Also, don’t use your kitchen knives to cut the tops off plastic
jugs or to cut cardboard boxes unless you want to almost
instantly dull your knife. Use a scissors or utility knife for
those jobs.
When you buy a kitchen knife you get what you pay for so invest
in the best quality knives you can afford and buy them from a
reputable dealer. A fully forged carbon knife is the highest
quality knife you can buy. High carbon stainless steel knives
are also pretty good. Regular stainless steel knives aren’t as
good and won’t last you as long but any knife will last longer
if you take care of it properly (and most people don’t care for
their knives the way they should). What should you do to
properly maintain your knives? Below is a list of 6 important
knife care tips.
1) Never ever, and I repeat NEVER, put your knives in the
dishwasher. The harsh chemicals from your dishwasher detergent
will pit your knives and the dry cycle will also damage your
knives. In addition, if the sharp edges of your knives bump up
against anything else, like your plates, it will damage and
dull your knives. Instead, as soon as possible after using your
knives, wash them by hand with a mild detergent and hand dry
them. Don’t allow the knives to drip dry because moisture will
dull your knives and will damage the wood handles of knives.
2) Always use a cutting board. Don’t cut on your countertop.
Not only is cutting on your countertop bad for your countertop,
it’s bad for the blade of your knife too. And never use a glass
cutting board. Glass cutting boards may be pretty but they are
also pretty horrible for a knife. It’s a quick way to dull and
ruin a knife.
3) Regularly use a honing steel to maintain the edges on your
knives, but learn how to use the honing steel properly. To
learn the right technique, ask the dealer where you buy your
knives to sell you a good honing steel and to also show you how
to use it.
4) Have your knives professionally sharpened. Although there
are lots of knife sharpeners available for in-home use, I don’t
recommend using them. It’s too easy to permanently damage your
knife. Instead use your honing steel regularly and take your
knives to a professional for sharpening a few times a year. If
you take care of your knives properly you won’t need to get
your knives sharpened more than a few times a year depending on
how much you use your knives.
5) Don’t store your knives in a drawer with lots of metal
objects, such as your kitchen utensil drawer. The edges of your
knives will get banged against the other metal things, damaging
and dulling the edges of your knives. You can still store your
knives in a drawer, but don’t have that drawer crowded full of
other items. Just keep your knives in that drawer. Another
option is to use a wood block to store your knives.
6) Use the correct knife for the task at hand. Don’t use your
serrated bread knife for chopping and dicing. Don’t use your
boning knife to slice your bread. Instead, use a chef’s knife
(also called a cook’s knife or a French knife for chopping,
slicing and dicing. Use a paring knife for peeling and
trimming, and for cutting and slicing small items. A utility
knife is great for slicing meat and cheese. A boning knife is
for cutting meat and poultry. A fillet knife is a great for
cutting fish. And, as you would expect, a bread knife’s best
use is cutting bread.
With proper use and care, your knives will last you a long time
and will help make your kitchen cutting tasks easier and more
enjoyable.
About The Author: D Ruplinger is a featured writer for
http://www.luxurycutlery.com . For
more information on cutlery
along with cutlery reviews visit http://www.luxurycutlery.com
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