While every kitchen needs the basics and a quality set of knives, your investment in high-end blades won’t last long if you don’t keep up routine care and maintenance. As a general standard, a quality set of knives really can last a lifetime, which is why blade care and maintenance is essential.
So once you have picked out the perfect set of kitchen blades, be sure to consider these crucial dos and don’ts of caring for your kitchen knives.
Sharpen And Hone
A sharpening stone is a must-have kitchen thing for any enthusiastic cook. Your knives will change over time as a result of use, cleaning, and storage. Even the most expensive knives on the market require regular sharpening and honing to keep them in pristine condition. So to keep your blades sharp and shiny, you should invest in a sharpening stone or a whetstone.
When it comes to using a sharpening stone, regular honing means you will only need to sharpen your blades once a year. Alternatively, you can let a professional handle this responsibility for you if you aren’t too confident about the technique required.
Wash After Use
We all get a bit lazy with kitchen chores from time to time. Although, you should make a point of washing your knives directly after use. Even though most quality knives are made from stainless steel and high-carbon steel, preventing the development of rust, leaving your blades unclean for too long can cause damage. Chemicals from food and even water can eventually destroy even the highest quality blade.
What’s more, it is also best to wash your knives by hand instead of in the dishwasher. Despite most knives being dishwasher safe, there is much less chance of blades chipping when washing by hand. A dishwasher is not exactly gentle, and when considering the cost of a quality set of knives, the bit of extra time spent cleaning them by hand is worth it.
Dry Thoroughly
Whether your knives have wooden handles, plastic handles, or any other sort of material, drying them thoroughly immediately after washing them is essential. When it comes to wooden handles, water can seep in and cause damage quite quickly. Even if your knives have handles of another material, water can lead to rust and discoloration.
Correct Storage
A magnetic strip is quite a convenient way of storing kitchen knives, although you can consider a knife block if you aren’t too fond of a magnetic strip. Keeping your knives in the drawer with all your other cutlery is not ideal. This mistake can leave your blades chipped and damaged as each blade will not be protected. A knife block, magnetic strip, or other knife storage units will give each blade its own protective space, preventing damage effectively. Proper storage is essential when investing in high-end kitchen blades.
Use A Chopping Board
Not using a chopping board is a massive ‘don’t’ for kitchen knives. Unfortunately, even though it may seem convenient to quickly chop something on the counter instead of finding the chopping board, the action will leave your counter and your knives damaged.
