Keys To Keeping Your Fine Edge Cutlery Sharp

Fine edge knives are considered the best of all cutlery blades. The way to keep them in good order is to develop good habits in how they are handled and stored. Remember these few things and enjoy your knives for years to come.

STORAGE: Store your knives to protect their edges. Fine-edged knives have very sharp but fragile edges. Always put your knives away after using. A simple rinsing, drying, and then placement in a knife block, edge guard, or fixing to a magnetic bar will insure that the edge doesn’t get knocked against hard objects that can move the edge out of alignment, or worse yet, put a ding in the edge that will require re-grinding. This is the reason that we recommend never putting a good knife in the dishwasher! Even though many manufacturers say their knives are “dishwasher safe”, it only means they won’t dissolve. Knives will become dull quickly in a dishwasher because of the knocking around they take. Respect the edge!

USE FOR CUTTING ONLY: This may seem unnecessary to say, but don’t use your knives for uses other than culinary ones. They are not oyster shucking tools, screw drivers, or chisels

USE FORGIVING SURFACES TO CUT ON: The material you cut on should always be considerably softer than the knife blade itself. This is why materials made for this purpose are generally soft plastic, wood, or hard rubber. Don’t cut on laminate, granite, or marble counters.

KEEP AN EDGE ON THE KNIFE: Your great knife has the ability to take a great edge, but unless you maintain that edge, your knife will only perform like a mediocre one. Use sharpening steel, and use it frequently. A steel is used to re-align the very thin edge that was painstakingly put on the knife during its finishing. This edge will lay over a bit in places as it is used and needs to be brought back to its original straight edge. The “steel” is made of very hard steel made and constructed for just this purpose. An easy method for using this tool is to place the end on your cutting board with the handle on top and held firmly with your hand. Place the knife-edge (starting at the back of the knife blade) at about a 23-degree angle to the steel and draw it forward and down along the entire length of the blade. Do this several times to both sides of the blade, alternating sides. Using steel every couple of times you use your knife will keep it sharp and a delight to use. Having to have your knife reground should only have to happen after a very long period of use (several years for most of us). Re-grinding removes metal from the blade and places a new edge on the knife. Resist the temptation to have the person who sharpens your lawn mower blades do your knives too. Go to a cutlery shop and have them put a great edge back on. Above all, don’t use your electric can opener’s knife sharpener feature! Most home sharpening devices were not meant for good knives in the first place, and their use is guaranteed to make your knives much worse than when you purchased them.

If you enjoy working in the kitchen, your investment in good knives is as fundamental as in good cookware. Keeping them sharp will increase your joy in using them…bon appetite.