Don't Use That Kitchen Knife
Until You Know How To Care For It
By 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.
D Ruplinger is a featured writer for
http://www.luxurycutlery.com. Visit the web site for more information on
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reviews.