How to keep your knife sharp

Cooking with a dull edge is not something people are fond of doing. It’s unproductive and even dangerous to work with a knife that is not sharp. But it’s an issue many people face every day. It’s not about sharpening the knife every time before use, as some people would do, but it’s about taking proper care of it. Of course, you can sharpen your knife as often as possible to avoid it getting dull, but your knife will not last long if you do. If you wish to not only keep your knife sharp longer, but keep your knife for longer, you must take good care of it. Knowing how to take care of it is the first step, so in this article, we will talk about how to take good care of your knife.

Use the right knife for the job

One of the worst mistakes someone can make, and one that will most certainly make your knife dull is to use the knife in a way it wasn’t supposed to. Never use a chef’s knife to slice bread, for example. The hard crust of bread will damage the sharpened edge. Use a serrated blade instead. Using your knife to try slicing frozen stuff will also damage your knife, even if you are able to do it. Use your knives the way they are supposed to be used, and the sharpness will stay on for longer.

Use a good cutting surface

As tempting as it is to just use a glass cutting board or the marble counter in your kitchen, those surfaces will damage your knife when used. Using a proper cutting surface is essential if you wish to keep your knife for longer, and preserve the sharpness. Don’t use a rock, tile, or glass surface, and give preference to wood or composite cutting boards.

Hand Wash and Dry Right away

While most of the good knives out there can go in the dishwasher, it’s highly recommended that you hand wash and dry them right away after use. The reason for this is that inside the dishwasher, your knife will be bumping around other utensils and into the racks, and this can damage the edge of your knife. Also, the changes in temperature that happen inside the dishwasher can cause the knife to expand and contract, further damaging the edge. So, it’s best to just wash them and dry them yourself, right away, making sure to take good care to not cut yourself.

Source: Photo by Pexels from Pixabay

Store with care

After you used your knife the way it was supposed to, on a good cutting surface, and hand-washed it, you must store it properly. The final step you need to take is to keep your knife well stored, preferably in a knife roll, a knife block, or even a magnetic knife bar. Keeping them stored in a drawer just like any other utensil is not a good idea for keeping them sharp, because you risk them knocking around in there. If you want to store them in the drawer, use an edge guard.