KNIFE MAINTENANCE

Like any quality, hand-made item, your knives will perform better and will last longer if given proper care and treatment. Here are some tips to help you keep your knife in tip-top condition.

· HANDWASH (or at least rinse & wipe dry) the blade of your knife after and between uses. Carbon steel has a tendency to react with acidic foods (especially fruits & proteins). Keeping your knife clean helps to reduce the reactions on your blade surface. If you have bought a stainless knife then this issue is reduced significantly but it is still advisable to keep your knife clean and dry where possible.

· DO NOT allow food and excess moisture to remain on your blade as this will be detrimental to your knife.

· NEVER put your knife through the dishwasher or allow it to rest or soak in any water. This is extremely hard on all of the materials in your knife.

· ALWAYS make sure your knife is completely dry before storing it.

Patina: Over time and use your knife may develop a thin coating, called a patina, on the blade, which is caused by the reaction between the metal, the foods you are cutting and the surrounding air. Each patina is unique and is a good thing as it will help protect your knife from unnecessary corrosion. If it becomes too pronounced for your taste then a “rust eraser” is a fine option, readily available from places like amazon

Handle Material: Most of the wooden handle materials I use are stabilized. That being said, a light oil occasionally would benefit it. As with the blade, it’s best to be kept dry or oiled where possible.

Storage: To protect your knife’s edge and keep it sharper for longer, I recommend storing your knife on a magnetic knife strip or keeping it in a knife block. Storage in a drawer can be unkind to your knife’s edge.

Sharpening: A hone on a ceramic honing rod can significantly extend the periods between necessary sharpening, they are superb. When it comes time to sharpen you can purchase stones from places like amazon, a double sided stone with grades like 400 and 1000 would do a good job, the corse stone to re- establish the edge and the finer to refine it, in my opinion going past 2000 grit is unnecessary. There are lots of youtube tutorials on sharpening if you are unsure of technique.

Cutting Boards: Endgrain cutting boards prolong the life of your edge infinitely more than a plastic board or longitudinal grain wooden board, Glass or ceramic cutting surfaces are just a complete disaster for any knife edge as they are completely unforgiving.

Maintenance: Take care of your knife and it will take care of you! Routine maintenance is essential to keeping your knife in prime condition. Sharpen or hone little and often, avoid ceramic or glass chopping boards, they can be rough on your fine edge.

If you have a question that you do not feel has been covered in this section, please feel free to drop me an email.