How to maintain your Knife correctly
Good quality knives are not the same as cheaper versions and cannot be treated the same.
If you want a knife that you can put in the dishwasher, they will not hold an edge for very long and you will always be sharpening them.
Premium knives are a joy to use and will hold a razor sharp edge but they must be treated with care.
Usually just rinsing the blade under the tap and drying immediately with a cloth is sufficient. If you use it for a longer period of time or have dried in food on it, wipe the blade down
with a soft cloth or sponge that has been soaked in hot water and a small bit of soap, do not use abrasive pads or strong chemicals!.
Never leave it wet or sitting in water for any period of time!
Always wipe dry immediately after cleaning.
Keep your knife in a safe place away from other loose cutlery.
Never put it in the dishwasher!
Never cut frozen foods or bone!
Do not store it in a damp place.
Do not let it get hot.
Do not use it for prying or levering anything.
Do not cut on any hard surface!
Make sure to use a suitable surface to cut on, i.e. wood, plastic. I personally recommend wooden boards with the end grain facing up. This type of board will not damage your cutting edge and made with the correct wood will last much longer
than any other type of chopping board, with correct care.
Sharpening your knife is an art and must be done correctly.
If you are not sure how to sharpen it please give it to someone that does, it is easy to ruin a cutting edge by sharpening incorrectly.
Good quality knives are not that easy to sharpen and require the correct tools.
Do not use one of the pull-through sharpeners, they are for softer, cheaper steels, that you can put in the dishwasher.
You can use either sharpening stones, ie, Japanese water stones or oil stones or
quick touch-ups can be done with either diamond or ceramic sharpening rods.
There are many other good-quality sharpening tools out there that make putting the correct angle on the edge easy for people that can't grasp the sharpening stone.
Good quality sharpening stones and equipment are not cheap but will last many years and will make using and maintaining your knife much easier.
This can all sound quite complicated but it really it is not.
Looking after your knife is easy, it's knowing what NOT to do, is most important!
Take care of your knife and it will last a lifetime and some.
If you need any further advice or you would like to have it sharpened or repaired professionally please contact me.