In any kitchen, the chef is only going to be as good as the tools they are using. This is especially true of the knives they use for preparing their food. While wear and tear will eventually catch up with the knife, there are some things you can do to slow the process. Here are our top tips for how to keep your kitchen knives from going dull.
Cutting Surface
The surface you are cutting on plays a vital role in making sure your knives remain usable. You should not use cutting boards or surfaces made of materials such as glass and marble because they will dull your knives very quickly. Cutting boards made from wood or plastic are both much better options.
Wash by Hand
Washing your knives by hand is another effective method for keeping your knives sharp. When put in a dishwasher, your knives face a constant onslaught of heat and water that can easily leave them dull. And that’s before you consider that they are also rubbing against other objects.
Safe Storage
Another tip for how to keep your kitchen knives from going dull is to be selective with where you store them. For many people, their idea of storage for their kitchen knives is to cram them in a drawer with other cooking supplies. While this may be all well and good for your basic steak knives, it may as well be a death sentence for other high-end cutting tools. For the best results, your blades should always have a dedicated space, such as a magnetic rack or wooden block.
Sharpening
In time, your kitchen knives will all need to undergo sharpening. If you’ve already tested the dullness of the edge, there are several different methods for returning the blade to a more usable state. One option is to run the length of the knife along a honing rod. A whetstone is another sharpening option that has two sides. The rough side sharpens the blade but creates burrs that require the smoother side of the whetstone to remove. If you don’t have either of these items, you can also use the bottom of certain ceramic mugs or cups.
Technique
Knowing if you are correctly sharping the blade is a challenge for many. The proper technique is to hold the knife at a 20-degree angle in your dominant hand and run the length of the blade against the sharpening tool. Make sure to do this away from your body to prevent injury.
