Chef Knives
101
Chef Knives
101
101
The Ultimate Guide for Knife Care
Following proper care and maintenance will help prolong the life of your knife and ensure persistent performance.
All blades will become dull after long use. Blade wear depends on steel quality, the blade use and its maintenance. This guide describes the correct use and maintenance of any kitchen knife to extend its lifespan and make sure you enjoy a sharp blade all the time.
Proper Use
Asian knives (60 + HRC hardness) are made of very hard steel. This makes the blade very thin, ensuring long-lasting, fine sharpness. That's why Asian knives are also lighter in weight than other knives, the tradeoff is that they are more sensitive than cheaper steel knives.
Generally, Asian knives are not designed for:
- Cutting bones or cheese (due to the structure of the cheese we need a lot of force to cut through it, and once the blade hits the cutting board with a large amount of force, it can chip)
- Crusty bread (especially with home - baked bread where the crust can be burned slightly. The burned part consists mostly of carbon (C), a very hard element (basically diamonds!!) that damages the blade
- Opening coconuts - its a knife not a machete
- Let’s not even discuss being used as a bottle opener, hammer, screwdriver, etc.
Be Gentle
A sharp knife cuts better, so you don't need much cutting force. The weight of the blade is nearly sufficient for certain ingredients, while others require some minimum pressure. We tend to be more precise when applying less force and at the same time avoid damaging our ingredients and reducing the likelihood of being cut. When you use your knife aggressively the knife strikes the cutting board repeatedly which will ultimately affect the sharpness of the blade.
Cutting Boards
Never cut on a countertop of marble, glass plate, ceramic baking tray, steel tray and other similar surfaces that are not designed for cutting.
Another piece of advice when choosing a cutting board: you need at least two - one for raw meat and fish, and the other for vegetables and fruit.
Avoid Scraping
Usually we scrape the pieces off the board and into the pot using the kitchen knife blade when we cut vegetables on a cutting board. The blade's sharp edge is only a few microns thick and is designed to withstand relatively good vertical pressure. When scraping, the force is applied transversely on the board, which is harmful to the blade. Just turn the blade around and use the knife’s spine (top part) to scrape the vegetables off the cutting board.
Keep it Clean
Regardless of whether your knife is made of Damascus steel, stainless steel or any other material, regular cleaning is necessary. The blade will be damaged by leaving it dirty and wet in the sink for a long time.
⚠️ Do not place your kitchen knives in the dishwasher. Any kitchen knife is harmful to hot water, hot air, aggressive detergents and beating against other dishes.
During use, we suggest sometimes cleaning the knife with a cloth. It is easier and safer to work with a clean knife and after its use we can simply rinse it under warm water and gently rub it with a sponge and detergent for dishwashing if necessary. Then we dry it with a clean cloth and let it dry completely before we store it.
Keep it Safe
Kitchen knives should not be stored in drawers together with your cutlery and other kitchen utensils. The delicate blade will be damaged by moving around and rubbing against other utensils inside the drawer, and it is also dangerous as you can get cut while going through the drawer looking for something. We suggest storing your knives:
On a magnetic knife holder. This way even if you're not cooking, you can enjoy their beautiful design.
In a knife block / Knife Drawer insert.
In a knife bag. If you've got a set of knives and you're carrying them a lot.
Hopefully this maintenance guide has helped you out!
Thanks for taking the time to read it, and don’t forget that we are here to answer any questions you may have!
