Knife Care & Advice

Even when you follow the steps discussed elsewhere to protect your knife’s edge, eventually it will begin to wear. A high-quality fine grit ceramic rod 10 or 12 inches long is a simple tool for lightly honing the edge when it starts to cut less efficiently.  This tool can help maintain the edge of your […]

Once dry, a kitchen knife can be put away in a block or drawer.  If the knife is being stored in a drawer with other knives or kitchen tools, try to always place the blade in a protective cover or sleeve to keep the blade from striking other knives and getting nicked.  Synthetic covers can […]

Resist the temptation to wash your knives in the dishwasher.  The temperature in a dishwasher gets very high and can cause the handle materials, especially wood, to warp and subsequently separate from the tang.  Although some handle materials are advertised as “dishwasher safe”, most cannot stand up to the repeated exposure to the high temperatures […]

I sure can! I would suggest you start with the recommendations under maintaining your edge in the Knife Care section. If you still want help, or want advanced training, contact me and perhaps we can arrange a time at your home, or I can chat with you over the phone.

See the description under maintaining your edge in the Knife Care section for a helpful place to start.  

I am often asked to recommend a knife sharpener.  There are many different sharpeners on the market today and it seems every month brings a new take on how to sharpen knives.  I am not going to go over every type or model of sharpener here, a few minutes (or hours, as is often the […]

How quickly your knife dulls depends on many factors but, generally speaking, as soon as your knife seems like it is not cutting effectively, it is time for it to be sharpened. Most knives stay sharp for a few months. In some heavy use situations, like fish filleting or hours of use in a restaurant […]

It may seem counterintuitive, but the opposite is actually true. A dull knife requires more force to cut with than a sharp one. Needing to use more pressure to cut makes it more likely you will have an accident with your knife, slip while using it, etc. Furthermore, a cut from a dull knife can […]

The following are my personal feelings about how to introduce knife use to children. There are many schools of thought about this issue and everyone has their own personal feelings on the subject, as well. My suggestions are based on my experiences with my son and other children in my life. I share my thoughts […]

That is a pretty broad question and is very contextual. It depends on so many different factors, like what you plan to use the knife for, your budget, your style, how much maintenance you are prepared to take on, etc. The short answer is whatever knife you like, and that works for you. But here […]

Short answer would be wood. The best way to maintain the sharpness of a knife is to make sure that the only things that come in contact with the edge are softer than the knife’s edge.  Subsequently, the best cutting board for your knife is one that is softer than the steel in the knife’s […]