No matter how brutal a chef’s knife may look, in fact, it is a rather fragile object that requires careful handling. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to extend the life of your sharp tools significantly.
1. Use the right boards
Use only wooden or plastic cutting boards. Planks of glass, steel, ceramics, and stone can look beautiful in the kitchen, but they spoil the blades mercilessly.
2. Don’t throw your knife into the sink
Do not leave knives in the sink or soak them, even if something is stuck to them. First, it is unsafe; you can cut yourself while washing the rest of the dishes. Secondly, even with stainless steel knives, the blade can become covered with rust spots from a long stay in the water. For the same reason, try to wash your knives immediately after use. This is especially important if you used them to cut fruits and tomatoes; the acids they contain can stain the blade.
Read also: How To Choose a Kitchen Knife That Won’t Let You Down
3. Wash the knives by hand
Hand washes the knives under warm running water. Use only a soft sponge and, if necessary, a drop of detergent. Never use abrasive cleaners such as baking soda to avoid scratching the blade. Remember to wipe the knife dry after washing.
4. Leave dishwasher plates and cups
Never wash knives in the dishwasher, even if the manufacturer’s instructions allow you to do so.
Long wash cycles at high temperatures will deform the blade.
Also, steel knives in the dishwasher blunt against metal parts and ceramic blades are very easy to damage when loading and unloading the machine.
5. Do not test a kitchen knife for strength
Do not use a regular kitchen knife to cut through large tendons and separate frozen chicken drumsticks and other frozen foods. Your knife is not an ax or a sword, but a delicate tool. Even if you have a super durable, expensive knife, do not assume that it cannot be broken. It will be a double tragedy if a breakaway piece gets into someone’s throat. Please don’t risk it.
6. Cut correctly
The quickest way to blunt the blade is to chop food with it, raising the knife up and down sharply on the board. Use more gentle cutting methods, in which the knife does not come off the board but rolls or slides along with it. Use the dull side of a knife to shake sliced food off the board.
7. Store knives separately
Do not store knives in the drawer with spoons, forks, or other knives. This will inevitably lead to chips and scratches on the blade and the fact that the knives will quickly dull when in contact with other cutlery.
Keep knives in a stand or magnet mount.
As a last resort, use blade protectors or drawer dividers that allow you to store each knife in a separate slot or compartment.
Also read: 30 Unusual Uses For Lemon
8. Sharpen seldom
Sharpen your knives once or twice a year, as odd as it sounds. Remember that a dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one. When we cut with a dull knife, we have to put in more effort, and the chances of the dull knife sliding off are very high.
Cutting food with a comfortable and perfectly sharpened knife is a special pleasure. Take good care of your knives, and they will serve you for years.
Adapted and translated by WIki Avenue Staff
Sources: Life hacker
