How to properly take care of knives; which stands are better for them and how to easily sharpen the knife at home
Everyone should have well-sharpened knives in the kitchen, separately for peeling and shredding vegetables, for cutting meat, for slicing bread, cheese, and so on.
To ensure that knives are always nearby, a special place should be determined. If they lie along with all the spoons and forks, they will very quickly become unusable and dull.
How to store knives
There are many different types of knife storage now. We can note the most popular methods that you people all over the world use most often.
Wooden or metal block
The most compact and popular knife storage system is considered to be a wooden (metal) block with holes for different models. This is a classic version, which is sold with knives or separately. There are also holes for storing kitchen scissors. However, we have covered why it is not recommended in our previous post. Read here.
Magnetic holder
The simplest and most practical solution is the magnetic holder. You can hang it on the wall or find a suitable place for it on the walls of furniture.
Special boxes for knives
There are wooden boxes made specifically for your kitchen furniture that can hold more than 10 knives with their own space. They are hidden, but at the same time are at hand.
Transparent holders
Transparent knife holders is a trending solution right now. They have cells of different sizes and shapes. Modern and original. The knives seem to float in the air.
Holders with sharpening
Manufacturers offer original models for storing knives with a special sharpening so that they are always sharp.
How to take care of knives
It is very important to ensure that the knives are properly cared for and protected from damage and impact.
Correct board
Use a suitable cutting board. It is recommended to have a board made of wood or polypropylene. Stone and glass are the most unsuccessful options, since the knives will dull and deteriorate faster.
How to keep knives clean
It is believed that if a knife is not used regularly, then it begins to deteriorate and tarnish. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly look after not only the most popular models, but also those that you rarely use.
After use, the knife should be cleaned and wiped with a dry cloth. Do this especially after slicing an onion or lemon, as dark spots can appear on the blade and they are very difficult to get rid of.
You can try to remove such stains with a cork bottle stopper. You must first dip it in sunflower oil and salt, and then wipe the knife with it. After that, it should be rinsed in cold water and wiped off with a dry cloth. If there is a special paste, you can simply peel it off.
Knives must not be stored wet – they will quickly become unusable.
Do not heat
Do not heat the knives, nor wash them in hot water or in the dishwasher. From this they quickly get worse and become dull. If your knives do not have a wooden handle, but a metal or plastic one, and you are using a dishwasher, it is still better to remove them from it before the bake begins. Better wipe them with your a dry cloth.
Little advice
After use, any knife must first be rinsed with cold water – this will get rid of the smell. You can then rinse in warm water using a standard detergent. Rinse, wipe and dry. Then wipe dry again. This is the easiest and most affordable way to care for any knives.
How to sharpen a knife correctly
Sooner or later your knife, no matter how good and quality it is, will start to dull. Sharpening knives is necessary if you notice slight irregularities on the blade. For example, a meat knife needs constant maintenance – it needs to be sharpened at least once a month.
When sharpening, the knife must be clean and dry. It is advisable that you have musat in your kitchen which is a round file. And it is not difficult to correct the blade with it. Musats can be made of steel, ceramic and diamond.
This tool will keep your knives in top condition without resorting to sharpening services. Not much material is removed from the blade, and accordingly, the service life of the product is extended.
How to use it? It is necessary to guide along the musat with the cutting edge of the knife away from you, smoothly moving the knife from the handle to the edge. This will restore the cutting edge and the required shape of the knife.
A regular whetstone (fine) is also quite suitable for this purpose. It will also not damage the cutting edge of the knife. The ideal angle for sharpening knives on a whetstone is 20 degrees. It is necessary to sharpen the knife with smooth movements, alternately on each side. The basic rule of sharpening is to make five movements of the knife along the block on each side of its blade. Movements should not be sharp, but slow and smooth. Always sharpen away from the body, so that if the knife slips off, you will not be hurt.
Please note that you should never check the quality of the sharpening by hand. Even with a shallow cut, microscopic metal filings trapped in the cut will prevent the wound from healing quickly. Better to take a sheet of paper vertically with one hand and try to cut it. A sharpened knife will complete this task easily.
What knives do not need to be sharpened?
You should not sharpen knives with ceramic blades, they do not dull. However, they have another con – the ceramic blade has increased fragility.
It is very difficult to sharpen knives with serrated cutting edges at home. Usually they are sharpened using special machines for complex sharpening with laser control. Sharpening at home house can destroy the jagged edge.
Leave a Reply