WASHING

Whether you have a carbon steel or stainless steel knife, you should definitely get into the habit of washing off your knife with a damp soapy cloth or sponge, and drying it thoroughly after each use. Don’t let your new knife air dry especially if it’s made of carbon steel, as it can rust. Even stainless steel can rust if left wet for too long! Avoid using abrasive materials like steel scrubbies as they can scratch up your knife. The plastic green scrubbie is just fine on most knives, but it can scratch a shiny mirror polish. Keep those babies out of the dishwasher! The extreme heat will expand and contract the metal, and most dishwasher detergent is extremely abrasive. Both will cause major damage to both the handle and the edge. Always hand wash.

CUTTING

Never cut anything you wouldn’t bite with your own teeth. Your knife is sharp, but it isn’t going through any bones or frozen food. Should you navigate around the bone and make sure you extract every juicy morsel of meat? Of course! Just don’t try and cleave through it, and be aware of the brittleness of a harder knife. Opening cans or prying apart frozen foods are also no-nos. Use a can opener, or pull those fillets out of the freezer the night before. You’d think all this goes without saying, but we’ve seen some crazy things at the shops. The blacksmith that designed your knife worked very hard to get a perfect edge, and the easiest way to avoid chipping or dulling that blade is to cut straight. Try and avoid twisting, cleaving, or prising with the blade. Straight, even strokes will keep your knife in good shape, while also getting you those perfect cuts you so desire.

CUTTING SURFACES

Cutting boards matter! You want to feel as if your knife is slightly biting into the board. If the material is too hard and the knife is bouncing off of the surface, your knife will dull very quickly. We recommend end grain wood or plastic cutting boards. Stay away from bamboo, marble, glass, slate and basically anything that’s harder than the steel in your knife.

STORAGE

You’ve likely got a drawer full of random kitchen utensils. Your knife will get damaged if it’s banging around in there with the other tools, so make sure to store it safely. These are a necessity if you store them in a knife-bag. The covers will keep your knives from slicing the canvas or leather.