Making large purchases comes with certain performance expectations. This is something that was recently experienced when purchasing a set of knifes for the kitchen. I knew that spending a lot of money was not necessarily an indication that I would be guaranteed proper performing knives if I didn’t take care of them. Here are some tips on prolonging the lifetime of your kitchen knives. With some basic, straightforward tips to care for kitchen knives, cutlery blocks sets and individual chef knives.
Tips On Caring For Kitchen Knives, Cutlery and Block Sets
1) When it comes to cutting it is important that a knife is never used on a material that is not meant for cutting. Unsuitable surfaces for cutting can damage your knives and their cutting edge. Only proper cutting boards should be utilized when using kitchen knives. The best material to use for a cutting surface is a hard maple.
2) When you are finished with your kitchen knives it is crucial that you properly wash them. Never place your kitchen knives in the dish washer. When you are done using your kitchen knives you need to wash them in hot soapy water and dry them with a linen free cloth. Dishwasher soap is too abrasive for kitchen knives and will ruin the handles and the blade.
3) Never use abrasive powder or scouring pads when you are cleaning your cutlery. Anything that you are cutting can be cleaned with hot soapy water, liquid soap and a wash cloth.
4) Even if you purchase stainless steel knives understand that they will stain less than non stainless steel knives but will still stain. Knifes are never totally stain free. They will discolor and tarnish with time if not maintained and cleaned properly each and every time they are used.
5) Sharp knives are safer in the kitchen than dull knives. Learning to properly sharpen kitchen knives is an art form. Use tools specific to sharpen kitchen cutlery. Bench stones, whetstones, carbide sharpeners and electric knife sharpeners are all great tools to keep your cutlery sharp.
6) Never use your cutlery to cut frozen food or bone with your kitchen knives. When cutting through bone use a meat clever and take the time to defrost your food prior to cutting it. Cutting frozen meat dulls knife blades and can possibly chip them as well. Once a knife is chipped it will not perform in the kitchen as it should
As with all knives, kitchen knives should be kept out of reach of children. Be sure to teach proper handling techniques before trusting your children to help in the kitchen using cutlery.
KnifeMule.com is an online retailer specializing in a variety of specialty knives including top brands such as Zero Tolerance, Boker Tree Knives, W.R. Case Knives and more. For more information or to purchase a variety of knives online find us at https://www.knifemule.com.