Knives: safe use and care

HOW TO USE KNIVES SAFELY

Your knife will stay in good condition for longer if you will regularly provide it with a bit of care.

Keep your knife clean and dry. Leaving the knife dirty might lead to dangerous bacteria growing on the blade.
Avoid the use of excessive force when cutting and generally try to be gentle with your knife.
The edge of your knife is very delicate and can easily be damaged. Try to avoid hitting hard objects with the knife’s edge.
NEVER use the knife with foods, that the knife was not designed for. Use chopper knife for chopping bones, and use frozen food knives for frozen foods!
Have a good grip on the knife during cutting, to avoid accidental injury. Remember to also have a safe grip with your other hand on the product that is being cut.
To prevent accidentally cutting yourself, don’t get distracted during cutting and focus on the task at hand.

CORRECT GRIP

Remember that a sharp knife is a dangerous tool, that requires careful handling. We highly recommend using a professional grip on the knife. On our YouTube channel we have an educational video with detailed explanations for how to take a safe grip on a kitchen knife (you can see the video below):

HOW TO WASH KNIVES

After you are done with cutting and plan to put your knife away, wash away all food remains from the blade.
Always wash your knives with a soft brush and mild detergent under warm running water.
Avoid the use of aggressive detergents and chemicals.
Remember to be especially careful around the edge area, to minimize the risk of accidental injury.
NEVER wash your knives in a dishwasher! Doing so will undoubtedly damage your knife. It is especially important NOT TO use dishwasher with knives that are made from carbon steel.
After you have washed your knife, wipe it dry well with a soft towel. Remember to wipe the area under the heel of the blade and also wipe the handle as well.

HOW TO STORE KNIVES

Always store your knives in such a way, that the edge is kept safe from any possible accidental damage. A wooden knife block, a separate knife rack inside a drawer or a magnet knife bar are all adequate safe storage solutions.

We highly recommend the use of a Japanese wooden blade guard (called “saya”). Saya not only helps to keep the knife completely safe during storage, but also acts as a perfect protector during transportation of knives. Because of the locking pin mechanism, a knife locked inside a saya can be transported completely safely. Check out our saya section to find out more about saya wooden blade guards.