Tips to keep your kitchen knives sharp for longer

Tips om je keukenmessen langer scherp te houden

Kitchen knives. They're practically an extension of your hand . I learned that on my very first day at hotel school. So give them the respect and love they deserve, guys.

Here are my tips on what to do and what not to do to keep your knives sharp for longer . Because isn't it just wonderful, cutting through your meat with a razor-sharp knife as if it were as soft as butter?!

With these 5 tips, you keep your knives sharp.

Always wash your kitchen knives by hand! Never put them in the dishwasher, as the heat and detergent damage the blade (the cutting part of your knife).
Sharpen regularly with a honing steel or sharpening stone. Note: there is a difference between honing and sharpening. Scroll down a bit, because you can read more about that a little further on.
Use your kitchen knives only for what they are really meant for : chopping and slicing. So not to open a can or tap butter loose on the edge of your pan.
Store your knives neatly in a protective sheath, hang them on a magnetic strip, or keep them in a knife block .
Use a good wooden or synthetic cutting board. Chop Do not use on iron, glass, or other hard surfaces. Doing so will damage the edge of the blade, and that's precisely the most important part.

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Honing or sharpening knives?

Many people use the terms interchangeably, but honing knives and sharpening knives are actually two different things.

You use a sharpening steel to straighten the edge of your knife. This is because the edge can bend slightly from frequent cutting. By running the knife along a sharpening steel a few times, you straighten the edge nicely again and ensure your knife continues to cut well.
When sharpening knives, a thin layer of metal is removed from the blade to create a new, sharp edge. You can do this with a whetstone or a sharpening machine. Prefer help? You can also have your knives sharpened by a professional knife sharpener.

"And the frequency?", I hear you thinking. Well, sharpening is needed much less often than honing. Only sharpen when honing is no longer sufficient and your knife becomes noticeably dull.

Safety first

Cooking with a razor-sharp knife, that's fantastic. But I don't need to tell you: one can easily cut one's finger...
Did you know that a sharp knife is safer than a blunt knife? I know, it sounds contradictory. But if you accidentally cut yourself with a sharp knife, the wound heals faster than with a blunt knife.

There you have it, a fun fact for the pub or while cooking for your guests. Tell them Sofie said so!