Knife Care Bible
My knives arrive sharp and ready for use. Carbon steel knives are shipped with a food safe oil on the steel, protecting the blade from corrosion causing moisture. Wash the blade with soap and water to remove the oil. Be wary of the edge. Keep it pointed away from hands and fingers; they will thank you for it. Rinse clean and dry thoroughly with a clean towel.
#1 Rule
The first rule of Carbon Steel Knife Club is to tell everyone about Carbon Steel Knife Club.
The first rule of Carbon Steel Knife Care is to never, NEVER, put your knives in a dishwasher.
The thought will cross your mind. One time won’t hurt. It will be fine. I promise to pull it out and dry it right away. Ignore those thoughts. That is the devil trying to corrupt your soul and consign the soul of your knife to eternal unrelenting hell. Don’t do it.
It is not only the water from the dishwasher that is your knives’ mortal enemy. The heat doesn’t do the steel any favors and is even harder on the handle materials. Combine those elements with dishwasher detergent’s corrosive chemicals and abrasive particulates and you are just setting up the perfect storm of knife abuse.
If you contact me to say your knife is damaged or ruined and there are signs of dishwasher abuse, I cannot help you. You have been warned and may the knife gods have mercy upon your soul.
Cleaning
It is important after each use, to rinse and/or wipe off any materials left on your blade. I suggest having a hand towel at hand, either next to your cutting board or over your shoulder ready to wipe the remnants and fluids from the blade between uses. Even if you are only stepping away for a couple of minutes, which can magically turn into 10-15 minutes, wiping the blade prevents acidic compounds from your food ingredients from etching, pitting or rusting the blade. It takes less than a second to swipe a towel over the blade or the blade over the towel. Dealer’s choice. It is a simple step to keep a towel next to you while you are preparing your food and just wipe it clean between use. It's a good habit to develop and will extend the life of your knife and help maintain its edge.
When finished using your knife, clean with water or soap and water, rinse and clean the blade. After cleaning, dry thoroughly with a towel and put it away in a safe place. It is best to store blades in a block tall/deep enough not to risk damaging the tip, or on a magnetic wall strip.
Cutting Boards
It is best to use a wood or soft plastic cutting board. A hard cutting board can roll the edge of your knife over dulling it. Another important tip to protect your knife’s edge when using a cutting board is to never scrape food off the board with the edge of the blade. This rolls the fine edge of the blade. It is best to flip the knife over and scrape with the spine, if one must scrape the board.
High Carbon Steel
High Carbon steel is tough and holds a very sharp edge very well. Often for much longer than other steels when cared for properly. Also, when it is time to, it is easy to sharpen and keep in good working order.
Coloration/Discoloration
Over time it is normal for High Carbon Steel blades to react to the food it slices. With use, the blade will develop a patina. Often these patinas appear as grey or bluish changes in color. As long as the discoloring doesn’t form a rust-colored reddish brown, it is perfectly normal for the knife to change color. It is even desirable for the grey/blue patinas to occur as they increase the corrosion resistance of the blade overtime as the thin oxidized layer forms to protect the steel. Also, it can form interesting patterns that tell the story of your knife’s usage. The different acids in the meats and vegetables cut with the blade will affect the steel in different ways. This creates an interesting range of color changes on the surface of the steel. It can be fun and interesting to watch how the blade changes over time and use. It tells its own story as it ages.
However, If the steel develops spots or marks you wish to be rid of, such as the dreaded red rust spots, you can buff it with a fine abrasive. A fine Scotch Brite pad or a towel/cloth with a touch of Bartender’s Friend on it can do the trick. If you have a particularly gnarly bit of rust, you can also use an exceptionally fine 000 or 0000 steel wool such as can be found at a hardware store. This may not return it to a perfect satin finish or mirror polish, and you should be mindful of the direction you scrub to keep abrasive lines uniform and in the same direction. This will remove the patina if you desire. Personally, I see the patina as a testament to all the amazing food you have prepared for yourself and the people you care about. That is way more interesting than the need to keep things shiny.
Sharpening vs. Honing
The fine edge of a sharp knife is both dangerous and delicate. It needs to be maintained and respected. Food prep is more enjoyable with a sharp knife. The time spent maintaining that sharpness pays off.
Some edges are very thin and despite being hard are somewhat delicate. As stated above in the cutting boards section, be careful about what you cut and what type of surface you are cutting on. As stated above, the proper cutting board is as important as a sharp knife. You will make a good knife very dull by using it on the wrong surface.
There are videos a plenty about sharpening knives on the internet or a quick search can help you find a profession knife service locally. There is no reason for me to cover that information here.
I do want to briefly discuss Honing a blade. You have seen in movies and tv, a chef using a steel rod to “sharpen” their knives. You have also probably seen them using terrible technique when using a steel.
They are not sharpening the edge. They are attempting to hone the edge. Sharpening requires one to remove material from the edge to bring it back to sharpness. Honing a knife takes an edge which has been rolled over and pushes back straight to preserve the edge’s geometry so it can cut. Rolling rounds the edge over making it dull. Honing corrects that roll.
Proper technique for doing this is not to haphazardly drag the knife across the steel quickly in a motion that pulls the blade toward the user. The proper way is to put the tip of the steel on a countertop, preferably with a towel underneath to prevent slipping. Then align the knife edge angle to the steel and pull the knife along the steel maintaining the proper angle to push the edge back in line. Most steels have a handle with one or more flares that one can use to find the proper angle for the blade. Honing properly can be a very useful skill to maintain the long-term sharpness of your blade.
Good Luck, Be Safe, Be Well and Happy Cutting.
