Cutlery

Choosing the Best Sharpener:

If your knife is fairly sharp, try using a honing steel to bring it back to peak performance. Or use the last stage on an electric sharpener or a very fine-grit sharpening stone. If your knife is a little dull, you could use a manual sharpener or a diamond-coated sharpening steel. Or use the medium-abrasive stage on an More »electric sharpener or a medium-grit sharpening stone. If your knife is totally blunt, you could take it to a professional sharpener or use a coarse-grit sharpening stone. Or use the coarsest abrasive slot on an electric sharpener. A manual sharpener with a coarse stage and adjustable angles may also work. « Less

Protect Your Kitchen Shears

Whatever you do, don’t drop your shears. This knocks the blades out of alignment, and as the off-kilter blades scrape against each other, they quickly go dull.

Sharpening Frequency

How often should you sharpen? A lot depends on how well you care for your knives (especially how frequently you hone), but if you’re a passionate home cook—you make most meals from scratch and entertain often—a quality knife should give you six months to a year of faithful service before it needs serious sharpening. « Less

Sharpening Serrated Knives: Don’t Try This at Home

Serrated knives stay sharp longer than straight-edge knives, partly because the inside of the scallops never touch the hard board; the teeth see most of the action. Once they do get dull, though, the sharpening options are limited. With a few exceptions, most manual sharpeners cannot handle a serrated edge. More »Some electric sharpeners can repair the teeth, but not the inside of the scallops. If you don’t have the tools and it’s a quality knife, your best bet is to have it professionally sharpened by a service that has the necessary equipment. Or you could take the disposable approach. Buy an inexpensive serrated knife, use it until it’s no good, then toss it out (or recycle it) and buy another. « Less

Easy, Everyday Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Knives in Top Condition

Whenever you have finished using a knife, you should hone, or sharpen, it briefly with a honing steel before you put it away. The steel, which is a long, metal rod, actually shaves off the tiniest bit of metal to improve the edge. Every 6 months or so, most knives should be sharpened either by a professional or More »with an at-home mechanical or manual sharpener (such as a sharpening stone). « Less

Be Nice to Your Knives, They’ll Last Longer.

Resist the urge to use them as a screwdriver, a lever, a pick, or any other task for which they weren’t intended. Clean knives promptly after use. They’ll clean up easier, and the residue from acidic ingredients such as tomatoes and lemons can dull the edge. Use an appropriate cutting board, such as wood or plastic. More »Don’t cut on marble, granite, ceramic, glass, or other hard surfaces. Don’t cut frozen foods with straight-edge knives. That’s a fast path to ruining the edge. Don’t use the blades to pry open cans or otherwise twist the blades. « Less

The Dos and Don’ts of Knife Cleaning

DO wash with hot soapy water as soon as possible after use, dry with a clean soft towel, and store properly.

DON’T put knives in the dishwasher. The high heat isn’t good for the steel, and the agitation can knock the knife against other utensils, dulling the edge. Dishwashers can also damage wooden handles. More »

DON’T let knives drip dry in a rack or utensil bucket. In addition to leaving water spots on the knife, this can damage the tip and edge. Just take an extra five seconds to dry the knife and put it away.

DON’T leave dirty knives in the sink overnight. Water and acidic and salty residues on the blade can make the metal, especially the thin edge, vulnerable to rusting.

DON’T use steel wool. This will scratch the blade. Hot soapy water and a sponge will remove any dried-on food particles.

DON’T slide the sponge lengthwise along the edge of the blade. A very sharp knife could slice through the sponge and nick your hand. Instead, wipe from the spine toward the edge with short, diagonal strokes. « Less

Keep Your Knives Sharper with a Lighter Touch

Cutting through food doesn’t dull your knife—your cutting board does. And the harder your knife hits the board, the faster the edge will wear. So lighten up when you cut, and your edge will last a little longer. « Less

How to Make a Dull Knife Feel Sharper

To make a moderately dull knife feel a little sharper than it is, use longer strokes and less downward pressure. This changes the angle of attack on the food, multiplying the effectiveness of microserrations along the cutting edge. « Less

The Best Way to Chop Chocolate

Use a serrated knife to chop chocolate. Think of shaving the chocolate from the block rather than hacking at it. Start at the corner of the bar and work backward, moving the knife after each cut. When you’ve lost the point of the corner, turn the bar around and start at another corner. Avoid using the tip of a chef’s knife to More »break the block apart, as it could snap or slip. « Less

How to Tell if Your Knife Sharp Enough

Slice a tomato. A super-sharp knife will glide through the skin and flesh as if there’s nothing there. Slice a lemon. The knife should penetrate the rind with ease. Cut a sheet of paper. Hold the sheet in the air and – starting at the top edge – slice down toward the bottom edge. The knife should cut cleanly into the paper. More »Feel the edge carefully. A sharp knife will grab a bit if you pull your thumb gently across the side of the blade, moving from the spine toward the edge (don’t slide lengthwise down the blade, or you’ll cut yourself). « Less

Know the Limits of Ceramic Knives

Don’t carve, bone, or pry with ceramic or use it for any purpose that requires twisting or flexing. Don’t use it to cut frozen food or hard cheese. Don’t use the side of the blade to smash garlic or other items, and never apply force to the side of the blade. Avoid dropping or knocking the knife against a hard surface. More »Never put the blade over an open flame. « Less