Ever found yourself in the kitchen, frustrated with a dull knife, wishing you could slice through ingredients as easily as you once did? You’re not alone. Knives, like any valuable tool, rely on proper care and maintenance for peak performance and longevity. Today, we’re-slash-throwing in the towel on negligent knife care and learning how to keep our blades in top shape.
Before diving into maintenance techniques, let’s get to know our knives better. Contrary to popular belief, not all knives are created equal. High-quality knives like those found at Kemisant, boasting clad construction and discrete tangs, require unique upkeep strategies.
- Clad construction combines hard metals (like VG-10 or SG2) with softer ones, balancing edge retention with easy sharpening.
- A full or discrete tang ensures significant bolster support and durability.
The most disastrous influence on knife longevity? Dullness. Not just because it’s frustrating but because when trying to ease through cuts, pressure builds up leading to blade damage. Instead of forcing your way through ingredients like a stubborn power drill, use these sharpening methods:
- A Better Way to Use Sharpening Stones: Sheathe your ego and employ patience. Proper sharpening should mimic an inclination, maintaining a constant angle against the stone until burr forms.
- Seymour’s French Forged Method: Start by carefully aligning your knife’s bevel against an honing rod or magnet-cleaned steel. Sloping downwards from heel-to-tip will restore edge geometry gradually.