Knife Care and Sharpening
A quality kitchen knife set will last a lifetime – but only if you take the time to care for and maintain it. It is important to remember to regularly hone, clean and sharpen your knives to ensure they last long enough to pass them down.
To help you with that ultimate goal we’ve compiled our thoughts and knowledge regarding knife care. Read on for all our knife care tips from industry chefs and experts.
It’s necessary to hone your blades weekly with a round steel honing rod or a pull-through hone/sharpener but only through the ceramic fine honing side. If weekly honing isn’t enough to keep your blades sharp, then you should consider using one of our three sharpeners.
A diamond oval sharpening rod is the best option and works with just a few light passes; other options are our FastEdge 2-stage sharpener or our new Fast Edge II spring-loaded self-adjusting carbide sharpener & hone. These are only suitable for standard steel blades, not Japanese Damascus or Ceramic. To maintain the precision edges of Japanese Damascus blades, we recommend using a wet stone or sending your knives to us for professional sharpening. Did you know all steel knives should be professionally sharpened every 1-2 years. This ensures a proper new edge grind and longer useful life from your knives, as the honing rod and other home sharpening methods are temporary ways to keep your knives working. But you’ll eventually realize they are no longer doing the trick and you’ll need a pro to sharpen your knives.
Incorrect sharpening methods will result in shorter edge life, poor knife performance, and limit the usable life of your knives.
On top of proper honing and sharpening, you must ensure your using a good cutting board and care for your knives properly with these tips.
Important Knife Care/Use Tips:
- Use only Soap & hot water with a soft sponge to wash your knives. Towel dry and store in a safe place. Use Comet cleanser or Bar Keepers Friend to remove any blade stains.
- Do not use the green abrasive side of the sponge as this will dull the edge faster & cause more scratches on the blade.
- Use Wood, plastic, or Bamboo cutting boards. NEVER USE GLASS, GRANITE, STEEL, or FORMICA surfaces to cut on, as these will dull knives quickly.
- Avoid injury and damage to your knives by always using the knife for its intended purpose.
- Always store your knives in a Block or in a drawer with an Edge Guard to protect the blade from damage.
If you follow our knife care and sharpening tips and continue to use your knife set properly, we promise your knives will last longer than you would have thought possible.
When all else fails for getting your knives sharp, it may just be time to buy a better quality knife set. Ergo Chef has four different knife lines to choose from at different price points, which you can explore. If you have any questions please leave us a comment on our Chat Feature and we’ll get back to you soon. Need an answer faster please call us Toll-Free at 877-796-0884. Our hours are Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm Eastern time.
