Buying a quality knife is an investment and something you’ve likely researched and spent a great deal of time on. Now that you own a knife, it’s time to take care of it. Proper washing, storing and maintaining your knife will determine its longevity. Most importantly, keep your knives SHARP! A sharper knife is a safer knife.
A lot of people don’t know that honing and sharpening are different. Honing is a good practice to get into. It’s important to note that honing will only re-align the blade, but won’t remove the steel like sharpening does. Depending on how often the knives are used, they may only need to be sharpened once or twice a year.
Buy a steel and learn how to use it. A steel will help keep your blade aligned, so be sure to run the blade along the steel after you’ve used your knife.
Age old rule that you’ve likely heard time and time again;never put your knife in the dishwasher.Reason being the chemicals in your dish detergent can cause discolouration or pit corrosion. We avoid the dishwasher because we never really know what happens once that door closes. The knife can be banged around and damaged while inside, so it's best to hand wash only.
A mild dish detergent will do, however, some prefer to wash their knives with only hot water. The choice is up to you, just be sure to dry it once you’ve rinsed the soap off. Depending on the type of steel your knife is you may want to oil the blade once you’ve finished cleaning it. This can protect the steel from potentially rusting.
This may seem like another obvious rule. However, sometimes people are in a hurry and cut on surfaces that are not ideal. Avoid surfaces such as marble, granite, concrete, and glass. Invest in a wood or plastic cutting board, you’ll be happy you did.
Make sure the blade is protected and doesn’t hit other blades or objects that could damage the surface. There are many options such as magnetic or wood racks, protective sheaths, or drawer organizers.
If you’re still not sure, bring us your knives. We can answer any questions you may have and even sharpen your knives on site at our participating showrooms! Please note we cannot sharpen scissors, cleavers, Asian or serrated blades. Straight edges only and all costs are per knife.
PLUS Stop by participating Russell Hendrix locations on Tuesdays to have your knife sharpened on Toonie Tuesdays for a reduced cost! For a full breakdown of location and costs, please refer to the list below.
