How to Care for your Chef's Knife

For most people, a knife is simply a blade with a handle. To others, the knife is an essential part of their livelyhood. Although most people may only be familiar with the basic steak knife, butter knife and carving knife, there are a wide variety of knives each designed for a specific task. Some of these are:

Chefs Knife (shown in Image)
Boning Knife
Fillet Knife
Paring Knife
Utility Knife
Slicer
Cleaver
Sashimi Knife

Reguardless of the function of the knife, they will all contain the same basic components.

So let's start with a quick introduction to the basic parts of a knife.

The material of choice for many years has been carbon steel. Carbon steel knives take an edge better than either high carbon or stainless steel blades. The down side of carbon steel is that it tends to lose its edge quickly and requires frequent sharpening. The higher acidity of certain foods, such as tomatoes and onions, can discolor Carbon steel blades. As a result, they must be washed and thoroughly dried after use (and before storage) to avoid permanent discoloration, rusting, and pitting. Carbon steel also tends to be brittle and can break easily under excessive stress.

A popular option is stainless steel which is a steel alloy with a higher chromium content than regular steel. This makes the metal stronger than carbon steel and also highly resistant to discoloration and rust. This increased strength is also its main drawback since it is much harder to get a edge on a stainless steel blade. However, once properly sharpened, the edge will last longer than that of a carbon steel blade.

The most popular material today, for good quality blades is a high-carbon stainless steel (HCSS).

This particular alloy combines the advantages of both the carbon steel and stainless steel. The higher carbon content allows the HCSS to be easily sharpened (like carbon steel) and it will also maintain its edge longer (like stainless steel). Being a stainless steel (containing chromium), the blade is also highly resistant to discoloration, rust, and pitting when used on high acidity foods.

A more recent innovation is knife blades which are made out of very hard ceramics, usually zirconium oxides. The extreme hardness of ceramic knives allows them to maintain their sharpness up to 10x longer than traditional steel knives. The drawback to the increased hardness of the ceramic blades is that they are relatively brittle and may shatter or crack if used to pry or cut frozen foods. Also, most ceramic blades tend to chip when dropped.

Another potential drawback is that ceramic blades cannot be sharpened with the usual ceramic whetstone (or sharpening wheels). A material harder than the blade must be used, which in this case requires diamonds which is why some manufacturers offer a complimentary sharpening service with each purchase. Otherwise, it is recommended that ceramic knives are sharpened with industrial grade diamond sharpeners.

The blade of the knife consists of 3 main parts: the Tip, the Spine, and the Cutting Edge.

The most desirable type of blade is the taper ground. During manufacture, the knife's blade is forged from a single sheet of metal and, as the name implies, is then ground to taper smoothly from the spine to the cutting edge.

Some blades are beveled, not continuously tapered. The bevel is a sharper angle ground in to form the cutting edge. A beveled edge is not as sharp as a continuously tapered one. Your most frequently used knife should be made with a taper ground blade.

Hollow ground blades are typically made from 2 sheets of metal, with their edges either beveled or fluted. The "hollows" (also referred to as kullens) of the blade reduce friction while slicing. As a result, these blades are most commonly found on specialty knives such as those used for slicing (bread) or carving (ham, turkey, beef). Although these knives usually have very sharp edges, they typically lack the balance and longevity of taper ground blades.

It should be noted that some Santoku knives are available with hollow ground blades. These knives are typically made outside of Japan with softer, single alloy steels. Since the scallops create air pockets which reduce friction between the blade and material being sliced, the knife appears to be sharper. Traditional Santoku knives should not have hollows since they rely on the inherint quality of the steel and the Japanese edge geometry for their sharpness.

The heel is the widest part of the cutting edge of the knife, located at the rear of the blade where it meets the handle. The extra thickness this heel makes this portion of the cutting edge ideal for chopping hard items like carrots, nuts, and even cracking chicken bones.

The bolster (also known as the collar or shank) is the point where the blade meets the handle. All high quality knives will have a bolster. It is important the the bolster be a continuation of the heel. Some knives have a collar that may initially appear to be a bolster, but it is actually a separate piece of metal that is attached to the handle. These knives should be avoided as they are not as durable and will tend to come apart.

Rosewood is the classic material for knife handles. It is extremely hard and has no grain which makes it less likely to split and/or crack. Other handles of lesser quality woods may be impregnated with plastic to protect the handle from damage caused by the continuous exposure to water and soap. Knife handles may also be made entirely of either metal of plastic as some consider them to be more sanitary. It is important that all non-wooden handles be thoroughly cleaned to remove grease, which will adheres more closely to the plastic and metal than wood.

Regardless of the material, the handle should fit comfortably in your hand. since this will improve the ease and speed with which you are able to work. The handle should rest naturally across your palm and feel like an extension of your hand. Some knives are specially manufactured for left handed chefs.

No I'm not talking about the orange drink the astronauts took to the moon (for those of you old enough to remember the commercials). Although it is not visible in the image, the tang is the continuation of the blade which extends into the knife's handle. The type of tang a knife contains is easily identified by looking at the spine side of the knife.

A full tang refers to a knife with a tang that extends the entire length of the handle. The spine of the blade should visibly continue through the center of the handle. Heavy work knives such as cleavers and chef's knives require additinal strength and should always have full tangs.

A partial tang, as the name implies, does not run the entire length of the handle, so they are not as durable full tang knives. Partial tang knives are acceptable for less frequently used or lighter duty knives, such as paring knives.

A rat-tail tang is a hybrid of the full and partial tang. It is much thinner than the spine of the blade and is also encased within the handle so it is not visible on the top and bottom of the handle as the full tang is. Knives with rat-tail tangs are typically less durable, and are not appropriate for heavy or extended use.

Rivets are the metal fasteners that are used to secure the handle to the tang. Make sure that all rivets are flush with the surface of the handle and are completely smooth. Uneven rivets may irritate and blister your hand, and are potential pockets where bacteria can grow.

Like most home cooks, I'm self taught. Along the way I've learned from mistakes (a paring knife should not be used to pry apart frozen hamburgers - I was young) and enjoyed my successes (such as an Oreo Cheesecake - you had to be there, it tasted great). Anyway, over the years, you hear (and read) certain things over and over from different places and people and eventually come to the realization that it's probably right. With that in mind, here are two essential knife care tips - proper washing and storage.

Washing your Knife

A professional chef will invest hundreds of dollars on a single knife. Most of the rest of us will spend an equal amount on a knife set that we will expect to last just short of forever. In either case, everyone wants their knofe to perform as if it were brand new. An essential component of this performance requires that your knife blade (metal or ceramic) and handle be kept clean. Regardless of whether your knife was manufactured by JA Henkels, Wusthof, Victorinox, Kyocera, etc, the proper washing technique is the same - hand wash with warm water using a minimal amount of detergent, rinse thoroughly and dry immediately.

For reasons of safety, it is important to remember that the blade of the knife should always face away from you.

All knives (regardless of material of construction) should be washed prior to their first use.. This helps to remove any remaining oils which may be left behind as a result of the manufacture and sharpening processes, and who wants to taste industrial oils in their food.

Knives must be washed immediately after every use to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. (the same is true for cutting boards).

NEVER put your knives in a dishwasher. During the wash cycle your knives can bang against the wire racks, other flatware, dishes, pots and pans, etc resulting in a nicked blade. Also, during the drying cycle, the long exposure to steam can cause your knife to stain (even if it's made from stainless steel). Dishwashers are especially hazardous to knives with wooden handles. The high temperatures and humidity reduce the strength of the wood and diminish its natural lustre and beauty.

In addition to cleanliness, knives with wooden handles require a little extra care. An occasional wipe with mineral oil will help to help maintain the wood's moisture resistance, and natural finish.

Now that your knife has been properly cleaned, where do you put it?

Under no circumstances should your chefs knife (or any other non-flatware knife) be stored in your flatware drawer. The repetitive banging and scraping against all the other metal objects in the drawer is guaranteed to dull damage your knife. There are, however, several options available for properly storing your knives.

Knife Block

Knife blocks are a functional and decorative way to store your knives. They come in a variety of shapes, materials, colors and sizes, storing the knives either horizontally or vertically. If vertical, it is necessary to insert your knife with the blade up, so it is not dulled as it rubs against the hardwood. Several manufacturers will include the knife block with their knife sets. This is the best option for counter top storage.

Wooden in-drawer knife tray

The wooden knife drawer is similar i concept to a Knife Block, except that it is designed to fit into a drawer. Depending on the size and style of the knife tray, it may not fit all of your knives. It also may not be possible to store your knives with the blade up (the repetitive rubbing against the wood will dull the blade). This is a good idea for those who prefer to store their knives out of sight.

Magnetic rack (not an option for ceramic knives)

The magnetic rack contains extra strong magnets (obviously) which hold your knives against any vertical surface (wall, cabinet, refrigerator, etc). A major benefit of the magnetic rack is that all knives are visible and no counter space is lost. This is an excellent storage option for those with limited counter space.

Cook's case

This is the preferred storage method for professional chefs, mainly because their knives travel with them. However this is also an option for those who want to store their knives out of site, and also have limited drawer space (or simply too many to fit into an in-drawer tray. The actual 'case' comes in a variety of designs ranging from a soft polyester/PVC roll to a solid aluminum frame briefcase with foam inserts.

Which ever option you select, it is important to remember that with proper care (and minimal effort), your knives can last for a very long time.

There is nothing more frustrating for a chef than trying to cut, slice, mince, chop or dice with a dull knife. Also, since it is highly impractical to buy a new knife every time your current knife gets dull, at some point your going to need to sharpen it. There are three basic tools that you can use to sharpen your knife - a sharpening steel, an electric sharpener, or a sharpening stone (wet or dry).

Sharpening Steel

Some might argue that a sharpening steel doesn't really sharpen at all, it simply realigns the serrations, honing an otherwise already sharp edge. Details aside, it's called a sharpening steel so I'm going to include it here.

A sharpening steel should be used after every cutting task to maintain the knife's edge for the next task. The more often the steel is used, the less frequently you will need to perform a more rigorous sharpening (with a stone or electric sharpener).

Use of the steel is very simple. Hold it firmly, pointing away from your body, and holding the knife at a 20 degree angle lightly stroke the entire length of the blade down the steel. This should be repeated several times, alternating sides of the knife blade. Remember that you are only honing the edge, so use light pressure. Excessive pressure may grind the edge and end up doin gmore harm than good.

Electric Sharpener

Being the father of twins, and not having a tremendous amount of time for myself, I consider the electric sharpener to be the most practical choice for home cooks. The two main advantages to the electrical sharpener are time and skill - you don't need a lot of either as I demonstrate in the video below.

Although there are many models of electric sharpeners available, the best will have the following:

>Multiple sharpening wheels (coarse to fine)
>A fixed sharpening angle (20 degrees)
>Rubber feet or suctio cups to keep the sharpener steady

Multiple sharpening wheels is the most important since knives require a fine resharpening every 4 - 6 months (depending on usage) and a major resharpening (starting with a coares regrinding) about once a year. If your electric sharpener doesn't have all of the roughnesses required, your knife will never be as sharp as it should. Again, for a quick demonstration of hwo to use anelectric sharpener, see the video below.

Sharpening Stone (wet or dry)

I wish I had both the time and patience for using a sharpening stone, since (after a little practice) they will provide your knife with the best edge possible. Also, since you directly control the angle at which you hold the knife (or set the guide), you can begin to experiment with different angles and bevel edges on different knives (or for the really skilled, different angles along the length of a blade).

Here are the basic steps for using a sharpening stone:

>For dull knives start with the rough side of the stone, for already sharp knives use the smooth side.
>Hold the blade at a constant 20 degree angle
>Starting at the heel of the knife, use light steady strokes, going the full length of the blade
>Sharpen in one direction only
>Sharpen one side of the knife at a time
>Use the same number of strokes for each side
>When finished you shuld feel a slight burr along the entire length of the blade (if you don't feel the burr, the edge is not fully sharpened)
>Remove the burr with several light strokes with a sharpening steel

Using a sharpening stone is a skill that you will improve with over time , so practice, practice, practice.

For a much more in depth explaination of how to use a sharpening stone, here is an article that I highly recommend.