Now that you have your new knife and are using it, there are some certain precautions you should be wary of when taking care of it. 

The first being that the knife is not made to be cleaned in the dishwasher; it will slowly ruin the blade if you do this. To safely  wash the knife, run it under some soap and hot water and scrub it with some sort of brush, making sure to go from the top to the bottom (the edge). Then dry the knife and place it back in its home. I prefer to do this in order to avoid any accidents that could result from leaving the knife out.

The second part of caring for your knife regards housing. I like a good solid knife block. The knives are covered and also kept in a straight alignment thus protecting them and their owners.There are other options out there such as magnetic strips that hang on walls and hold the knives up or they can be placed in a drawer. I don’t care for either of these options because the knives are still exposed and accidents can occur. In addition, the knives are not covered and can get bent or “injured”.

Many varieties of knife blocks are available, just explore and find what feels best. Make sure to know the size of your knife (both its maximum width and length) ahead of time to make sure it will fit in the knife block you purchase. I hope you continue to enjoy your knives and that these tips will help it last longer.

When it comes to cooking in the home kitchen, one of the most versatile tools an aspiring chef can possess is a good knife.  Over the next few articles I would like to enlighten everyone on everything about knives, from taking care of them and yourself when using them, to getting the best out of your knives. Lets begin with picking out a knife.


Starting out, you may look into buying a whole set of knives, however the home chef only needs two knives to begin with: a chef’s knife and a paring knife. I would suggest splurging a little and choosing a quality knife, that way it will last longer and make your life much easier. Eight to nine inches is the perfect size for a chef’s knife, and depending on the brand you select the knife will be about $100-$120. I prefer...