When it comes to your kitchen knives, safety should always be a top priority. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one because people tend to use more force when cutting with a dull blade and this can cause the knife to slip. By following these simple tips, you can help keep yourself and your family safe when using kitchen knives.
Here are some tips to help keep you and your knives safe:
1. Always use a cutting board.
This will help protect your countertops and keep your Knives from becoming dull. Keep your knives out of the reach of your children and store them in a safe and secure place like a locked kitchen drawer or in a knife block or Magna bar high enough from the floor and counters to prevent your children from reaching them. Make sure that when you are done using your knives that they are secured.
2. be careful when using sharp knives.
Always cut away from yourself and keep your fingers away from the blade. Do not cut anything on a surface that is not designed to be cut on. An unsuitable surface can damage your knife’s primary cutting edge. Use a proper kitchen cutting board only. A hard rock maple cutting board is the best.
3. Store your knives properly.
Keep them in a drawer or knife block where they will be protected from damage. When you are done with your cutting and chopping chores make sure that you wash your kitchen knives in hot soapy water and hand dry them with a lint free towel or cloth. Many people just throw the knives in the dishwasher and this is the worst thing you can do to your kitchen knives.
4. Sharpen your knives regularly.
This will help keep them sharp and make them safer to use. There is absolutely nothing that can’t be cleaned off of your knives by hot water and liquid soap and a sponge or wash cloth. The abrasive powders and pads will only succeed in scratching the surface/profiles of your knives and in turn the abrasives will dull your primary cutting edge as well.
5. Inspect your knives before each use.
Make sure the blades are not damaged and that the. A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife so don’t let your camping pocket knife go dull or blunt. Learn how to sharpen your knives with one of the many ways that a knife can be sharpened such as bench stones/whetstones, electric knife sharpeners, guided sharpening systems and carbide sharpeners. Keeping your knives sharp means they never get dull.
6. Don’t try to cut frozen foods with your kitchen knives.
Defrost your food in the microwave first. Don’t be impatient! Never try to use your kitchen knives to cut bone. Your knives are used for cutting and chopping. If you need to cut bone then get a meat cleaver. Trying to cut bone or frozen foods will only dull and chip your blades and you don’t want to do that to your best kitchen knives.