With use, all blades will lose their edge. Here we have outlined a few tips for keeping your new knife cutting and looking like it did the day you got it. If you wish, we offer refinishing and sharpening for all blades we sell. Add our refurbishing service to your cart and we will get it working like new.
CLeaning
Always hand wash blades. The heat and abrasives in dishwashers can be catastrophic to the construction of the knife. To avoid unnecessary scratches use a non-abrasive sponge. With your hand away from the edge, wipe down the length of the blade. Promptly dry after washing, do not allow the knife to drip dry.
sTROpPING
After a few uses, stropping the blade will quickly return a razor sharp edge. Using the strop will also help the edge last longer between sharpening sessions. When stropping only light pressure and a few passes are needed. Add a diamond grit or buffing compound to speed up the process and produce a keen edge.
Honing
When stropping alone is not enough, using a ceramic honing rod will make short work of an unsatisfactory edge. Focus on holding a consistent angle while running down the rod and make an equal number of passes on either side. As with stropping, only light pressure is necessary. Place a towel or other soft material under the rod to prevent colliding the edge with the counter.
SHarpening
Whetstones offer the most flexibility of all sharpening systems. The user has full control of the part of the edge they work on and the angle at which they sharpen. So you can give extra attention to the portion you use most and customize the angle of the edge to suit your cutting, slicing or chopping needs. This is key in preserving the life of the blade.
Storage
When storing blades for a long period of time, coat them in a paste wax or other heavy oil to prevent rusting. Even stainless blades will rust. Keep the blade free of dust, as the dust will absorb moisture and cause tarnishing. Keep the blade visible so any problems that appear can be dealt with quickly.
