Articles, Information, Resources

I'm not completely sure, but I believe that the first cooking implement created by man was the knife. Ages ago, knives were used by man to gather and hunt for food, and later on used to prepare food when fire was discovered. Several centuries later, the knife is still one of the most common and most used tools everywhere you can find a kitchen. Everywhere you go, from homes to cafes and restaurants, you will find all sorts of knives being used for almost every food preparation and cooking task.

But although we can all agree about the importance of this versatile tool, it's sad to see that a lot of people don't know how to handle and take care of their knives correctly. Perhaps it's because knives don't come with an instruction manual.

One of my pet peeves is watching people use knives incorrectly. But then, no one showed us how to use knives properly whe we were little. All we knew at that time was that knives were dangerous and better kept away from us kids. Knives may not come with instruction manuals indeed, but it's not a reason why people shouldn't learn to use them properly.

First, learn how to hold the knife properly. There are three basic ways to hold a knife, depending on the knife and what is being cut. When cutting against the board, a knife should usually be held with the blade between thumb and forefinger. Grip the handle with your other three fingers. When cutting hanging meat, the knife should be held like a dagger to get the right amount of leverage. When using a small knife to turn or peel, one or two fingers should grip the blade, with the othersthe rest around the handle.

Learn also how to care for your knives. A wooden board should be used for chopping and cutting. Plastic boards are not as gentle on the edge of the knife as wooden boards. Get a board with the end-grain as a cutting surface, rather than side grain. Why? End-grain surfaces are the smoothest, least abrasive surface to cut against, and side-grains will chip off eventually.

When storing knives after use, it's better to use paperboards or plastic sleeves. Clean the knife first after use, then dry before storing it away. Never wash knives in a dishwasher, or just throw it in the wash basin. Always protect the knife's edge against other hard objects. To properly sharpen a knife, the best way is to use a knife sharpener with an abrasive, diamond surface. Of course, you can always use a whetstone, but it takes a lot of experience to be able to sharpen a knife to razor-like sharpness with it.

Azlan Irda is the co-founder of AfterKnife.com, which provides high-quality knives and supplies. Visit our website to get all the benchmade knives and supplies you need.