Knife Care

You’ve invested in high quality Flint & Flame knives which you love cooking with.

But how do you go about caring for them so they stay sharp and looking fantastic for years to come?

Here’s our Top 10 Knife Care Do’s and Don’ts…

The Don’ts

Don’t clean your knives in the dishwasher.

Whilst it might be tempting to put your knives in the dishwasher, it’s all too easy for the blades to become damaged by the other items in the machine or the harsh alkaline detergents that are often used.

Don’t use the wrong knife block.

A traditional wooden knife block where the knife rests on the sharp edge can blunt the knife. Good knife blocks avoid this by storing the blade at a high angle, supporting the side of the blade or holding the blades in suspension so that the sharp edge doesn’t support the full weight of the knife.

Don’t leave your dirty knives lying in the sink.

Not only can this be dangerous for whoever washes the dishes, it’s also bad for your knives — the blade can get scratched, the tip can bend or break and corrosion can start if you leave them for a long time.

Don’t leave you knives out to dry.

It’s tempting to stack your knives on the draining board or on a rack with your other utensils. However, this can lead to nicks in the blade, early corrosion or a build up of mould and mildew.

Don’t store your knives in a cutlery drawer.

Storing your knives this way is a bad idea as it’s easy for your blades to be nicked, or for the tips to become damaged. If you must keep your knives in a drawer use protective sheaths to adequately protect them.

The Do’s

Do clean your knives as soon as you’ve used them.

It sounds an obvious one, but it’s easy to get absorbed in your culinary creativity and leave your knives used and dirty, lying on the side. The quicker you get them clean, dry and stored away, the better.

Do sharpen your knives when they need it.

As a starter, aim to sharpen your knives once a month if you use them regularly. Hone the blade using a ceramic wheel sharpener or whetstone for best results

Do hand wash your knives.

Nothing fancy is required here. Just use warm soapy water and a clean cloth. Once you’re done, dry them up straight away to prevent any mould or mildew forming on the metal surfaces.

Do polish up your knife skills.

Too much chopping can quickly damage your blades. In nearly all cases you should be rocking or sliding if you’re using a knife. See our knife skills videos to learn how you should be using your knives.

Do use the right chopping board.

Choosing the right chopping board is critical in order to maintain the sharpness of your knives. Glass, marble or metal are simply too hard and can easily damage your knife. Instead, wooden cutting boards are the best  choice.

So there you have it. Everything you need to know in order to get the very best from your Flint & Flame knives and to keep them in tip-top condition.