The Blade-Smith LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the best knife? The best knife is the one that your are going to be comfortable with using. Knives are as individual as people and as such a knife that may be comfortable to one person will not be comfortable with the next person. When choosing a knife go to a store that will let you take the knife out and handle it and use it. You want to feel it, what does the weight of the knife feel like to you. Quality does count and your knives are one of the most important investments in your kitchen, and chosen carefully and maintained properly should last you a very long time.
What is a honing Steel? Commonly referred to as a "sharpening steel" is a steel rod that helps maintain your knives and prolong the time between sharpenings. There are many methods that have been taught through the years and some are good and some are bad. The Blade-Smith LLC has developed a method of using a steel that is simple, and easy to use. Please check our Education page for a demonstration.
Are stainless steel knives really dishwasher safe? Yes and No. While most of the knife manufacturers say that their knives are dishwasher safe. However if you go to the websites for the various knife manufacturers you will find that most of them say their knives are dish washer safe but "don't" recommend using a dishwasher, and the reason are listed.
How often should I use a steel? The knife will tell you when it needs to be maintained. When you purchase your new knives take a moment to feel how the knife works. Feel how a new knife cuts and feels during the cut. How easy does it go through the product you're trying to cut. Now once the knife stops working the way you want it to work, that, is when you pick up the steel and use it to bring the edge back. Many people say that you need to steel/hone your knives every time you use them, The Blade-Smith says this is unnecessary. Let the knife tell you when it needs some touching up.
How often should my knives be sharpened? There is no magical time when your knives need to be sharpening. There are many factors that affect the edge of your knives. Quality of knives, cutting boards, washing, and the items you're cutting all have a bearing of the length of time between sharpenings. Also the type of honing you do between sharpenings and the type of honing devise all have a bearing on how often your knives need to be sharpened.
Are electric sharpeners bad for my knives? NO and YES. Most people using these machines don't stop and take the time to read the instructions thoroughly. And when you don't read the instructions things can go wrong and you don't have an understanding of why. Electric sharpeners have pro's and limitations and the user needs to be aware of them all. Electric sharpeners can help with your honing if you don't know how to use a steel and need to touch up your knives.
What is meant by forged knives? There are 2 basic types of knife making. Forging and stamping. Stamped knives are made from a sheet of metal and a cutter cuts blanks from the sheet. Forged knives come from an individual billet of metal and then the metal is forged into a single knife through a hammering process. The forging process is much more intense and thus the quality of the finished product is superior to that of a stamped blade.
What are the best cutting boards to use? Wood or Plastic. A material that is going to give just a little as the knife is placed into it. Health departments can not make up their minds on which is better. Most important is the cleaning of the boards after use, and to have a different board for greens(vegetables) and meats. Keeping the boards clean will help the boards last longer and help the longevity of your knife edges.
What about "Glass" cutting boards? What is the only thing that can cut glass? that would be diamonds. Glass doesn't give like wood or plastic. Once you place a knife on a glass cutting board to cut something you are actually dulling your knives. While glass cutting boards don't have cleanliness issue they are terrible on knives.
Why are sharp knives safer than dull knives? You don't respect your dull knives, thus your handling of them. Sharp knives will bite into the product you're cutting reducing the chance of the knife slipping off and cutting you. Also with a sharp knife you are using less force and have much more control over the knife. Once you get in the habit of having sharp knives you will be more aware of the blade and be more careful while handling and using them.
How should I store my knives? There are several methods of storing your knives, choose one that best fits your kitchen environment. The last place that you want to leave your knives is "loose" in a drawer with the rest of your kitchen utensils. The liklihood of you getting cut greatly increases and all of those other utensils have a real bad effect on the edges of your knives.
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