how to take care of your knife
Use & Care
High Hardness Carbon Steel
Your new knife is forged from carbon steel, and as such there are some things to know in order to keep your tool in good condition. Carbon steel, unlike Stainless Steel, contains minimal Chromium. In general, this is a good thing, as the simpler blend of alloying elements in Carbon Steel always increases sharpenability and often leads to superior edge performance. However, this means that your knife can rust if not properly cared for. Moisture is the enemy of steel. After use make sure to clean and dry your knife thoroughly before storing. Avoid leaving your knife dirty on your cutting board for prolonged periods of time. Your knife is very hard which allows it to be ground thin. Thin and hard is wonderful for performance but it does mean the edge is sensitive to abuse. In order to avoid chipping, please do not use on frozen food or on bones (unless it is a knife designed for butchery).
Patina
As you use your knife, it will develop a patina. It will get streaks of grey and blue and gradually darken over time. High acid or reactive foods like citrus and onions will accelerate this process and your knife may discolor certain fruits and vegetables in the very beginning. This will go away once the patina is developed as the developing patina protects the blade and helps reduce the risk of rust. It can also be beautiful. A well cared for knife will become an evidential tapestry of use.
Cleaning
To promote the growth of patina, scrub your knife minimally. Clean with the soft side of sponge or just rinse the blade. It’s fine to use an abrasive sponge, but it may scrape off your patina somewhat. NEVER PUT YOUR KNIFE IN THE DISHWASHER. The high heat and abrasive elements in the detergent will quickly ruin your knife.
Rust
If your knife ever starts rusting, don’t worry! It’s very easy to fix. Just scrub it with the hard side of a sponge and it should come right off. Don’t leave your knife rusting, however, or it will eventually create deep pitting on the steel.
Continued Care & Sharpening
In order to ensure optimum performance of your knife (and any knife) always use wood or plastic cutting boards - end grain cutting boards are the best. Avoid bamboo and never cut on glass or marble as it will quickly dull your knife.
The best way to maintain a keen edge on your knife is frequent stropping or honing on a steel or ceramic rod. A leather strop is by far my favorite method as it is extremely user-friendly. Honing on a rod requires some practice and can lead to chipping at the edge if done too aggressively (don’t mimic the wild swiping of TV chefs!) but can also be very effective.
Knives will last longest and perform best if sharpened on whetstones. You can do this yourself or send your knife to a local whetstone sharpening service. Don’t be afraid to lay your knife flat on a stone to thin it when it gets chunky behind the edge!
If your knife ever requires any service or you have any questions, please email me and we’ll figure it out together!
Thank You!
