Knife Care

A hand-forged kitchen knife asks for about thirty seconds of care after each use, and it pays you back with decades of clean, confident cuts. Wash it by hand, dry it straight away, oil the blade if it's high-carbon or Damascus, and store it where the edge can't knock against anything. That's the whole routine. The details for each type of knife in our kitchen range are below.

Everyday care for every kitchen knife

• Wash by hand, right after use. Warm water and a little mild soap, then a soft sponge. Never put a hand-forged knife in the dishwasher: the heat, detergent and rattling dull the edge and can crack or loosen the handle.
• Dry it completely. Towel-dry the blade and handle straight away. Never leave a knife soaking in the sink or sitting wet on the drying rack.
• Cut on the right board. Wood or a soft composite board protects the edge. Glass, stone, marble and ceramic boards dull a blade within a few cuts.
• Hone often, sharpen occasionally. A few strokes on a ceramic honing rod or leather strop keeps the edge aligned day to day. A whetstone (or a professional sharpening service) restores the edge every few months, depending on how often you cook. See our step-by-step sharpening guide.
• Store it safely. A magnetic strip, knife block, blade guard or the leather sheath or roll your knife came with. A loose knife in a drawer is the fastest way to chip an edge.

Damascus and high-carbon steel

Most of our blades are Damascus or high-carbon steel. Both take a keener edge than typical stainless steel, and both need a little help against moisture.

• Oil after drying. Wipe on a thin coat of food-safe mineral oil or camellia oil, especially if the knife won't be used for a few days.
• Watch acidic foods. Tomatoes, citrus, onions and vinegar can spot high-carbon steel. Wipe the blade between tasks and wash it as soon as you're done.
• Welcome the patina. Carbon-rich steel darkens and shifts colour with use. That natural patina is normal and actually helps protect the steel. Don't scrub it off with steel wool or harsh abrasives.
• Protect the pattern. Avoid electric and pull-through sharpeners, which grind unevenly across Damascus layers. Use a whetstone at a consistent angle.
• Spotted a little rust? Catch it early: a drop of oil and a soft cloth or a fine eraser-style rust remover lifts light surface spots. Then wash, dry and oil as usual.

Chef's knives and Japanese-style knives (Gyuto, Santoku, Bunka)

• Let the edge do the work. Slice, push-cut or rock the blade. Don't twist it, pry with it or use it to scrape food across the board (flip the knife and use the spine instead).
• Keep it off bone and frozen food. Thin, finely ground blades are built for produce, proteins and herbs, not for chopping through bone or frozen blocks.
• Mind the tip. The pointed tip of a Gyuto and the angular tip of a Bunka are made for fine detail work. Store them so the tip never touches anything hard.

Cleavers

• Chop straight down. A cleaver works by weight and a clean downward stroke. Avoid twisting or levering the blade sideways once it's in the food.
• Use a solid board. A thick end-grain or heavy wooden board absorbs the impact and protects both the edge and your counter.
• Dry the whole face. A cleaver's tall blade holds a lot of water. Dry both faces and the spine before storing, and oil high-carbon cleavers as above.

Handles: wood, horn, resin and more

• Keep handles out of standing water. Natural wood and horn can swell, crack or lift if they sit wet.
• Refresh wooden handles now and then. If a wood handle looks dry or pale, rub in a little food-safe mineral oil, leave it for a few minutes and wipe off the excess.
• Avoid heat. Don't leave any knife next to the stove, in direct sun or on a hot surface.

Leather knife rolls, sheaths and aprons

• Only store clean, dry knives in leather. Leather holds moisture against the steel, so a damp blade in a roll or sheath is an invitation to rust.
• Let leather breathe. Store rolls and aprons somewhere dry and airy, not sealed in plastic.
• Wipe, don't soak. Clean spills with a slightly damp cloth and let the leather air-dry away from heat.
• Condition occasionally. A light coat of leather conditioner every few months keeps full-grain leather supple and helps it age into a rich patina.

Quick reference

Knife care FAQ

Can a hand-forged kitchen knife go in the dishwasher?
No. Dishwasher heat and detergent dull the edge, can pit Damascus steel and can damage the handle. Hand-wash and dry it instead. It takes under a minute.

What oil should I use on a Damascus knife?
Any food-safe oil made for blades: food-grade mineral oil or camellia oil. A few drops on a cloth is enough for the whole blade.

How often should I sharpen my knife?
Hone it every few uses and sharpen it on a whetstone every few months, depending on how often you cook. If it starts to slide off a tomato skin, it's time.

Is the dark colour on my blade rust?
An even grey, blue or brown colour is patina, which is normal and protective. Orange, flaky or raised spots are rust: remove them early and keep the blade dry and oiled.

Questions about caring for a specific knife? Reach out to us and we're happy to help. Looking for a roll to keep your knives in? See our leather knife rolls and aprons.