Knife Care
Knife Care
How to Clean You Hand Forged Knife
Do! Not! Dishwash!
Carbon and stainless steels require different levels of care, but neither should ever see the inside of a dishwasher or be left in the sink for several reasons:
Firstly, a blade is almost certain to scratch, dull or even chip or break from moving around in the dishwasher or rubbing against other dishes in the sink, since it was never meant to be impacted in this way.
Secondly, handle materials are never fully waterproof and becoming soaked will harm the handle and the adhesive holding it in place.
Thirdly, no steel is truly and fully corrosion proof. Keeping the knife wet and warm for an extended period of time, like in a dishwasher, creates the perfect conditions for rust to form even on the most stainless of steels.
Now that we’ve established absolutely NO DISHWASHER, the way you should clean your knife is by gently washing it in the sink either by hand or with a washcloth, always moving from spine to edge. Never use long strokes along the knife and never go edge to spine to avoid accidently cutting yourself. Dry immediately with a towel using the same technique, even with stainless steel so as not to let excess water soak into the handle.
Some people prefer holding the washcloth or towel in place and running the blade across it similarly to sharpening motions.
Carbon Steel Extra Steps
While stainless steel can be left to finish air dry after some light wiping or pat drying, carbon steel needs to be completely dry immediately. Carbon steel will begin rusting almost instantly when contacting water. I prefer pat-drying with a paper towel after drying with a tea towel.
It is highly recommended that you protect your blade with a drop or two of specialized knife oil after drying, especially if you live in an area with high humidity. A single bottle of knife oil should last you a lifetime, or near enough, but if you can’t get one and are not concerned about allergies, sesame seed oil will work just as well (but again, be very careful of allergies).
To apply the oil simply drip a couple of drops near the base of the knife and rub it from spine to edge like you did cleaning it, let sit for a moment and then wipe away any excess oil (if any) like you would water to prevent the blade becoming sticky.
Furthermore, while using the knife, it is advisable to keep a tea towel or paper towel on hand to wipe the blade between uses so it never sits wet.