Knives Out

A good sharp knife is a cornerstone of a well-equipped kitchen, and often the culinary tool most neglected by the home cook. How many times have you lamented the dullness of your knives while using them, only to put them back in the block, forgetting your vow to have them sharpened? Probably every time. Until now. Here’s a handy reference guide for keeping your knives in perfect working order and a chance to have them sharpened by a pro simply by dropping them off at the Club.

Hone your skills

There are two key components to proper knife maintenance: honing and sharpening. According to professional knife sharpener and former chef Darin Gagner of Valley Sharp (valleysharp.com), honing ideally happens frequently and sharpening only when necessary. “The edge of a knife made of quality steel is robust but goes out of alignment and eventually rolls over. Honing a knife corrects the edge and keeps it working between sharpenings.”

Honing a knife entails using a leather strop or ceramic rod (also called a steel) to realign the edge of the knife. If you’ve ever watched a cooking show on TV, you’ve likely seen a chef honing a knife before beginning to cut with it. Sharpening, which requires a whetstone or a professional’s touch, remakes the edge. Unless you’re an overzealous knife user, you’ll only need your knives sharpened once or twice a year.

While we are all taught to be careful when handling a sharp knife, it’s a dull knife we should be wary of. “The duller the knife, the more force is needed to complete a cut, and the more it will slip in use,” explains Darin. “This makes a knife dangerous. A sharp knife stays on target and requires little more than the weight of the knife to complete a cut.”

A common misconception is that sharpening a knife removes a lot of material from the blade. Not so, says Darin. “What really eats away at the edge of a knife is damage and chipping from misuse.” Just like other tools you may use in your daily life, different knives are used for different purposes. A standard chef’s knife isn’t crafted to cut through bone like a cleaver, it’s meant for slicing, chopping and mincing. Misusing a knife for something other than its intended purpose will result in chips and damage that will shorten the lifespan of the knife.

Buy like a pro

Darin recommends MAC, Miyabi and Victorinox brand knives for good value versus performance. “If you are going to invest in a good knife, hold it in-person,” he says, “and buy from a shop that also sharpens.” Reliable stores near Bellevue include Seattle Edge in Ballard (2607 NW Market Street, 206-799-0412, knifesharpeningseattle.com) and Seattle Cutlery in Pike Place Market (1920 Pike Place, 206-441-8988, seacut.com). “The experts at these shops can talk to you about what you cook, how you cook and what you’re looking for,” he continues. “It’s worth the extra money to find the right knife and have an expert to answer your questions. You can’t get that kind of experience online.”

Other considerations for proper knife care:

• Do not put your knives in the dishwasher.

• Use a citric-acid-free dish soap like Dawn to clean your knives.

• Dry them completely after use.

• Bamboo is too hard a wood for use as a cutting board. Use an end grain butcher block made from maple, walnut or cherry for cutting veggies and thick plastic ones for cutting meat.

• Store your knives on a magnetic strip covered by wood or another material, not only because it’s better for the knife but because it looks cool on your kitchen wall.

Darin from Valley Sharp will be at the Club on June 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Members will be able to drop off their knives, including kitchen shears and serrated knives, and pick them up the next day. The cost for each knife is $15, and Darin can repair tips, chips and damage in addition to sharpening. Reservations are required.