STEEL - CARE - SHARPENING
As you consider purchasing a knife, you will want to determine what kind of steel works best for you. Broadly speaking, your options are stainless steel or high carbon steel. Each steel type has advantages and disadvantages, which are explained on this page. This page also covers issues of care and best practices for sharpening for your knife.
HIGH CARBON STEEL
High-carbon, non-stainless steel knives are made of steel which has a low or non-existent chromium content.
​
These knives need to be kept dry when not in use in order to prevent excessive tarnishing or even rust. High-carbon steel knives will eventually form a patina, which some people say lends character to the knife, and other people don’t like. Basically, high carbon knives need to be cared for, like any good tool.
​
The advantage of high carbon steel is that it is generally easy to sharpen, and it takes a keen edge. All of the knives I use in my kitchen are high-carbon, non-stainless steel.
STAINLESS STEEL
Stainless steel knives are made from steel with a high chromium content (generally 13% or more), and are more common in modern kitchens.
​
Of course, the advantage of stainless steel is that the knife will not form a patina, and you don’t need to maintain them as carefully (although even stainless steel knives can rust if utterly neglected).
Stainless steel knives can be more difficult to sharpen, depending on the particular steel alloy.
CARE
Proper care for your knife involves cleaning and drying the blade after use. Never put your knife in the dishwasher. Doing so is dangerous, can dull the blade, and can damage the handle.
​
If your knife develops unwanted oxidation, you can rub the knife with a Scotch-Brite non-scratch pad dipped in dish soap. For a more aggressive approach, you can use extra fine steel wool or a normal Scotch-Brite pad.
​
Brass and/or stainless fittings can be restored to full shine by polishing with extra fine steel wool. The handle should be conditioned occasionally with a food safe oil.
SHARPENING
I advise periodic use of a honing rod to realign your knife's edge. A honing rod can keep a knife sufficiently sharp for months, but eventually, you will need to actually sharpen your knife.
​
For sharpening, a ceramic pull-through device like those found in many kitchens will work to keep a decent edge on your knife. However, these devices will not bring your knife's edge back to razor sharpness. Water or oil stones can achieve this. These stones come in a variety of grits, and the basic idea is to start your sharpening on a lower grit and then work your way up through finer, higher-grit stones.
When I first sharpen an unsharpened knife, I start with a 220 grit stone and then work my way up to a 8000 grit stone. This final 8000-grit stone puts a very sharp edge on a knife. If you're sharpening a knife that has already been sharpened and just needs a touch-up, then you can start at the higher grits, and the process takes much less time. Once I’m finished with the 8000-grit stone, I strop the knife on a piece of leather, which knocks off any remaining micro-burr and leaves the knife with a razor-smooth edge.
Getting the sharpening technique down takes some practice, but it's not terribly difficult. You can watch a few YouTube videos to get an idea of the technique, and you may want to practice a bit on knives you don't like much.
