So you've just picked up your new or freshly resharpened knives from District Cutlery, and you're wondering how to take care of them. Not to worry, we're here to help! In this guide, we'll answer all of your questions about knife maintenance so that you can keep your blades in top condition for as long as possible. We'll cover everything from dishwasher safety to sharpening tips, so read on for the information you need to keep your knives looking and performing their best!

How Should I Store My Knives?

Keeping your knives in a safe and secure place is essential to their performance and lifespan. Make sure that you store them in a location where they won't be exposed to too much moisture, extreme temperatures, and/or other hard objects, as these can cause the blades to corrode and break down over time. The best home for a new knife is the original packaging it came in. Put the knife in the box and put the box in a drawer or other secure place. Blade edges are very fragile and can be damaged if placed uncovered amongst other utensils, as this can cause the blades to get scratched and dulled. Knife blocks are good for easy access and maximum safety, but are prone to trapping moisture and debris, so be sure your blades are dry and clean before inserting. Wall-mounted magnet strips are great, too; just take care not to roll the edge of the blade against the strip.

Can I Put My Knives In The Dishwasher?

Dishwashers use high heat, water, and chemicals to do their job. Those three things are bad for knives. If you want your knives to last as long as possible, avoid the dishwasher. In general, we advise hand-washing all District Cutlery knives with water, a sponge or soft cloth, and mild dish soap, then drying them immediately with a towel. Prompt towel-drying will reduce long-term corrosion, even with stainless steel knives.

How Often Should I Sharpen My Knives?

Lots of factors are at play with this question. Time doesn’t make knives dull; Contact with other surfaces does. The frequency of that contact and the force applying it will bend and flatten the edges of your blades. The use of hard cutting boards such as plastic and bamboo will dull knives faster. While using plastic boards is often necessary when cutting proteins, consider softer wood boards for your veggies. Blades made of harder steel are less malleable and go dull less frequently. While such blades are often more expensive to purchase than average, the cost of ownership will be lower. If you notice your knife isn’t cutting as well as it did when new or freshly resharpened, it’s probably time to do something about it.

How Should I Sharpen My Knives?

Sharpening your knives when necessary is essential for keeping them in top condition. However, sharpening knives is hard to do and takes practice for proficiency. We’ve practiced wayyy more than most people, and that’s why we’ve been able to stay in business for over 10 years. All blades are different and require different sharpening techniques, materials, and tools.

You don't have to worry about any of that, though, if you get your knives sharpened at District Cutlery. We offer a variety of knife sharpening services, including kitchen knife sharpening, scissors and shears sharpening, EDC/folding knife sharpening, mail-in sharpening, blade restoration, and more.

Don’t fear trying to DIY, though, since we can fix any mistakes you make. The tools we recommend are a leather strop and sharpening stones. Not a honing rod or sharpening steel? Most people underestimate the precision required to use rods correctly. Strops and stones are much more forgiving. Knowing when to use these tools is the key. The better acquainted you are with how your blade should feel, i.e., how it feels when it is new or re-sharpened, the better you will be able to tell when it is necessary to do something to restore that feeling. So feel your blade early and often. Lightly rub your fingertips along the edge without cutting yourself. For most people, the feeling of sharpness and dullness is intuitive. Simultaneously rub your thumb and forefinger from the spine if the blade past the edge in multiple places. This will instill a sense of how thick or thin the blade is. A dull edge will still cut well if the blade above it is thin, which is a characteristic of the best blades.

If your knife feels dull, draw both sides of the blade’s edge across a leather strop from tip to bottom. Do this a couple of times and then feel the edge. Any improvement? If not, try a few more times and feel it again. If the edge is still dull, try the same steps on a fine-grit sharpening stone. If the stone has restored the edge’s “bite,” then go back to the strop for a few strokes and refine that restored edge. With frequent practice, the use of a leather strop can significantly reduce the frequency you will need professional sharpening.

If the fine-grit sharpening stone didn’t work, proceed with caution because coarse stones can quickly alter the geometry of a blade. Over-grinding into the thicker, upper parts of the blade will degrade cutting ability. This is a normal condition over longer periods of time. District Cutlery is among the few shops in the USA that can properly repair this condition.

Will This Knife Last My Whole Life?

That depends on how you care for it. If you properly maintain your knife, following the tips we've outlined above, then it can last many years. Customers have brought us blades over 100 years old for sharpening! However, longevity is an overrated decision factor when purchasing a knife, IMHO, because it’s a common denominator amongst most knives on the market today. Consider performance and lifetime cost of ownership instead. Consider how well the knife cuts and how much time and/or money it will cost to keep it sharp. Any knife can last a lifetime if properly cared for, but if it ends up costing you 10 times the purchase price to keep it sharp, you might consider spending more upfront for a blade made of harder steel.

With the right knowledge and proper care, your knives from District Cutlery will last you a lifetime! We hope this guide has been helpful in giving you all the information you need to keep your blades looking and performing their best. If you have any further questions or need help with knife maintenance, don't hesitate to reach out and contact us! We'd be glad to help.