How to Care for your New Knife or Knife Set: Part 1

240mm Charybdis series blade with hand-forged whirlpool damascus finish made exclusively for Salter Fine Cutlery in Japan

Your new knife or knife set has been made completely by hand. Old-fashioned artistry was used by the bladesmith in Japan who created the blade and by the artist/owner at Salter Fine Cutlery who makes every handle, box, or stand to your own preferences. Can they be used? A resounding yes! 

Salter Fine Cutlery design Charybdis 240mm chef knife blade

The blades were made from the highest quality modern stainless steels. They have been hand-forged, hardened, ground, sharpened and finished all by using traditional Japanese methods to our designs. They are built to last for a lifetime with proper use.

Every knife or knife set you receive will come with use and care tips and helpful information. We strongly recommend you keep and read them before using your knives. In this blog series, I will help you understand the few simple ways you can use your new Salter Fine Cutlery knives every day and enjoy them for a lifetime.

240mm slicing knife with matching fork and artist series handles from Salter Fine Cutlery of Hawaii

Caring for your Blade:

The Japanese blade is extremely sharp because it is ground differently than a European style knife. It makes smooth easy cuts and can be used in many applications, but there are a few things that you can do to avoid damage to your handmade knife.

  • Wash only by hand using liquid dishwashing soap and a washcloth or nylon brush in warm water.
  • Always wash and rinse tip pointing downward.
  • Dry with a dishcloth. Avoid allowing to air dry, especially on any wet surface.
  • Never wash or toss your knife into a sink or metal container with other items. Metal hitting metal can and will damage your blade.  Always wash separately by hand. (doesn't hurt repeating this important point)
  • Never wash in an automatic dishwasher.
  • Use with a rocking or slicing motion only. Do not use hard blows unless you order a special blade like a cleaver designed for such purposes.
  • Use a wood or bamboo cutting board. Never use hard plastic, stone, or ceramic cutting boards. They will dull your blades and may even damage them.
  • Strop often, after every use is recommended. Use a fine grit ceramic honing rod to maintain your edge. It will keep your blade nice and sharp for a longer amount of time before you need to sharpen them or have them sharpened.
  • Never use an electric knife sharpener on a hand-forged knife. It may and probably will, either scratch your blade or worse.

Gregg Salter inspecting a chef knife handle during one of many sealing processes custom luxury cutlery from Salter Fine Cutlery

Caring for your Handle:

Easy! Follow the tips for your blade and you should be fine. But here are a couple other things that will keep your handles looking great.

Your handle was made entirely by hand. It is a work of functional art. Treat it well and it will last a lifetime. 

  • Wash in warm water and dry immediately by hand. 
  • Never put in an automatic dishwasher. Yep, same advice as for the blades, but if you put your wood handled knife in an automatic dishwasher it WILL cook the wood, remove the finish, and turn it black. 
  • If cutting highly acidic foods, avoid setting your knife in acidic juices. It may remove the natural finishing oils, leaving your handle dull. 
  • Never sit your knife near the edge of a counter where a slight mistake can send it flying to the ground causing either damage or injury to yourself. Set the knife in the middle or far end of your cutting board or onto a clear area on your counter.
  • Store in a knife drawer, box, stand or rack designed to hold knives. Never toss into a drawer together with other knives where the blades or handles will hit one another

If you accidentally do one of the above, can we fix your blade or handle? The answer is most probably, yes. Accidents happen. We will always be here to help.

In part 2, we will discuss your handles and box or stand; maintenance, how to best care for them and what we can do for you to keep them looking like new.

Have Questions? Let us hear from you.

  • Leave a comment
  • E-mail us: SalterFineCutlery@gmail.com
  • Call us: 808-883-0128

 

 

 

 

 

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