Using a Cutting Board
To prevent your knife's cutting quality from deteriorating over time, use it correctly. While this means always choosing the right knife for the right use, it is also essential to make your cuts on suitable surfaces.
It can be tempting to grab the first plate you come across to quickly cut an onion or a potato. However, this can be harmful to your knife: cutting food on a surface that is too hard or too abrasive will dull your blade more quickly.
Don't hesitate: always choose a cutting board, ideally made of wood, to become your kitchen knife's best friend.
Properly storing and transporting your kitchen knife (yes, transporting it!)
If you've gotten into the habit of putting your knife unprotected in the same drawer as your cutlery, it's a bad idea! Firstly, because you risk injuring yourself, but also because your knife will dull more quickly when it comes into contact with other blades.
To avoid this, there are several storage methods available:
Knife block: Do you have a little space on your worktop? Opt for a knife block! Each knife will have its place while being very easily accessible.
Magnetic wall strip: A slightly more flexible choice than the knife block but which still requires having a little space on the wall on your credenza.
Atma linen case : Do you prefer to store your knife with the other cutlery without damaging it? This is possible as long as you slip the blade into a case. We have developed a linen case, very resistant which will allow you to protect your knife from bumps in your drawers.
And if you can't live without your knife when cooking, you can take it on a weekend getaway. Here again, the Atma linen sheath is THE perfect solution for transporting your chef's knife without the risk of damaging it or injuring yourself!
Sharpening Your Knife
The lifespan of your knife and its cutting quality also depend on its sharpness.
While it's possible to cut yourself with a sharp knife, it's also possible to have an accident with a poorly sharpened one.
To avoid disaster and maximize the pleasure of cutting, it's important to remember to sharpen your knife frequently. Sharpening your knife doesn't take much time, but it will save you a lot of trouble.
There are several tools available to sharpen your knife:
The whetstone:: Without a doubt, the best tool with the most precise results... when you have the time to do some research and learn how to use it. The whetstone you choose for your knife will depend on several criteria, including the type of steel your knife is made of, its degree of wear, and even how you use it. A somewhat technical and time-consuming choice, but with exceptional results if you master it.
The sharpening steel : A tool that's simpler and more intuitive to use than a whetstone. Basically, the steel allows you to straighten your blade edge and should be used before every cut.
Manual or electric sharpeners, a little less suitable and clearly less professional because they remove more steel with each sharpening, but really simple to use at first.
Would you like to be accompanied by professionals to sharpen your kitchen knives? If you already have at home an Atma chef's knife, you can enjoy a free sharpening once a year for two years. Contact us at hello@atmakitchenware.fr to find out more!
Cleaning Your Knife
Finally, maintaining your kitchen knife also involves proper and regular washing.
It couldn't be simpler: to wash your kitchen knife,always wash by hand. This can be done with warm water, a little soap, and the soft side of a sponge, followed by a quick drying of the blade with a cloth. Avoid letting your knife air dry to reduce the risk of rust. A little warning: to clean your kitchen knife, the dishwasher is prohibited! This will prevent you from damaging the sharpness of your knife and the quality of its handle.
If you follow these few rules to the letter, your chef's knife will be with you for a lifetime! Enough to enjoy your moments of pleasure in the kitchen for a long time to come.
