In my last post I talked about some of the tools commonly used in knife sharpening. In this post my emphasis will be on keeping your knife sharp. Taking care of a good knife should be easy. It's just like putting oil in your car; a little routine maintenance will go a long way toward extending the life of your knife. The bottom line is: Respect your tools and they will serve you indefinitely.
The most important things you can do to keep your knives in good condition:
Keep it sharp. Keeping your knife sharp does not require frequent use of a whetstone; in fact, Over sharpening your blade will ruin it. The thinner the blade, the sharper the edge; the more metal you take away from the intended edge of your knife the closer you get to the thick spine at the back. This will make it increasingly difficult to achieve the ideal shape needed to produce a fine cutting edge.
This is where the honing steel comes into play. Sharpening is the act of removing metal from the edge of your blade to achieve an ideal cutting angle; honing removes no metal and is meant solely to preserve the edge that you already have. This means that it is useless to use a honing steel on a knife that is already blunt because you won't be taking enough metal away to reshape the edge. Different knives require different honing techniques, but for this example I'll assume that the knife in question is of Western origin and is made from a slightly softer steel.
To the naked eye your knife blade will appear smooth and continuous, but if you examine the edge of your blade under a microscope, you will notice what are known as 'micro-serrations'. As you use your knife, these saw-toothed micro-serrations will warp and become misaligned, causing increased drag as the blade is drawn through whatever material you happen to be cutting. The goal of using a honing steel is to realign those micro-serrations into a closer approximation of a smooth and continuous line.
When using a honing steel, the most important thing to remember is consistency. Use smooth strokes to drawn the knife across the steel at about a 30 to 45 degree angle. Very little pressure is necessary, and speed is definitely NOT a factor, so just focus on keeping your angle consistent. Honing should be performed before AND after using your knife.
Keep it clean. Metal is porous; this means that dirt, oils, bacteria and food particles can become embedded in those pores to corrode and tarnish the finish of a knife. Avoid touching the business end of you knife with your bare hands; if you must handle the blade, remember to wipe it clean with a damp cloth afterward. Clean your knife as soon as you are finished using it to prepare food and sanitize it regularly. A good method for sanitizing your knife is to pick up a container of oxalic acid based cleansing powder ('Barkeeper's Friend' is a recommended brand). Dab a damp sponge in the powder and scrub down the entire knife including the handle; Make sure not to cut yourself while cleaning the blade.
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