I don’t cook. But it won’t stop me from sharing this to those who DO.

It’s no fun trying to slice a tomato with a blunt blade. Bill Brown of cooksknivesshop.co.uk has these expert tips for top performance in the kitchen:

• Invest in quality. A good set of knives can be costly, but if looked after they will last a lifetime.
• Store away from other metal objects, on a magnetic rack or in a block, to avoid nicks and scratches.
• Hone a little and often with a steel to realign the blade. Hold the steel on a board, start with the blade vertical with its end furthest away and pull towards you. Steels come in two versions: for Asian-style knives and European-style knives.
• Sharpen old knives. Some cook shops offer this serviceor you can buy an electric sharpener.
• Clean by hand. Harsh chemicals and stacking in the dishwasher can damage the knife. Dry straight away to avoid watermark.

source: Reader’s Digest Mar2008 issue, pg140

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