Knife Care

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Rule of thumb #1 NEVER run your knives through the dishwasher or let them sit in standing water. 

Rule of thumb #2 A sharp knife is a safe knife. Sharpen or have them sharpened regularly. 

Rule of thumb #3 Never wash  handle materials with soap and scrubbers. It will tarnish the finish over time.

Carbon Knives
Water and acids from food will react to the steel. A mild reaction will cause the steel to patina and the steel will develop various colors. A well developed patina not only looks beautiful but will also help protect the steel from rusting. Rust will develop in a reddish/orange-brown color. If this happens, just take some warm vinegar and rub it over the area beginning to rust. Alternatively, soak the blade completely (but not the handle) for a while, then rub dry, then rinse. The warmer the vinegar, the shorter the soak. This will removes the rust and leave behind a light patina. When storing over long periods of time, it is a good idea to apply an oil over the steel to keep the moisture in the air from causing rust issues.


Stainless Knives
These are not rustproof steels. They are steels designed to react slower than carbon steels, but will still rust given enough time and negligence. Again never put one of your good knives in the dishwasher or allow it to soak in standing water, even if stainless. Even if you can't see much happening to the overall blade the cutting edge is especially susceptible to dulling due to rust forming.

 

Handles

Unless made of synthetic materials, run under warm to hot water and rub by hand until you feel the surface clean. This removes the oil and debris, and sanitize with the heat. Regardless of the type of steel and it's resistance to corrosion, the handle may not be as resistant to corrosion. Synthetic materials usually hold up quite well. However, if it is a natural material (wood, stone, horn, etc) these may last for generations depending on what it is and how it was processed, but this lifespan can be significantly shortened if not taken care of. Soap dries out these natural materials of oils or polymers finishes and dries them out. Scrubbing can also remove surface finishes as well.