One of the most important tools in any kitchen is a good quality set of metal kitchen knives. Though they are often well-built and sturdy instruments, failure to take care of them or learning how to handle them properly could prove a recipe for disaster.
If you don’t learn how to handle yours or maintain them properly, they could cause serious damage to you. They could also have to be replaced, as they simply aren’t able to do the work you need any longer.
So what kind of damage could you cause to yourself and your kitchen knives?
Metal Knives Going Rusty Over Time
Even though these implements aren’t meant to rust there is a risk that they may do. What you need to remember is that a good set of metal kitchen knives contains iron in them. If they get exposed to too much oxygen and moisture over time, they can start to rust.
Metal Knives Can Turn Lettuce And Other Vegetables Brown
We’ve all seen what happens to fresh food when it is exposed to air for too long. Things quickly start to turn brown due to a chemical reaction that takes place. You need to be careful when cutting up fresh fruit and vegetables with your metal kitchen knives. This is because the iron in them causes the chemical reaction that turns food brown to happen a lot faster.
Are Difficult To Clean When Food Sticks To The Metal
The main reason why food sticks so easily to metal knives is because of surface tension. As food contains quite a lot of water, as soon as you cut into them the moisture inside helps the sliced food stick to the blade more easily.
So you need to remove any food sticking to the blade straightaway. If you don’t you’ll end up having to scrub the surface of the blade hard and this can cause damage to it and make the edge blunt.
Are Heavy – So Can Cause A Wrist Injury Over Time
The weight of the knife can lead to you starting to have wrist problems. The tendons in your wrist can become swollen and in turn, can lead to increased pressure being placed on the median nerve in your wrist and hand. This can lead to you suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.
Failure To Grip A Kitchen Knife Correctly
Most home cooks tend to hold the knife in their hand by placing it around the middle of the handle. The problem with holding a knife in this way is that you don’t have as much control over the knife. Next time you are at the circus, take a look closely at how the knife thrower holds his.
It is best if you hold the knife handle closer to where the blade is. Pinch the top of the blade with your thumb and index finger. You may find holding it this way a little difficult at first, but over time it will become second nature to you.
Click on the photos below to check our knives collection
