Your kitchen knives are among the hardest-working tools in your kitchen and some of the most overlooked when it comes to care. In busy commercial and professional kitchens, it’s easy to treat them as replaceable. But with the right habits and support, you can extend their life significantly.

These seven practical tips will help you avoid unnecessary replacements, reduce kitchen downtime, and maintain top-tier performance across every shift. They’re backed by expert advice and proven results from our work with professional kitchens across the UK.

1. Don’t Use Dishwashers – Take Some Time to Hand Wash

Dishwashers are harsh on knives. The heat, detergent, and movement can damage blades and loosen handles. According to knife care guidance from most commercial manufacturers, dishwashers accelerate corrosion and dulling.

Hand washing with warm water and a mild detergent is quicker than you think and much gentler on your tools:

• Rinse knives immediately after use to prevent staining or food from sticking.
• Wash and dry them by hand never leave them to air-dry.
• Use a soft sponge, not abrasive scrubbers.

This simple habit preserves blade quality and handle integrity, especially for carbon steel and wood-handled knives.

2. Use The Right Cutting Surface

The wrong surface can shorten the life of a blade. Hard surfaces like glass, ceramic, marble, and stone are too rigid. Using knives on these can result in quick edge dulling or even micro-chipping.

Instead:

• Use high-density plastic boards for easy cleaning and compliance.
• Use end-grain wood boards for edge preservation, wood naturally absorbs impact. A busy prep station can put a knife through thousands of cuts per day. Multiply that over weeks of service, and even premium blades show signs of wear.
• Rotate boards during service to reduce wear in one spot.

The right cutting surface helps protect blade edges and significantly extends the sharpness lifespan of your kitchen knives.

3. Store Your Knives Properly

Loose drawer storage leads to chips, dulling, and bent tips as blades knock against other tools. Worse, it’s a safety risk for anyone reaching in.

Safer options include:

• Knife blocks: Ideal for back-of-house stations.
• Magnetic strips: Keep blades visible and accessible. They also free up counter space and allow airflow around each knife, reducing trapped moisture and the risk of rust. Choose a strip strong enough to safely hold heavier knives without slippage.
• Knife rolls: Best for mobile chefs and caterers.

Professional kitchens benefit from uniform storage policies consistency prevents damage and improves safety for new or temporary staff.

4. Stick To the Right Task for Each Knife

Each knife in a commercial kit has a purpose. Using the wrong one strains the blade and often results in poor cuts.

For example:

• A chef’s knife is suitable for general prep such as vegetables, herbs, boneless meats.
• A cleaver is better for bones and hard root vegetables.
• A paring knife is designed for detailed work, not large cuts.

Labelling or colour-coding handles for function helps new staff follow correct usage without guesswork. This lowers wear-and-tear and supports safer working conditions.

5. Avoid Scraping Food Off Boards with The Blade Edge

Scraping food or debris with the cutting edge is a habit that quickly damages blades. It flattens the edge and encourages premature dulling.

Instead:

• Use the spine (the top edge of the knife) to move chopped ingredients.
• Provide bench scrapers or dough cutters during prep for fast cleanup.

Changing this one small habit can preserve edge retention and reduce the frequency of professional sharpening.

6. Dry Knives Immediately After Washing

Even stainless-steel blades contain iron and can rust if left wet. This is especially true in commercial kitchens where high humidity and constant use accelerate wear.

Key tips:

• Dry knives with a clean towel straight after rinsing.
• Store only when fully dry specifically in enclosed drawers or bags.
• For carbon steel knives, consider wiping with food-safe mineral oil if storing long-term.

Managing moisture helps prevent rust, but it also stops bacterial buildup in bolster and handle joins.

How To Tell When Your Knives Need Sharpening

Despite daily care, it’s not always obvious when a blade is past its best. Look out for:

• Needing extra pressure to slice
• Jagged or uneven cuts, especially with tomatoes or herbs
• Slipping on the surface of vegetables or boneless meat
• Shiny edges that reflect light unevenly (a sign of dulling)

When these signs show up, it’s time to swap your set through a professional knife supply and sharpening service.

7. Pair Daily Habits with Professional Supply and Sharpening

Even with perfect daily care, all kitchen knives eventually dull. That’s why combining proper maintenance with scheduled supply and sharpening gives you the best results.

Many chefs confuse honing with sharpening. Honing realigns the edge without removing material and helps maintain sharpness between services. But it doesn’t replace supplying and sharpening.

Inconsistent in-house sharpening with rods or basic tools can make blades worse, not better. Over-grinding or incorrect angles can shorten a knife’s usable life.

Why Professional Sharpening Is Important for Quality:

• Experts understand blade geometry and match the angle to the knife type.
• Whetstone methods provide a finer, longer-lasting edge than grinding wheels.
• Regular service prevents over-sharpening and maintains blade structure.

At Nella Cutlery Services, we:

• Hand-sharpen and rotate over 150,000 knives every week across the UK and Europe
• Use whetstone sharpening for greater accuracy and edge retention
• Offer convenient collection and replacement to fit around your kitchen schedule

This means no downtime, no guesswork – just a sharp, fully maintained set of knives delivered directly to your kitchen at all times.

Bonus Tip: Train Your Team on Knife Care

Even the best tools won’t last without shared responsibility. Brief your team regularly on:

• Cleaning do’s and don’ts
• Which board to use for which prep
• Correct storage
• Recognising when a knife needs sharpening

Clear signage, laminated prep guides, or onboarding checklists can support this across sites. With even basic training, your investment in kitchen knives will go further.

Partner With Nella Cutlery for the Best Sharpening Service

Learn more about our knife supply and sharpening rotation or set up a tailored sharpening schedule with Nella Cutlery today.

We believe that professional care and simple habits lead to blades that last, shift after shift.