There are many accessories that can be used with your cutlery and cutting boards to help extend their life as well as protect them.
Knife sharpeners include electric and manual one-piece units, steels, and stones. Sharpening steels are the ideal tool to use as they remove only a minimal amount of metal from the edge. A knife can only be sharpened this way for a year or two because under normal use, enough metal is removed that the edge requires grinding. To sharpen your knife using a steel, hold the edge at a 20-degree angle from the steel and use a few gentle strokes, alternating sides, to sharpen the knife. Diamond studded and ceramic steel should be used sparingly as they remove a lot of metal from the blade.
There are several types of machines, both electric and manual, on the market that can be used for grinding. A good quality machine will not damage your knife. The positive side of an automatic grinding tool is that the knife will be held at the proper angle and it is easier and quicker to use than a steel or stone.
If you have the time and patience, a sharpening stone gives consistent quality. While it is the most expensive, the most preferable stone to use is an Arkansas stone, which is known for its consistent quality. Inexpensive stones are manufactured with stone granules, glued together with epoxy. This interferes with the sharpening process and usually provides meager results, especially as it gets older. In sharpening stones, there are different grades of coarseness used for each step of sharpening. The coarsest stone is used for the first step, while holding the blade at a 15-degree angle, followed by medium and fine stones for the remaining steps, ending with the knife at a 20-degree angle. The final step with the fine stone is called honing. All stones must be used in conjunction with a medium of honing, either a light mineral oil or water. Once you start with one, continue using the same medium for the life of the stone. Always remember to clean your stone regularly with a bristle brush to remove any metal filings.
The best way to keep your knives performing their best, staying sharp, and lasting forever is to store them correctly. The optimal way to store your knives are in a block, on a magnetic rack or rolled up in cloth. Anytime a knife is stored in a drawer with other knives, damage can be inflicted on the blade each time another knife or other object comes in contact with it. If the knives must be stored in a drawer, make sure there are only knives in the drawer and each knife is separated from the other by a partition. Magnetic holders hang on the wall and are made of either wood or metal with a powerful magnet attached to the top. The knives are held onto the magnet by the metal in the blade. This stops the blades from hitting each other and also frees up counter space and gives you quick access to the knife. More commonplace for knife storage is the block. This is made of plastic, metal or (preferably) wood. Each knife has an assigned slot which keeps it hidden from view as well as protecting it. If the block is on a slant, always store the knives with the edges facing up so that they don’t run along the bottom of the opening, dulling them.
For the kitchen personnel that use knives often, safety glove are a useful tool. They are made of cut proof material like PVC threads, heavy rubber or Kevlar that allow the worker to be able to use their hands, but still protect them against cuts from a slipping knife.
Cutting board refinishers are an easy and convenient way to remove cuts and grooves from cutting boards. When this is used regularly, it can save money on fewer replacement boards and also helps to keep the boards in perfect shape by removing bacteria-harboring scratches and cuts. The refinishers are dishwasher safe and have a one-piece plastic handle with a stainless steel replaceable blade.
Cutting boards can be easily stored on wire racks which can hold up to 6 boards per rack. Some racks also have hooks that can hold refinishers, scrapers, and other accessories. The racks keep the boards vertical so that air can flow between the boards and keep moisture away. This helps to keep bacteria off of the boards and also allows for easy accessibility.
There are two types of protective mats that can be used with the cutting boards, Chop and Fold Mats and Under-Board grippers. The Chop and Fold mats are made of a thin flexible plastic that you can place on top of expensive cutting boards. They protect the boards from stains, cut or scratches. The added advantage is that after the product is chopped, the mat easily lifts off and can be folded into a funnel for easy placement of the product in a container. The under-board mats eliminate the slipping and sliding of plastic cutting boards on counter surfaces. They also eliminate the danger of bacteria absorption prevalent in the wet-towel method most often used to stabilize cutting boards. They are non-porous, non-absorbent, and dishwasher safe.
