High-quality kitchen knives come at a premium, especially Japanese ones. Your kitchen knives should last you at least a decade, but that is only if you take good care of them. Kitchen knives are pointless if they are blunt, blunt knives are one of the leading causes of kitchen injuries. That is because you need to apply more pressure to a blunt knife to get it to work, and often that causes the blade to slip off the item and hack into your flesh. Keep your kitchen knives sharp and ready for use by following these five simple tips below.

1. Follow Instructions

Every good quality kitchen knife will come with a set of care instructions, and these will include a section dedicated to sharpening the blade. The simplest way to check if a knife is sharp enough is to do a paper test.

Even the most expensive knives will dull with regular use. To check if your knife needs sharpening – hold a folded sheet of a newspaper by one end and place the blade against the top edge at an angle. Slice down and outwards – if it fails to slice through the paper cleanly, you need to sharpen your knife.

2. Use Sharpening Steels

Sharpening steels are rods of metal that don’t sharpen the blade as such but hone the edge of a dulled blade. You must sweep the blade along the steel at precisely the right angle – that is 15 to 22 degrees, depending on the blade.

The best way to safely use your steel is to hold it vertically with the tip of the rod firmly planted on the countertop. Place the heel of the knife against the tip of the rod and point the blade slightly upward.

Maintain consistent pressure and the right angle between your knife and the rod, and then sweep the blade down the steel. Repeat this process on both sides of the knife.

A sharp knife lets you be more creative with your cooking.

3. Knife Sharpener Stones

Sharpening stones are the most recommended method for sharpening your kitchen knives. You don’t need to be a pro to use them, and they are safe as long as they are used correctly.

Buy your knife sharpener stone online and follow the instructions provided. Sharper blades equal a longer lifespan for your knife. Regularly sharpen your kitchen knives, it will make food prep so much easier.

4. Don’t Chop On Glass

One of the most vital tips for keeping your kitchen knives sharp is never chopping on a glass board. As pretty as these boards are, they dull and damage kitchen blades. People think that glass boards are better to use in the kitchen because they feel like they are more hygienic – that may have some truth to it, but they are a nightmare for your knives.

5. Electric Knife Sharpeners

These little machines are easy to use, and the sharpening parts are on motorized wheels that spin directly against the blade. Take care when using them, as they are not suited to all knife types.

Take good care of your kitchen knives – having sharp knives will save you so much time and effort.