The main rules for caring for knives with anti-corrosion coating

Cleanliness is as important for a knife as it is for a person. When it comes to high-quality knives, especially those made by hand, the rule is almost the first requirement for their care - the tool must be clean. In fact, this is understandable. They are not only used to cut bread or plan wood. Sometimes a sharp blade is also needed to chop products or materials that contain aggressive biological or chemical substances. If you do not wash off their metal residues after work, they will begin to spoil the blade.

But, surely, this only applies to carbon steel products? And when should you spare some money and buy knives with anti-corrosion coating, then they are not afraid of such an impact! This is approximately how the average user of the tool thinks. And, in general, he is right, however, not one hundred percent.

The truth is that a knife made of stainless steel or with a protective coating, of course, resists the harmful effects of aggressive substances much better than a product made of ferrous metal. However, this effect still occurs. Therefore, over time, the material from which the blade is made will be damaged. No matter what you do, nothing lasts forever.

Those who agree with the need to wash knives, I would like to warn against one common mistake. High-quality tools should never be put in the dishwasher! The reason is that the blade can become dull from contact with other cutlery. And hot water combined with detergents will most likely damage the handle.

How should you wash knives? Nothing complicated! With warm water (but not hot!), using detergent and a soft sponge. Finally, be sure to wipe. Another important feature is that if the owner does not plan to use these tools for some time, he should lubricate their blades with rust-proof oil (supplied with the knives).

What material should the cutting board be made of?

Any knives, including stainless steel ones, should be used correctly. This especially applies to the surface against which the object to be cut is pressed. This applies to cutting boards and plates. The former should be made of wood, which is the best option, or of high-quality soft plastic. Products made of these materials, on the one hand, are strong enough to serve as a support for cutting, and on the other hand, they do not damage the edge, the blade remains sharp for a long time.

If you use metal or glass cutting boards for cutting, you will have to sharpen your knives frequently. The same can be said about hard, low-quality plastic and ceramic plates, on which food is often cut into pieces.

Storing knives requires special attention

It may sound a bit strange, but the best handmade knives should not be thrown into the drawer with other cutlery after use. Mechanical contact with them can dull the edges.

To store knives, it is best to buy and attach to the wall a special board with magnetic holders. It is convenient to attach tools to it, and you can also quickly remove them from it. And most importantly, such holders completely eliminate contact of the knife edges with other objects.

If this is not possible, you can organize a special box with slots for the blades. This way, the knives will lie in proper order and there will be no risk of them becoming blunt.

Every knife should be sharpened from time to time.

It happens that when buying a knife in a store, the seller, praising the product, says something like: "This is an "eternal" knife that will never dull if you use it correctly." Unfortunately, this is not the case. Any knife, even if it is handmade of unsurpassed quality and made of the best materials, will still have to be sharpened periodically.

There are two ways to restore cutting properties. If the knife has started to cut a little worse, then a ceramic musat is used. This device does not sharpen, but only smoothes the edge. When sharpening is necessary, that is, removing a layer of metal, then a whetstone is used. This exercise requires some skill and ability, so if you are not sure of the result, it is better to contact professionals.

A stand with magnetic holders, a ceramic musat, and a wooden cutting board can be purchased at the SavaKnife online store.

The importance of knives in the kitchen cannot be overstated. Proper care will help keep them sharp at all times.

Sincerely, SavaKnife workshop!

How knife blades are treated and coated

The blade is the main element of the knife. Not only the quality of the cut, but also the overall service life without loss of operational parameters depends on how strong and sharp it is. Yes, of course, sharpening, hardening and the material of manufacture are very important. But the finishing also plays a role, and a considerable one. It provides additional resistance to mechanical damage (scratches) and corrosion, removes shine and reduces resistance during cutting. And also makes the blade unique from an aesthetic point of view.

The finishing of the blade can be of two types: treatment or coating with special materials. In the first case, the following types are used:

1. Mechanical - on a special machine.
2. Satining — grinding the surface in one direction with a fine abrasive. It is done manually or on a machine.
3. Stonewash (Galtovka) - the knife is placed in a centrifuge with an abrasive (pebbles). There is also a distinction between Acid Stonewash or Blackwash - the same thing, but with preliminary etching, and Heavy Stonewash, i.e. a more aggressive treatment.
4. Beadblast - Very small glass or steel beads are applied to the blade under high pressure. Aluminum oxide and silicon carbide are used to obtain a specific texture.
5. Sandblasting - processing with a jet of sand under pressure.
6. Mirror polishing.

In the second case, the following coating technologies are used.

Powder

An epoxy or Teflon mixture is applied to the knife blade using electrostatic charging technology. In the latter case, the coating protects the blade particularly well and significantly increases the comfort of its use. During cutting, pieces of plastic, glue or food do not stick to it, even when cutting cheese or butter. In addition, inert Teflon does not react with food acids. The coating is strong and long-lasting, but for kitchen knives used for cooking, only the FDA-approved version should be used, because others become hard only at very high temperatures.

Lacquered

This coating is applied to the blade in a thinner layer than the previous one. The hardening is performed at high temperature. The result is knives with characteristics similar to products coated with Teflon.

Titanium

Titanium particles are mixed with other materials and sprayed onto the blade in a thin layer under vacuum. A hard protective film is formed, which increases the strength and service life of the blade. It cannot be washed off with anything, it does not wear off over time. Compared to the two previous options, it is more durable, but also costs significantly more.

Blacking

Blackening (blueing, etching, oxidation) consists in immersing the blade in a chemical solution for a certain period of time (there are various combinations). As a result, a very thin oxidized film forms on the blade surface. It protects the metal from corrosion and gives it an attractive dark shade.

Only the main methods are listed here. Other methods include PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition), DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon), Cerakote, EDP (Electro-Deposition Paint), Black Oxide, and Apocalyptic. However, the latter refers to a process that involves first a treatment (usually Stonewash) and then an acid etching.