News — kitchen knives

If you want to keep your knives sharper for 5 to 10 years of regular home use, the best chopping boards are medium to large wooden boards made from bamboo or acacia, around 38x28cm to 45x35cm, with a little surface “give” so the blade edge is cushioned rather than scraped dull on every cut. Why the right chopping board keeps knives sharper for longer Sharpening your knives twice a year and then using a harsh board is like washing your car and then dragging it through gravel. The board you choose affects how many microscopic chips form on the edge...

The best chopping board size for knife preservation is a large board around 45x35cm. This size gives your knife at least 10cm of clear space at the tip and heel of a standard 20cm chef's knife, which reduces twisting, slipping and edge damage. At Deer & Oak we find a 45x35cm wooden or bamboo board, such as our Large Bamboo Board or Large Acacia Board, keeps knives sharper for longer than smaller boards that force cramped cutting. Why board size matters for knife preservation Knife preservation is not only about sharpening stones and honing rods. The size of your chopping...

If you want the best cutting board for keeping knives sharper for 5 to 10 years of daily home use, an end grain cutting board is usually the top choice. It is built so the ends of the wood fibres face upwards, which lets your knife slide between the fibres instead of chopping straight across them. What is an end grain cutting board? An end grain cutting board is made by joining lots of small wooden blocks so that the cut ends of the grain point up towards you. Imagine a bundle of drinking straws stood on end. When you...

If you want to keep a kitchen knife sharp for 5 to 10 years of regular home use, a wooden chopping board is usually the best surface, because wood is softer than steel yet firm enough to support a clean cut without crushing the edge. Why are wooden boards good for knife edges? Every time your knife hits a surface, the edge either glides, bites or is forced to bend. On very hard materials like glass, marble or ceramic, the thin steel edge is pushed flat or chipped in tiny steps. On a quality wooden board, the surface has a...