Important Don'ts

• Don't wash your knives in a dishwasher. This will affect the temper of the blade. The heat and harsh soap will injure the blade's sharp edge, as well as wear down the lovely finish of the handles.
• Do not place your knives in the sink. The hard surface of the sink, as well as rubbing against plates and utensils, will abuse the good sharp edge of your knife.
• Do not soak your knives in soapy water. Instead set them aside and wash them individually. This is a good safety measure to protect your hands. Soaking the knives in water or leaving them sitting in a puddle on the drainboard will abuse the lovely wood handles.

Keeping Your Knives Sharp

• When your knife becomes dull it forms a burr or rounded edge. You can hone and sharpen that edge by using the Sabatier sharpening steel. All steels are not alike. An old steel may have become slick and dull and is not suitable for your knives.
• Chefs usually steel their knives many times a day. When the blade feels dull or not as sharp as you are accustomed to, use your steel to bring it up to standard
• Remember the steel is not a sharpener. It will not sharpen your knives if they have become too dull. We recommend you have your knives professionally sharpened first. A well- sharpened knife can be maintained with the use of a steel for up to a year or more. It all depends on you and your good care.
• There are many ways to bring the edge to your knife. We prefer this technique. Draw the blade from the shank (wide end) of the blade to the tip along the upper half of the steel. Alternate sides. Maintain an equal ( approximately 10 degree angle as much as is possible. It is important the angle on each side is a close to equal as possible. About 8 strokes alternating on each side should be enough. You may refine the edge by drawing it a few times across the lower part of the steel. This area has a finer texture.