How to clean my knife? Do not place your knife in the dishwasher, wash by hand only & dry immediately.
How to store my knife? Never place your knife loosely or unprotected in a drawer with other steel utensils, this can damage and chip the blade. We recommend wooden, magnetic knife rack or leather sheath for storage.
What should I do if my blade becomes dull? How quickly your knife becomes dull depends on how much you use it. To keep your knife at peak performance and to maximise its lifespan, it’s best to resharpen it using Japanese whetstones. We also recommend using a leather strop between sharpening sessions. Stropping is great for removing a burr after sharpening on whetstones and also for re-aligning a rolled edge. We are also offering free knife sharpening for any Blenheim Forge knife.
How to sharpen Blenheim Forge knives? Regular maintenance using a 800 grit stone followed by a 3000-6000 grit polishing stone is our preferred method as it is not only fast, but should remove minimum material leaving a mirror like razor sharp edge. We recommend KING combination stones or the Shapton Pro series.
We don’t recommend using honing steels, pull through sharpeners or other domestic sharpeners on our knives, as they are far coarser than suitable whetstones, and don’t cleanly remove the fatigued metal from the blade, reducing the edge retention and overall sharpness of your knives. Check out our demo below on how to sharpen your knife with a combination stone or for a more in-depth introduction join us on one of our Sharpening Classes.
What should I do if my knife is rusting? It’s important to recognise whether the blade is rusting, or if it is starting to develop patina. It’s normal for the surface of carbon steel to change colour when cutting wet or acidic foods. Over time blades tend to take on brown or blue hues, but this is patina rather than rust, and if properly maintained will actually protect the blade from rusting. If rusting does occur it can be removed by lightly scrubbing with a scourer or fine wire wool. Treating the blade with a food safe oil (for example vegetable, olive or linseed oil) after washing will help protect it, a key thing to remember is to make sure there is absolutely no moisture left on the blade before oiling it. In time, and with use, the blade will develop a protective outer layer (patina) that helps prevent it from rusting.
The blade of my knife is changing colour and staining food, what should I do? It is normal for carbon steels to react to food, especially when cutting acidic ingredients such as red cabbage or onions. This is especially noticeable when the knife is new and has not had time to develop a protective patina. Regular wiping of the blade with kitchen towel during food prep is recommended as this limits the time for the blade to react, over time the steel will stabilise and become less reactive. Any staining on the blade can be removed with either a pan scourer and a small amount of bicarbonate of soda, or Bar Keeper’s Friend applied to a damp cloth.
