504311 Sun Mar 30 16:32:10 -0700 2008 12 41 Cookware 0 3543793 I just got my first chef knife, an 8" Wusthof Blackwood Ikon. Ive been hearing different things about caring for these knifes correctly- Aside from proper storage, and not dropping it, anything a new knife owner may not know will damage a knife? Also, how often should I sharpen? Should I leave it to professionals? Sun Mar 30 16:32:10 -0700 2008 135607 arugala 1 3543851 I sharpen my knives about twice a year. I use a steel to hone them just about every time I use them. Check out this link for lots of good info about knives: http://www.fantes.com/knives.html Sun Mar 30 16:55:52 -0700 2008 3543793 170997 tim irvine 2 3544705 Good comprehensive site, thanks! I am thinking of purchasing the Wusthof hard chromed steel 9" and using with use. Im also thinking of Knife Storage Sheath, The Knife Safe, 8"- Basically just looks like a plastic cover. Do you recommend getting a 10" for a 8" cover for an 8" knife? Is it better snug or loose? Would you recommend these? Mon Mar 31 03:13:24 -0700 2008 3543851 135607 arugala 1 3543866 To keep it simple and brief 1. Use a wood cutting board 2. don't put it in the dishwasher and clean and dry it directly after use. 3. If you have no interest in learning how to sharpen it, let a professional do it. I sharpen mine with stones a few times a year and use a ceramic steel when I can feel the knife not sliding effortlessly through what ever I'm cutting. 4. Use a ceramic steel or glass steel to realign the blade periodically, see #3 Sun Mar 30 17:00:40 -0700 2008 3543793 89493 scubadoo97 2 3544742 I agree with your first and second points but I would strongly suggest learning how to use a steel and a stone. If you take your knife to a "professional" to sharpen they are most likely going to grind it. IMO if you do that you are wasting money buying quality knives. Mon Mar 31 04:33:13 -0700 2008 3543866 155549 Docsknotinn 1 3543902 Scubadoo97 is right, but one suggestion I would make is to invest in an Epicurean board. They are easier on knives than wooden boards. Good choice in a knife, they are gorgeous and have a great feel in your hand and great heft for their size. Sun Mar 30 17:13:21 -0700 2008 3543793 10285 Candy 2 3544601 my experience with wusthof is that they aren't as sharp as they can me right out of the box. i'd take it to get sharpened if it's not very sharp so you can get a baseline of what it should feel like at its sharpest. be careful where you take it, though, a lot of cooking stores and markets that offer to sharpen knives do a crappy job. Sun Mar 30 23:21:10 -0700 2008 3543902 74192 chuckl 3 3545635 I haven't seen any knife that was as sharp as it could be out of the box. I just sharpened my Henckel 4 star 8" chef knife and you can shave hair or shave the skin off a grape with it. Far different than when it was new Mon Mar 31 09:38:14 -0700 2008 3544601 89493 scubadoo97 4 3546108 some are sharper than others, my forschners and a shun and a MAC santoku were very sharp when they came out of the box, the wusthof not so much. I also find that different knives seem to maintain their edge better than others. do you use a sharpening stone, scubadoo? Mon Mar 31 11:22:59 -0700 2008 3545635 74192 chuckl 5 3547163 I have an EdgePro Apex. Does a great job and the edges are near perfect. Thought of going free hand and getting some Sharpton stones to reduce the scratches you can incure with the EdgePro. You can tape the sides but it's a pain. On some knives I just don't worry about it since they are tools. Some of my Japanese knives I like to keep looking good as well as sharp. Mon Mar 31 15:36:47 -0700 2008 3546108 89493 scubadoo97 4 3546923 Have you not handled a Kyocera? Talk about sharp! I've got a scar to prove it. Mon Mar 31 14:23:55 -0700 2008 3545635 10285 Candy 5 3547171 Candy, I have never used a ceramic knife. I know they are super sharp and not easy to sharpen if they do lose a little edge over time. I think you would need to use a diamond stone to sharpen. Yeah I have a few scars to remind me what not to do. Luckily as my knives have gotten sharper my techinique has improved as well but never say never I have been bitten by just about every knife I've owned. Mon Mar 31 15:40:50 -0700 2008 3546923 89493 scubadoo97 6 3547495 For the cost of sending the knives back to Calif. to be resharpened about every 18 mos., Kyocera will sharpen them for free and ship them back to you absorbing the shipping on their end. Mon Mar 31 17:34:30 -0700 2008 3547171 10285 Candy