TIPS ON MAINTAINING YOUR KNIVES

Need Your Knives, Tools, Clippers or Scissors Sharpened?

Call Adrian
0438 338 749

Email:

Beyond Sharp are your Mobile Sharpening Specialists and only use Revolutionary New ‘MIRROR CUT®’ Wet Linish Technology on your knives. They have been ground and honed to a scalpel finish to provide you with a knife that is a pleasure to use again. You might consider new knives straight from the store as sharp but in the trade, they are what are called ‘Shop Sharp’ and most professionals have them re sharpened to their requirements.

WHAT DAMAGES YOUR KNIVES

Meat or vegetables will not damage your knife ! Think about it. Meat is soft and the blade of your knife is made of hardened and tempered steel. Meat just can’t damage steel! The blade of your knife can only be damaged when it comes into contact with the following:

Stainless Steel Sinks or Bench Tops
Hard cutting boards such as Glass, Ceramic or Laminex.
Bone and frozen food stuffs.
Other Knives and Utensils in Dish Washers or Communal Drawers.
Avoid all of these hazards where possible.

AND THE BIG CULPRIT IS

Any form of ‘Dry Grinding’ which will cause heat damage to your valuable knives which will lead to premature failure with cracking, chipping and the inability of knives to hold their edge for an extended period of time.
You need to be fully aware of what method your sharpening service provider is using on your knives. Ask him or better still, inspect his machines and if it is not a Water Cooled Wet Grind system of sorts, refrain from using his services. After all, they are your knives so it makes sense to give them the very best care possible. Bench Grinders and Belt Sanders are out.

CONSIDER THIS

If you owned a Rolls Royce or Ferrari, would you consider taking it for servicing down the road to Joe Nerks Garage and using No Name oil in it? I don’t think so! It would be more likely that you would seek the services of a recognized factory agent who would provide you with the very best maintenance that money could buy.

Beyond Sharp offer you ‘MIRROR CUT®’ the worlds best Wet Grind Sharpening Technology to keep your knives in peak cutting condition and invite you to inspect our system and discuss your sharpening requirements with any of our operators.

BUY THE BEST KNIVES THAT YOU CAN AFFORD

The difference in pricing between good quality knives and cheaper ones is the quality of the steel used which determines how long a knife can hold a good edge for. The cost of sharpening a good quality knife or one made from recycled jam cans is the same. El Cheapo knives can therefore, in the long term be false economy because they will need re sharpening more often. A good quality set of knives can last a life time so take time out to be happy with the balance, feel and look of them. Quality pays, it does not cost.

PUT YOUR ‘STEEL’ AWAY

Do yourself a favour and keep your steel away from your knives for as long as possible. Experience has indicated that you should be able to use your newly sharpened knives for months constantly without the need for the ‘steel’, providing they have not been accidentally damaged as previously mentioned. The constant requirement of ‘steeling’ is an indication that your knives may soon be in need of a re sharpen.

You should consider the re sharpening of your knives much the same as the servicing of your car. Knives do become dull, especially if you use your knives constantly. Beyond Sharp provide a Scheduled Sharpening Service where professionals can have their knives serviced every 6 or 8 weeks and likewise, households could have a 6 monthly or yearly visit. Ask Beyond Sharp to pencil you into our diary for your next visit.

HAND WASHING

It is recommended that newly sharpened knives be thoroughly washed to remove any traces or residues left from the sharpening processes. Hand washing your knives individually in warm soapy water is still the best way of caring for and maintaining them. Dry them immediately and store them in a safe place to avoid damage. Dishwashers are not recommended as the excess heat, detergents and chemicals can lead to corrosion and staining of the blade. Hot Water can also lead to loosening of the rivets securing the handle to the blade and cracking of the handles themselves. A good Rule of Thumb regarding Hot Water Temperature for knives is if you can’t put your hands in it, don’t put your knives in it. Clanging and banging about with other cutlery in dishwashers can lead to blade damage as well.

STORING YOUR KNIVES

After washing and drying, your knives should be stored safely away. If you are using a ‘knife block’ insert the knives with the cutting edge upwards. Magnetic racks are another good way of protecting your knives. Plastic or cardboard sleeves will protect the blades if they are being carried in a communal tool box, or a Knife Roll is a tried and trusted method of storing and carrying your knives.

SAFETY FIRST

Be very aware that newly sharpened knives can be like scalpels and the slightest touch will cut you. NEVER leave a knife in a sink full of dishes or dive your hands into a sudsy sink. Never use your knife to prise frozen meat apart or lever the lid off a stubborn milo can. Keep all knives away from children and away from the edge of benches and tables where young and inquisitive hands are bound to go. If you follow these basic rules, your knives will last a life time and you should have many hours of pleasurable cutting in the kitchen. If you have any queries relating to sharpening of knives, please do not hesitate to call Beyond Sharp. They will be happy to help.

VIDEO: HELP DETERMINE IF YOUR KNIVES ARE SHARP OR NOT

When you purchase a new knife, you assume it is sharp. Yes, it is sharp but in the trade, we call this level of sharpness ‘SHOP SHARP’.

Most Professional Chefs that purchase a new knife know this and before using it will have it resharpened by Beyond Sharp which can improve the overall performance of a new knife by 50%.

To know how to tell if your existing knife is ‘truly sharp’, we have located a youtube video by Bob Kramer, an American Bladesmith of world renown who demonstrates on how to tell when your knife needs attention. This is an excellent presentation and well worth 3 minutes of your time. Check it our on our Home Page

Industrial & Commercial

Catering for Electricians, Plumbers, Builders, Sheet Metal Works, Roofers, Fibre Glass Boat Builders, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Installers, Mechanics Workshops and Pet Groomers

Hospitality & Tourism

Catering for Hotels, Clubs, Restaurants, Café's, Deli's, Fish Shops and Take Aways, Hospital Kitchens, T.A.F.E Colleges and High Schools.

Household and Domestic

Catering for Kitchen, Home Workshop, Sewing and Hobbies, Gardening and Outdoors.

Hair Dressing

Catering for Salons and Working from Home Hairdressers and including Sales, Sharpening and Repairs.

Need Your Knives, Tools, Clippers or Scissors Sharpened?

Contact Adrian TODAY

0438 338 749