Basic Knife Skills
 
The first thing to know about knives is they are actually safer when they are sharp. If possible, get your knives professionally sharpened and keep them sharp between visits using a sharpening steel (basically a textured metal rod with a handle). To use the sharpening steel, run the edge of the blade along the steel and it will realign any spots that may have become dull. The key for using the steel is to hold the blade at about a 20º angle to the steel and using a long sweeping motion, sweep the entire blade across the steel then repeat on the other side and do this 6 or 7 times. It is recommended that you do this every time you use our knife to keep it sharp and avoid things like cutting your fingers or squashing your veggies when you try to cut them. These sharpening steels can be purchased at most kitchenware stores, but if you have purchased a knife set recently, you may already have one, so check your drawers.
 
When you’re actually ready to cut, the first step is to remove all distractions. Pets, children, and even cell phones can make for a dangerous situation when knives are being used. Make sure that the area you are working in has plenty of room and lighting. Your arms should have enough room to move freely in all directions, and you should be able to see what you are doing. Hint: To keep your cutting board from sliding around while you are working, try placing a damp paper towel between your cutting board and countertop for a little traction. After setting up your cutting station, place two bowls within arm’s reach so it is easy to dispose of your garbage (bowl 1) and keep the finished product off the cutting board (bowl 2).   
 
Now that you are ready to cut, here’s how to do it safely. First, start with a flat bottom of the food to be cut, face-down. If you are cutting something round like a potato or onion, cut it in half first, then place it flat-side down making it stable to work with. Then grasp the knife as far up the handle as possible, knives are balanced to pivot where the handle meets the blade, so your hand should be as close to that point as possible. The fingers of your non-cutting hand should be used as a guide, holding the food to be cut, curl your finger tips under and move the fingers back as you advance down the item. These techniques take some coordination so don’t rush. Just start slowly and you will get faster with practice.
 
The final tip with using knives is that they should never go in the dishwasher. The dishwasher is too harsh on the delicate blade, so wash you knives by hand.