How to Take Care of Your Knives

I can deal with a lousy oven. I can use crummy cookware. And I'll admit that I can bake a cake in a flimsy pan. But I refuse to use a dull knife. It's not only that they're hard to use, but a bad knife is downright unsafe. Some people are terrified of sharp knives when in fact, when used properly, they're actually safer: Most people cut themselves when a knife slides off something they're slicing rather than when it makes a clean cut right through it.

Professional cooks bring their...