Extend the Life of Your Knife

Use these tips from Bill Brown of cooksknivesshop.co.uk to keep your knives in tip-top condition.

- Invest in quality. A good set of knives can be costly, but if looked after they will last a lifetime.

- Store away from other metal objects on a magnetic rack or in a block, to avoid nicks and scratches.

- Hone a little and often with a steel to realign the blade. Hold the steel on a board, start with the blade vertical with the end furthest away and pull towards you. Steels come in two versions, for Asian-style knives and European-style knives.

- Sharpen old knives. Some cook shops offer this service or you can buy an electric sharpener.

- Clean by hand. Harsh chemicals and stacking in the dishwasher can damage the knife. Dry straight away to avoid a watermark.