If you cook at home regularly, you probably rely on a favorite kitchen knife to make meal prep smoother. But even the best blades can lose their edge faster than you’d think if you’re unknowingly mishandling them. A few common habits can dull or even permanently damage your knives, no matter how much you paid for them.
Dragging the blade sideways to scrape chopped ingredients off a cutting board, storing knives loose in a drawer, or sharpening too often can all take a toll. Even rinsing them and letting them air-dry instead of drying them by hand can lead to rust or corrosion over time. These missteps might seem minor, but they can shave years off your knife’s life.
The good news? Avoiding these habits doesn’t take much effort. A few small changes in how you use, store and clean your knives can make a huge difference. With just a bit of care, your blades can stay sharper longer and keep performing like new.
If you’re in search of a fantastic new knife, we’ve got great news. We’ve tried out more than 10 different options and put together a list of the best chef’s knives for 2025. If you already have a knife that’s your No. 1, continue reading to find out the most common mistakes people make that can ruin even the most high-quality knife.
Read more: Want Your Kitchen Knives to Stay Sharp for Longer? This Simple Trick Will Help
1. Scrape it sideways on a board
Knives are made to cut in only two directions, back and forth and not side to side, so try not to use your good knives in a scraping manner. It may be instinct to move and gather all that chopped food on the board with the blade of the knife but it will damage the edge over time. If you can’t break the habit completely, at least try and do it gently and without much downward force.
2. Use it on anything other than wood or plastic
There are boards and blocks made from all sorts of materials but many of them are not knife-friendly. Stone or marble boards and glass surfaces should be reserved for serving food, not preparing it (at least not with a knife) since they will dull your blade faster than almost anything else.
Bamboo and plastic are the softest — and often cheapest — cutting board materials and will be gentle on your blades. Most other types of wood cutting boards, however, have enough give not to damage the blade.
3. Store it freely in a drawer
This is probably the biggest mistake folks make with their kitchen knives. I’ve seen it more times than I can count and it hurts every time. Letting your knives clink around in a drawer with other knives and metal tools will dull or chip them over time. It’s understandable to not want a clumsy knife block on the counter, but there are some pretty sleek options these days like this and this
You can also buy in-drawer wooden knife racks or sheath your knives in plastic cases. The coolest option may be to store the knives on one of these magnetic knife racks and show off your shiny blades to dinner guests. Just be gentle when placing knives on and removing them from the magnet so as not to scrape the blade.
4. Let it soak in the sink or (*gasps*) put it in the dishwasher
There comes a point at which a knife blade can’t be sharpened anymore, and if you continue to pound it on a steel or whetstone, you’ll only be shaving off the blade itself and shortening the knife’s life span. Here’s a guide to sharpening your kitchen knives.
Source: CNET.
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