Care
Dog Boy Knives are made from recycled high carbon steel, sometimes called black steel. Though different to stainless steel, it is prized by chefs for its exceptional strength and ability to stay sharp , however it will tarnish, or worse, rust if not cared for. If you are the kind of person who throws the knife into the sink and washes it in the morning, then this may not be the knife for you.
Hand wash in warm (not hot) water immediately after use and dry thoroughly, especially if you cut acidic foods such as citrus and tomatoes. I usually was as I cook and put them back on my magnetic rack. If i’m doing the dishes and there are dirty knives I wash dry and put the knives away first and then do the rest of the dishes.
A smear of vegetable oil on the blade will protect it, and keep the handle in top condition. Lighter oils like grape seed or canola are better than olive oil. Artisan’s son wood conditioner also works well on the handle and metal conditioner on the blade , these are bees wax based conditioners and will keep the knife in good shape and are available on this website.
Please Never Ever put in the dishwasher. It will ruin not only the blade but also the timber handle.
Many like the dull grey patina (tarnish) that black steel gets as it gives the knife character, and the patina actually helps protect the knife from rusting, and protects the food from any metallic taint. You can create a patina by coating the blade with lemon or lime juice or even vinegar for 10 minutes and then washing it off, I suggest doing this once when you first get the knife . Hand washing and drying after use is still important.
If you want to keep it shiny then “Brasso” or similar metal polishes will help the blade retain its shine and help remove the small black spots which often appear. Rust spots may also be removed with brasso and a scotchbrite scourer, fine steel wool or even fine grit sandpaper (600 grit or finer) .
Sharpening :
I often am asked how often should a knife be sharpened, and that’s a difficult question to answer as it depends on many things such as how much you use the knife, what you cut with it, what you are cutting on and technique . When the knife doesn’t cut as well as you would like, and if you can see a shiny reflection on the edge of the knife are good indicators that it needs a sharpen.
The next question is how to sharpen, and again there are a lot of answers . All my knives are made from carbon steel, and I think its easier to sharpen than stainless steel and holds it edge well .
My first answer is to get them done professionally a couple of times a year. this saves time, money and frustration trying to do them yourself. In Adelaide I would recommend the Hahndorf knife shop (8188 1005) , or Jacks knife sharpening (0401 226 675) there may be other good sharpening services out there and some butchers shops offer sharpening.
The next best way is either whet stones or a stone based sharpening system . You can literally spend $1000’s on natural Japanese water stones , but there are other cheaper options out there including some good synthetic stones. Stones are not easy to master but very satisfying once you get your technique right. there are a lot of youtube videos and techniques out there, I have tried several before I worked out what works for me . I generally start with a 400 or 500 grit stone to set bevels and then go 1500 or 2000 and then 5000 and then I strop the knives either with a leather strop or I have a stropping wheel on a bench grinder . As for what stones to buy… that’s a whole rabbit hole going from very ordinary budget options to $1000 stones.. a good option is shapton pro stones, a synthetic whet stone that gets good results. you will also need a lapping stone to keep the stones slat. Atoma make a good one at a reasonable price.
Another option is a knife sharpening system , basically a jig with stones that can be set to grind precise angles . There are again lots of brands on the market but a quick google search and you will get an idea . wicked edge , lansky, ruixin pro are some I know of .. I have never used any of them so can’t give an opinion but I know a lot of people find them easy to use and get good results.
Draw through sharpeners, like the wiltshire stay sharp knives.. NO ! Please do not use these. the metal ones are terrible for knives, the ceramic wheel version is a little better but can still lead to excessive and uneven removal of metal from your knife .
Steels: There are 2 sorts of steels on the market, one is all steel and doesn’t sharpen it hones. Honing is just straightening up the jagged bits that develop along a knifes edge as you use it. They are OK IF you know what you are doing and get angles right. Diamond steels can be used to sharpen and hone but again they can damage knives if you aren’t proficient with them . So im not a huge fan of steels. A leather honing strop is a better option and far less likely to damage your knife.
Ceramic sharpening rods…. sorry I don’t have much experience with these , I’d imagine they are similar to steels.
Oh and for those wondering, I grind my bevels at about 15 to 18 degrees depending on the knife.
Storing knives,
Personally I use a magnetic knife rack, I have a metal one and a timber one . I prefer timber but the metal versions are ok of you are careful to avoid hitting the sharp edge on the metal. Mine is near the stove so my knives are close at hand, the oil from cooking also will end up on the knives and help protect them .
Knife blocks are handy BUT can make knives blunt . If you do use one slide the knife in and out with the spine rubbing along the timber , not the sharp edge. So basically turn the knife around so the spine faces you and the sharp edge is facing away from you .
Knocking around in drawers is a good way to make them blunt so I don’t put mine in drawers. Unless you have a rack system to protect them.
