After you have gone over all the options for buying knives and finally made a choice, you’ll purchase the newest member of your kitchen. When knives come new from the factory, they are extremely sharp. And they will stay that way for several months. Then overnight it seems, they get dull. One day, you’ll try to cut a tomato and the knife won’t slice through it; it will smash it down. Juice and seeds will cover your cutting board. Now you know it’s time to sharpen the knife. You probably thought all your decisions were over when you made the purchase. But that isn’t so. Now you can choose which way you’ll sharpen the knife. And perhaps more importantly, what kind of maintenance you’ll do in the future. There are several things to consider.

First of all, you know the electric can openers that have a knife sharpener in the back? Never, ever use it. A can opener is a can opener. It was not engineered to sharpen a knife. Second, take some care in choosing a cutting board. Wood and plastic are excellent choices. Always avoid metal and marble. They ruin even the best knife blades. And the knives we have at home aren’t usually the best! Third, never store your knives loosely in the drawer. Not only is it dangerous; it’s bad for the blades. Store them in a wood block or on a metal strip. And finally, always hand wash the knives. Don’t put them in the dishwasher. The heat can damage the handles and it’s not good to have them banging against other silverware.

Once you’ve found a good maintenance routine, it’s important to make regular knife sharpening part of that schedule. Rather than waiting until the knife is noticeable dull, it’s a good idea to sharpen it regularly. We’ve already established that using the sharpener on the back of a can opener is a no-no. Many homeowners sharpen their knives with the long sharpening steel that comes with a wooden block knife storage system. A better way to sharpen your knives is using a stone. And not just any stone. An Arkansas stone is often used or a Japanese water stone. Either of these will yield the best results.

If you aren’t inclined to sharpen the knives yourself but really want them sharp, you can take them to a local store to have them sharpened professionally. Or you can send them away to a national retailer.