Knives & Cutting Boards

Knives, sharpeners, boards and prep tools: Damascus-pattern blades, walnut and olive wood boards, peelers and a diamond sharpener.

How often does a knife need sharpening?

A home knife used daily wants honing every week or two and real sharpening a few times a year. The test is a tomato: if the blade slides across the skin instead of biting in, it is dull. A dull knife is also the more dangerous one, because it needs force.

Wood or plastic board?

A sealed hardwood board is kinder to an edge and, kept dry, no less hygienic than plastic. Plastic can go in a dishwasher, which wood never can. The real rule is two boards — one for raw meat, one for everything else — whatever they are made of.

What is a Damascus pattern?

A layered pattern in the steel, either forged or applied. It is decorative; the thing that determines how a knife cuts is the steel's hardness and the edge geometry, not the pattern. Judge these on feel and balance in the hand.