When I took a stage at a lofty London restaurant, I expected to get the crap kicked out of me. I quickly learned that the knives in the kitchen took a greater beating than I ever would. This was both a blessing and a curse: I had a scapegoat for my dodgy mirepoix, but at the end of the day, the mirepoix needed to be mirepoix-ed. I’d been told not to bring my own knives and assumed the kitchen was well equipped. But a dull serrated blade does not a beautiful brunoise make. Soon I was fantasizing about my 10" Global like a 13-year-old boy with no privacy settings.

The moral of this story? If you want your knives to last, give them the respect they deserve: Keep them sharp. I spoke with three blade experts around the country for their honest assessments on what the every knife-owning home cook needs to know to maintain the best edge on their blades: Richard Wattenberg of Ross Cutlery (Los Angeles), Galen Garretson of The Town Cutler (San Francisco), and Dave Nell of Sharpening By Dave (Chicago). They gave me an earful; I hope that London joint is listening.

Razor-sharp knives at The Town Cutler in San Francisco Photo by Molly DeCoudreaux

Skip the carbon-steel blades—unless you're willing to maintain them

When it comes to maintaining a sharp edge, it all starts with the blade you've bought. Japanese knives are often made from high-quality but harder steel, which can require more frequent sharpening, says Dave Nell, the eponymous knife expert at Sharpening by Dave in Chicago. Western blades tend to hold their sharpness for far longer—and they're often more affordable, too. "I’m not a big fan of the Eastern knives. They use softer metal, so more maintenance is required. Western edges are more forgiving,” says Nell. He points chefs toward brands like Wusthof (Germany) or industrial-quality Dexter (US) for affordable products that hold an edge. Richard Wattenberg of Ross Cutlery in L.A. disagrees: “When you have a good piece of steel you’re not going to be sharpening all of the time. It’ll hold the edge. To give you an idea of how good the Japanese knives are, [J.A.] Henckels has been in business since the 1700’s. Today, the best knives they sell are made in Japan. That kinda tells you something.” On the higher end, he suggests Global or Shun; for a more affordable option, he praises Swiss-made Victorianox Forschener for its excellent steel and durability.

The takeaway: Don't think East versus West—it's all about how long the blade holds its edge between professional sharpenings. Ask your salesperson to recommend a knife that stays sharper, longer.

Keep your knives safe

If you want to keep your blades at their sharpest, you gotta give them respect. A jumble of knives in a drawer (a drawer without a knife storage solution, that is) will only lead to dinged edges and bloody fingertips. Same thing for knives rattling around in the dishwasher or lying in the sink. There are a few ways to store your knives with love, but if you're going with the knife strip, make sure to remove them the right way. Galen Garretson of The Town Cutler in San Francisco explains: “You don’t want to slide them off—you can ding the edge that way. Twist them onto the spine and then they pop off. When you put it back down, start with the spine and slowly pitch the blade back onto the strip."