No matter how sharp and sturdy a steel blade is, it's a fragile piece of equipment that can be damaged with the slightest mistreatment. To help you not let your best knives go dull, we’ve listed here the most common mistakes people make with their steel knives and why you should avoid making them yourself.

1. Leaving their steel knives soak in the sink

First and foremost, rust. No matter how long you leave your steel knife soaking in hot water, chances are it will get rusty and you will have to clean it. It’s well known that Water and moisture are the biggest causes of rust, so just try to avoid leaving your steel knives in the sink and you’ll not have that problem. 

2. Putting their steel knives in the dishwasher 

One of the most common misconceptions about steel knives is that they are dishwasher safe. Let me tell you once and for all; they are not! In fact, you better avoid putting any kitchen knife in there since it's equally bad for any knife. The reason is that dishwasher detergents are powerful enough to easily pit the steel of your knives. The jostling motion of the machine not only can dull and chip the blades but to also corrode the handles of your kitchen knives.

3. Storing their steel knives with other utensils 

This is one of the worst things you can do to your steel knife. The blade can easily get scratched and dented from being jostled around in the drawer every time you open it. And you will probably hurt yourself every once in a while when trying to get your sharp steel knife in a pile of other utensils. The best way you can store your steel knives is by attaching them on a magnetic knife holding rack. But if your knife has a sheath, you can store it anywhere you like. 

4. Never sharpening their steel knives 

People think that if they buy a sharp knife, it is going to keep it’s edge forever. Naturally, that’s not the case for any knife. Sooner or later you will notice even the sharpest of your knives go dull. So you’ve got to learn how to sharpen steel knives. It’s not as hard as it sounds and it’s definitely better to do at home without spending any resources or time. 

5. Using glass cutting boards 

This is such an under-looked issue yet quite crucial one for steel blades. Surfaces like glass blunt a knife’s blade quickly since they are harder than the knife itself. Some people don’t even use cutting boards in general, which is quite bad for steel blades. The best cutting boards that you can use when cutting with steel knives are wooden ones. Wood will not damage your blades. On the contrary, will help them keep their edge longer. 

In conclusion: Try not to make these common mistakes and you will avoid ruining your steel knives. And if you don’t own steel knives but you really want to, check out these: