Carbon Steel

The steel composition in custom Kramer Knives is different from stainless steel and requires more care. A carbon steel knife has a tendency to react with highly acidic foods, which will cause the steel to turn dark gray to black if the acids are left on the blade. To avoid this coloring, immediately after cutting highly acid foods, rinse and wipe the blade, then go back to cutting. Also, if water is left on the blade it may cause dark spots or small rust spots. All color changes to the blade can be easily remedied with a green Scotch-Brite pad and a little soap. First, place the flat of the blade on a flat surface to avoid cutting through the sponge or possibly cutting yourself. Next, apply a small quantity of soap on the Scotch-Brite along with a little water. Now you can scrub the blade with confidence. When finished, rinse and hand-dry the blade.

Wood Handles

Soaking your knife in water can make the wood swell and possibly crack. It is best to gently wash the handle with a mild soap, rinse, and dry. If you notice that the wood seems to be drying out, I recommend Tried and True Danish Oil. This product is 100% food safe, as it is made from polymerized linseed oil without any heavy metals or petroleum products added. You can find it online at www.triedandtruewoodfinish.com. This should keep your handles looking good for many years. Thanks to Chris Harris for this great tip! Apply a small quantity with a paper towel, and let it soak into the wood for 20 minutes before wiping off the excess.

Using

Always cut on a board made of wood or soft plastic. Other surfaces, such as marble, metal, glass, and even some hard plastic surfaces can dull the knife's edges.

Hand-Washing

I highly recommend to wash and thoroughly hand-dry your knife by hand. It is gentler on the wood handles, and prevents any rust spots on the blades.

No Dishwasher

Cutlery should never be run through a dishwasher for several reasons. The detergents are very strong degreasers so wood handles will be stripped of their natural oils, causing them to split or crack. Dishwashers spray water at a relatively high pressure, which can jostle the silverware and cause the knives to bang around, and dull the knife's edge. Also, it can be dangerous if someone else were to reach into the dishwasher only to unexpectedly receive a wicked cut.

Storage

Keep your knife in a block, on a magnetic bar, or in a plastic edge guard. This will protect the blade and prevent the edge from being bent or chipped by other utensils.

Sharpening

Keeping the blade sharp is relatively simple. You can use anything from a sharpening steel to a stone. Part of the pleasure of this knife is that the edge comes back so easily. For notes on how to, check out the Sharpening page