6 Reasons Your Knives Get Dull So Fast

If you get the impression that your knives don't cut quite like they used to, you're likely right. Knives dull over time, and a handful of common habits speed up the process.

In fact, you may not even realize you're mishandling your knives. Learn how knives get dull so you can keep these essential kitchen tools sharp and fully functional.

1. You Slice on the Wrong Surfaces

Using your knife on a hard, rigid surface like glass or stone (such as a marble cheese board or your granite countertop) will wear down the blade. Stick to cutting boards made from wood, a wood-fiber composite, or plastic.

2. You Scrape Your Knives Across the Cutting Board

Dragging a blade across a cutting board to gather a pile of the onions or herbs you just chopped seems like a good use of your chef's knife. Yet, scraping the knife's edge across a surface can actually skew the blade's alignment, which results in a duller slice. Use a bench scraper instead — this tool can save your best knives from extra wear. Plus, the larger surface area makes scooping up lots of ingredients easier.

3. You Use Your Chef's Knife on Bones

Your chef's knife may be sharp and strong enough to cut through bones, but that won't last. Bones will dull the blade. Invest in a meat cleaver, and not only will you spare your chef's knives but you'll also find slicing through bones much easier.

4. You Put Your Knives in the Dishwasher

You may be surprised to learn how many kitchen things shouldn't go in the dishwasher and that your good knives make the list. The appliance's water pressure rattles knives against the rack and other tools, making their blades less sharp. Plus, abrasive dish detergent can lead to rust or corrosion. Hand wash (and dry) your knives instead.

5. You Store Your Knives in a Drawer

The more knives rub against other tools, the more their blades will dull. This means just opening and closing a drawer can do damage over time. Either keep your knives in individual sheaves to protect them inside the drawer, or invest in a safe storage solution like a knife block or magnetic knife strip.

6. You Use Your Knives for Other Purposes

From cutting boxes to unscrewing hardware, using knives for tasks they're not made for will hinder them from doing what they do best: slicing, dicing, and chopping.

Related:

• The Best Knife Sets, Tested by Allrecipes
• The 9 Best Carving and Slicing Knives, Tested by Allrecipes
• A Guide to Every Knife in Your Knife Block