Knife Safety TipsSafety Strategies

Diverse types of blades find utility in the culinary domain, each harboring the potential to inflict harm if mishandled. Competent blade education mitigates the hazard of personal harm and ensures the seamless operation of your kitchen. Whether you are a novice or seeking a refresher, peruse the ensuing insightful knife safety strategies.

Already adept at wieldng kitchen blades with care? Dive into our selection of cut-resistant gloves for your staff by clicking below.

Shop All Cut-Resistant Kitchen Gloves
Culinary Blade Security
Among the commonplace injuries prevalent in culinary settings, lacerations from chef’s blades hold a prominent position. Fortify your kitchen staff’s awareness to avert potential harm through adherence to our knife safety guidelines.

1. Employ a Keen Blade
blade security
The utilization of a blunt blade demands heightened force during cutting, thereby elevating the risk of slippage and subsequent injuries.

How Should I Gauge Blade Sharpness?
Your blade should effortlessly withstand a sharpness assessment. To strike a balance between sharpness and robustness, the majority of blade edges are crafted with a 20-degree angle on each side. In scenarios involving softer ingredients, opting for a 15-degree angle per side is advisable, although this demands more frequent sharpening and may compromise overall durability. For tougher textures, maintain a 20-degree angle on each side or select a broader-angle blade as circumstances dictate.

Video Demonstration: Blade Sharpening
Consult the following video for a tutorial on manual and electric blade sharpening techniques:

2. Select the Appropriate Blade for the Task
From cheese cutters to Japanese blades, the act of discerning the most fitting blade for a given task constitutes a fundamental tenet of blade safety in the culinary realm. The diversity in styles, shapes, and sizes of commercial blades can be overwhelming, making informed choices crucial for professionals in the foodservice industry.

How to Discern the Fitting Blade
When deciding on a blade, take into consideration the following factors:

Blade size: Opt for a blade that correlates with the size of the food being cut. For instance, a petite paring blade may prove ineffective for butchering substantial cuts of meat, necessitating the use of a cleaver instead.
Flexibility: Varied tasks call for distinct blade flexibilities, with certain activities requiring a pliable blade and others demanding a rigid one. Deliberate on the blade suitable for tasks such as scale removal from a fish versus slicing potatoes.
Blade edge: The nature of the blade’s edge significantly influences the ease or difficulty of the task at hand. Serrated blades excel in cutting through items with tender centers, while Granton blades are optimal for wet foods like cheese and salmon.
Refain from employing your blade for anything beyond food cutting to avert jeopardizing your safety and potentially damaging the blade.

3. Ensure Blade Hygiene
Immediate cleaning of your blade post-use is imperative to prevent contamination. Leaving the blade on the cutting board or immersed in soapy water in the sink introduces clutter to your kitchen and fosters opportunities for both contamination and injury.

A sanitary blade also translates to enhanced handling. Residue can render the blade slippery, underscoring the importance of consistent cleanliness for a secure grip.

Blade Storage
Tips for Blade Cleaning
To preserve sanitation and the longevity of your blade, adhere to proper cleaning practices. Consider the following when cleaning your blades:

Is the blade dishwasher-safe? While a dishwasher offers a convenient cleaning method, certain blades may not withstand the dishwasher environment, compromising their precision.
Inspect your blade for potential bacteria collection spots. Some blade types may feature handles or blades prone to accumulating food debris, necessitating a thorough inspection pre and post-wash to prevent residue buildup.

4. Store Your Blades Prudently
A designated space for blade storage not only fosters kitchen organization but also promotes a secure blade routine. When idle, blades should be stored away from the immediate workspace. Simply depositing a blade in a drawer poses risks to both workers and blades alike. Storage solutions like blade blocks or rolls preclude mishaps and prolong the life of your blades.

5. Acquaint Yourself with Appropriate Cutting Techniques
Proficiency in proper cutting techniques is an integral facet of blade safety. Poor blade handling poses risks of injury and potential damage to your culinary tools. Moreover, incorrect grip and technique impede efficiency and compromise work quality.