Dull Knife Dangers & The Importance of Regular Knife Sharpening

Commercial kitchens and restaurants have become more attuned to the importance of knife safety in the workplace, placing a greater priority on blade sharpening in their kitchens. Keeping their kitchen knives sharp helps keep kitchens humming along efficiently, resulting in better food quality & presentation, and fewer injuries to their back-of-house team. Some even opt for a knife sharpening service to ensure perfect results every time, letting their kitchen employees focus on what they do best; prepare delicious food safely.

Knife Safety in the Workplace

While it may seem counterintuitive, a dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp knife. Many cutting failures result from unsharp knives because the knife cannot function the way it is intended and cannot do its job efficiently. A dull knife cannot easily and cleanly slice through the cutting material as it was designed.

Injuries caused by dull knives are not only more frequent and likely to happen, but they are also more serious. A skillful cutter can quickly be turned into a hacker with dull tools, whether knives, scissors or even pruning shears. Dull blades make these instruments difficult to use, causing them to be unsafe.

When using a dull knife, the person wielding it will be required to use more strength which causes them to have less control over the blade. Rather than letting a sharp blade do its job, they are relying on force. If the blade then slips or twists uncontrollably, that force can lead to more serious injury. A sharp blade will be easier to control, leading to not only fewer injuries but less serious ones too. Injuries caused by a dull knife tend to be more traumatic because they tear the skin rather than cleanly slicing through.

At the end of the day, the level of sharpness maintained on a blade is indicative of the level of respect you have for the knife itself. Dull and dinged edges reflect a careless attitude when using the knife; Sharp edges reflect an appreciation for the knife and is also more likely to be used with consistent care and focus. A sharp knife is a safe knife!

The Importance of Regular Knife Sharpening

Sharp knives are safer knives. While one certainly needs to take care when using sharp knives, a dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp blade. When a knife blade is blunt or dull, it requires more pressure to cut, making it more likely to slip with the increased force behind it and cause an injury. Properly sharpened knives can bite the surface more readily. It is essential that knives be kept sharp so that they can do their job without slippage.

Food that has been poorly cut will not cook properly and will also impact your portioning and how the food appears to your guests. After all, a cleanly sliced tomato is much more appealing than a mashed tomato. More delicate ingredients such as herbs will appear fresh for a longer period when cut with a sharp knife, leading to less food waste.

Of course, proper knife care can help reduce the interval between sharpenings. By consistently cutting on proper surfaces, using the right knife for the job, and practicing proper cleaning and storage, you’ll keep your knives sharper for longer. Many professional chefs can go up to two weeks between sharpenings thanks to proper knife care.

As anyone working in a kitchen will attest to, sharp knives simply work better. Dull knives slow down kitchen prep and make simple tasks considerably more cumbersome.

Professional Blade Sharpening

While many restaurants don’t pay enough attention to the condition of the knives used in the kitchen, restaurants that value efficiency, safety, and food quality stay on top of these things, often opting for the convenience of a professional blade sharpening service.

All knives in the kitchen will benefit from regular maintenance and consistent knife blade sharpening. Consider the benefits of a knife sharpening service, which will keep your kitchen knives sharp, and your kitchen humming along productively and safely.

Keeping your knives in excellent, sharp condition requires both dedication and time. Many busy commercial kitchens will opt to enlist the help of a restaurant knife sharpening service for professional blade sharpening. These services act as a knife exchange, taking your used, dull knives away and replacing them with sharp knives on the fly, with no downtime. These sharpening companies handle the tedious task of keeping your blades sharp, saving you time and labour, and ensuring the safety of your kitchen staff.