What is cutlery?

Cutlery can be defined as flatware like knives, forks, and spoons and may also encompass a variety of other implements and utensils used to cut things with. Most often knives such as those used for cooking in a kitchen come to mind. Karl Pfitzenreiter has been in the business of cutlery for 24 years. He is the president and CEO of J.A. Henckels, a position he has held for the last 20 years. Pfitzenreiter states, "Cutlery, how we see it or define it, is a kitchen knife, scissors, shears and personal care or grooming implements like nail scissors and clippers would also count as cutlery. Also, stainless steel tabletop flatware is cutlery." Basically cutlery may include just about anything that you can cut with.

Pfitzenreiter says, "Keeping cutlery sharp is the biggest problem the consumer has with using cutlery. If your knife gets dull, what do you do with it?" He suggests using a good butcher steel to sharpen a dull knife. Pfitzenreiter continues, "The important thing is that you have to hold the rod to the steel at a 25 degree angle. The easiest way to get that is to basically start straight with the edge to the steel, which would be 90 degrees. Then bend it down to half of it, which would be 45. Cut it down to another half and it will be about in this angle that it needs to be. The angle is the most important part of the re-sharpening processes. Then using moderate force, keep the angle and pull an arc the full length of the edge over the steel. Do that on the reverse side as well. If you do that 6 to 7 times, the knife will be sharp again. If it has not been used for 20 years, you would need something that basically reset the edge angle."

Pfitzenreiter adds, "At some point the steel won't work anymore. If we would put the edge of the knife under a magnifier, you would see a little piece of metal. This little piece is the sharp part of the knife. When you cut with the knife, those little pieces bend over to one side or another. The steel basically realigns the pieces to make the knife sharp again. At one point the little piece will be gone and you basically have to reset the edge angle. For that you have a hand-held sharpener that you can use. Or, you have to go to a cutlery specialty store which has the knowledge and the equipment to do that for you."

Proper use of the sharpening device is very important so you do not damage a knife blade while trying to sharpen it. There are several sharpening devices available for a consumer to sharpen his own knives or you can seek a professional knife sharpening service to meet your needs. Scissors and knives should be kept sharp to function properly and safely.

It is important to store cutlery in a way that the pieces do not come in contact with each other or bang up against other objects that may dull or damage them. It is recommended that cutlery be washed and dried by hand although some pieces may be suitable to put in a dishwasher. Be careful not to expose cutlery items to extremely hot water, harsh detergents or prolonged periods of dampness. Once you have made a significant investment in some fine pieces you will want to take care of them so they will continue to last and function well for you.