By Special to the Town Crier

If you want to stay on the cutting edge in the kitchen, it may be a good idea to hone your knowledge of knives.

Knife safety tips

Keep your knives sharp. If your knife is sharp, it will slide easily through what you are cutting. Dull knives can be dangerous.

Use the right knife for the job: paring knife for paring, a chef’s knife for chopping.

Always use a cutting board and keep it firmly in place by placing a damp towel or paper towel underneath.

If you are finely chopping something on your cutting board, tuck your fingers under to keep them out of the way.

Do not keep sharp knives loose in a drawer.

The knife is more likely to get damaged in a drawer.

Never put a sharp knife in a sink of soapy water.

Purchasing tips:

A forged stainlesss steel blade is the best.

A good quality knife will have rivets.

The handle should be non-porous.

The knife should feel solid and easy to handle.

-Courtesy of NAPS