Knife Safety
Things You Need to Know About Knife Safety
There are many types of knives, and just as many needs for knife safety. From the kitchen to the campground, you need to be aware of the hazards knives can pose.
In the kitchen, you may take knives for granted as you prepare meals and clean up afterwards. But kitchen knives can be dangerous in their own way, too.
Here are some tips for knife safety:
Keep your knives clean, and keep them sharp. A dull knife will make you exert more pressure to cut, and this could result in the knife slipping and you getting cut.
Make sure that when you cut, the blade of the knife is facing away from you, in case it should slip while you are cutting.
Never try to hold anything while you are cutting it. This is just an accident waiting to happen. Lay the item to be cut on a counter top or in the sink.
When purchasing knives for kitchen or other uses, you don't want to go with the cheapest models that the store has. The cheaper the knife is made, the more likely that it will become dull faster. In addition, cheaper knives are more likely to break away from the wooden handle, and this can be a dangerous situation.
At work, if you are opening boxes, you may use a knife known as a box cutter. The blade retracts when you are not using it. Always make sure that you are using a sharp, new blade in the box cutter, or the blade will catch on the cardboard, and you may cut yourself. Replace the blades often to make sure you're using a sharp one.
When you're camping, you probably take a folding knife with you. These are handy for setting up camp, and in many other daily situations. As with any knife, make sure that your camping or hunting knives are sharp, and also make sure that there is nothing sticking inside, that would cause the knife to catch when you try to open it. Keep all knives clean and free of debris.
Hunting knives are handy to have around, whether you're a hunter or not. They can be used for many purposes in addition to hunting. If you are choosing a knife for hunting or gutting fish, or similar activities, make sure the handle fits comfortable I your hand and that the knife is weighted so that it's balanced when you use it. If you've had your hunting knife for awhile, take it to a knife sharpener or sharpen it yourself, because dull knives are dangerous knives.
Always be careful with ANY type of knives. Knife safety is important at home, at work, and on the go.