1. Rust: Rust is a real issue for any saltwater knife. The high salt content in the water and air around saltwater can make any diving knife develop rust faster. While this also occurs in a fresh water environment, it’s accelerated in a saltwater environment. You want to make sure that you clean your knife after you get out of the water and ensure that it is dry. If you find that rust is developing on the blade or any part of the knife, you want to make sure that you buff it with a metal polishing compound as soon as possible so the steel in your diving knife doesn’t become pitted, which will make the steel weaker over time.

2. Storage: After you use your saltwater knives, you want to make sure to rinse them with fresh, clean water, then dry them completely. When they are dry, place a thin coat of silicone or oil over any of the steel parts to help keep them clean and operating smoothly. Store them in a safe place, such as a leather or hard plastic case, diving kit, or other area where you keep diving equipment. It’s not a good idea to leave them out in the weather for any length of time when they are not in use as it can cause early wear and tear on them.

3. Cleaning: There are plenty of great saltwater knife cleaning kits out there that will provide you everything you need to keep your diving knives in excellent shape. These kits usually give you a cleaning cloth, sharpening tool, polishing and/or cleaning compound, and more so that you get everything you need to keep your diving knives clean in one easy to use and store kit. These knife cleaning kits are a great thing to have with you, so when you are finished diving, you can clean and store your diving knives properly.

4. Sharpening: By keeping your diving knives sharpened, you will find that it will take less time to get prepared when you are ready to go diving. It will also help to keep your knives in good shape as without maintaining a proper edge, it makes them harder to sharpen and can cause them to lose their edge. So, you want to make sure that you have a knife sharpener for your diving knives or take them to a shop to have them sharpened on a regular basis.

By simply following these four simple knife care rules for your diving knives, you can ensure that your diving knives last for a very long time. Remember that your knife will take care of you when you need it most, so you should take care of it when it’s not in use.

1. Swiss Army knives – Every hunter, fisherman, outdoors man or woman, and just those that need one for general use love Swiss Army knives.  They are small, easy to carry, and offer a small blade for any job.  These are top holiday gifts on many outdoors men and women’s lists as they offer extra items that can help you out in so many situations.  With added items such as tweezers, scissors, saws and more, it’s easy to see why these are so popular.  You’ll also be able to choose from a wide variety of colors – red, black, yellow, purple, blue, white, just to name a few.

 

2. Collectible knives – These are not really for use, but more for display.  There are millions of knife lovers all over the world that enjoy collecting and displaying different types of knives, such as movie swords, fantasy daggers, oriental swords and knives, sword canes, and military swords.

 

3. Travel sets – For anyone who spends time outdoors in any capacity, travel sets are a dream come true.  From picnic sets to professional fishing sets, there is something for everyone here. You can easily find a wonderfully unique gift set that will provide something they will love and use.

 

4. Personal protection knives – these are great gifts for women especially, since most personal protections knives are smaller, or even concealed by something as practical as a lipstick tube. There are some wonderful personal protection knives out there that can easily provide you a unique gift idea for anyone on your list.

 

5. Hunting knives – For the hunter in your life there are several wonderful hunting knives out on the market that would make an ideal gift.  Also, you will find some great game cleaning kits and much more to help them out in the woods.  It doesn’t matter what they love to hunt, a hunter will always have use for a good hunting knife.

 

6. First Aid kits – While they might not be a “holiday themed” gift, these First Aid kits still make great gifts for anyone.  From small kits to large, you can easily find some for anyone on your gift list.  Want a field trauma kit or how about a simple pocket survival kit, they aren’t hard to find and they are great practical gifts that any outdoors man or woman will love.

 

7. Limited edition knives – There are some great knife makers out there that always put out limited edition knives each year.  There are only a certain number of these made, and they normally come numbered with a special certificate to prove that they are what they say.  These make wonderful gifts for knife collectors and family and friends alike that love knives.

 

8. Display cases – Every collector needs a good display case for their favorite knives.  From metal to wood to Plexiglas, there are hundreds of different styles and sizes of display cases for you to choose from.  These also make a great gift to go along with any collectible or limited edition knife that you give as well.

 

9. Super small knives – While they might look extremely small and harmless, these are a wonderful gift for anyone.  These are knives or kits that come in an extremely small package and fold up to fit easily in a wallet or purse.  They are normally the size of a credit card, which makes it very easy for them to be carried around without showing off that you have a knife in your pocket – making them wonderful for personal protection, emergency situations, and everyday needs.

 

10. Kitchen knife sets – What cook doesn’t love a great set of kitchen knives?  These are a wonderful gift set for any cook on your list.  You can spend under $40 and still get a great set that your loved one with cherish, and still use every day.  Best of all, they’ll think of you each time they use them!

And there you have it, the top 10 holiday gift ideas for knife lovers.  Don’t waste your time searching the shops and trying to find something unique, while hoping that no one else gets them the same thing.  Know that you’re getting them exactly what they want and something that they will actually use.  Top off your great knife gift with a personal engraving as well to make their gift even more special.

For more ideas, make sure and see our handy Gift Guide for specific family members, friends and co-workers.

First, cut off the band of skin that is holding the drumsticks onto the bird with a carving knife or paring knife if your carving knife is too big (the bones should already pull apart easily).  Firmly grab the end of the drumstick and then slick through the skin holding the drumstick in place while you gently pull it away from the bird.  You should easily be able to take the drumstick off and place it aside on the serving tray or plate.

Second, use your serving fork to hold the bird in place by inserting it into the top of the turkey.  Then, make a long cut, horizontally across the wing joints down through the frame of the turkey.  The wing will more than likely come apart from the bird while you make this cut, just place it aside on the serving tray as well.

Third, cut down through the turkey with a carving knife, with an even stroke that starts about halfway up the side of the turkey breast on either side.  As soon as you get to the wing joint, close to where you just were, the piece that you just cut should fall off to the side.

Fourth, you want to keep making these types of slices across the breast of the turkey, moving upward until you reach the top of the bird.  You should be able to get several larger slices of turkey breast by using this method, and some smaller ones as well.  Place them aside on the serving tray or plate and continue working your way up the turkey.

Fifth, you want to start back at the first step above, just on the opposite side of the turkey that you are on now.  You’ll start over with the drumstick, move to the wing, and then on to slicing the turkey breast.

Once you have finished both sides, you should have several large pieces of turkey breast, the drumsticks and wings on your serving plate.  Then, you can move on to other smaller areas of the turkey that hold the dark meat or other pieces of light meat that you might have missed in your first cuts.

Slicing up a turkey for Thanksgiving or any holiday is very easy if you form these easy turkey carving tips.  You don’t have to worry about learning how to carve a turkey from some book or think it’s harder than it really is.  Carving a turkey is very simple and a great way to enjoy the company of your family and friends during the holidays.  If you still are worried or unsure about carving the turkey, you can always as one of your guests to carve it for you.  Either way, you will end up with a great holiday meal.

Feel free to use our print-off instructions:

Click this image to view/print the Butchers Turkey Carving Instructions.

Here’s a helpful and quick video:

1. Steak knives – everyone needs at least a set of 6 steak knives in their home kitchen.  You never know when you’ll have company over for a big meal, and butter knives just won’t do the job.  Steak knives are essential to a kitchen knift set, and are so versatile that you can use them for almost anything.

2. Paring knives – these are the shorter blade knives, usually about 4″ or so.  These are used for paring potatoes, fruits, other veggies, and for cutting and dicing.

3. Carving knives – while you may not need many of these, you should have at least one.  This way, you always have a large knife ready when you do need to carve something larger, such as a turkey.

4. Filet knives – these are thin blades that vary in length but offer the perfect way to slice thin layers off of anything with precision.  These can be used for fruits, veggies, meats, and more and are extremely versatile.

5. Bread knives – you will always find a use for one of the longer bread knives out there in your kitchen knife sets.  The most popular length is the 8″ bread knife, and you will find that it is way more useful for more than just bread.

6. Chef knives – these are the larger knives that are really a multi-use knife.  They can carve, they can slice, they can cut larger pieces of meats and other foods.  And, they are a must have in anyone’s kitchen knife set.

7. Peeler – now, you can easily find these really cheap at your local discount store, but you need a good quality peeler in your kitchen knife set.  A good quality peeler will stand up over time and to the hardest veggies and fruits.

8. Boning knives – these are basically a steak knife that has a thinner blade.  They are great for deboning fish and for so many other uses when you don’t quite need a heavy steak knife.

9. Melon baller – while maybe not technically a knife, these are a great specialty knife item to have in your arsenal as they are for more than just melons.  You’ll find tons of great recipes that call for meat balls and other items that you can cut your time in half just by using a melon baller.

10. Sharpening steel – you need one of these in your kitchen knife sets so you can easily sharpen any of your knives when they become dull.  Without one of these handy, you might find yourself tearing up that juicy tomato instead of slicing it for your meal.

11. Wood block – these are classic kitchen knife set holders and offer a great way to store your knives safely and still have them in reach when you need them.

Also, you want to make sure that you have a good quality wooden cutting board to use when using any of your knives from your kitchen knives sets.  When you cut foods on your cabinet or plates, you run the risk of damaging your kitchen knives – not to mention, contaminating the food.  By using a good quality wooden cutting board, you won’t have to worry about any damage to your kitchen knives.

The next time that you are out shopping for kitchen knives or for a gift set, make sure that you keep this checklist for the basic kitchen knife set in mind so you are sure to get exactly what is needed – and nothing that isn’t.  Here on www.ebladestore.com you will find a wide variety of beautiful kitchen knives and sets that will help you create the best kitchen knife set for your needs.