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I've read that one should hand-wash knives, and I mostly buy that. I've also seen advice that one should dry them immediately and put them away.

Why shouldn't knives air-dry? Aside from the unsightly water stains, is there any downside to letting knives air-dry?

Edit: We have Henckel full-tang knives. Rust is a real concern -- we had them sharpened, and the shop did a lousy job -- the edges are ragged.

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3 Answers3

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It's to prevent rust. Rust requires oxygen and water to form. The longer you leave your knives wet or damp the more likely you are to develop rust.

hobodave
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Another concern, if you knives have wooden handles, is warping.

Michael Natkin
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Water stains, rusting (depending on the sort of knife you have).