Use a Pinch Grip Instead of a Hammer Grip

Many people hold a knife like it is a hammer. The hand wraps fully around the handle, the thumb stays behind the bolster, and most of the work happens with one inch of the edge or the heel. As that inch wears, people add a thumb or finger on top to force the knife through food. It works, but it is hard on your hand and the edge.

A pinch grip changes the mechanics:

• Pinch the blade lightly in front of the handle with your thumb on one side and your index finger on the other.
• Let your remaining fingers wrap around the handle for control.
• Allow your elbow and shoulder to move the knife instead of just your wrist.

This small change helps the blade meet the board at a better angle and encourages you to use more of the edge instead of pounding one spot. Less force at a single point means less stress on the apex.

If you want a quick map of the parts you are holding, see Kitchen Knife Anatomy.

Let the Blade Slide Instead of Striking Straight Down

Edges prefer sliding contact. When you use a gentle push or pull cut, the edge enters food gradually and the board contact is softer. When you strike straight down, all the impact lands in a small area, which bends and wears the edge faster.

In practice, that means:

• Push forward and down through food instead of only chopping up and down.
• Use the curve or flat of the blade to guide a smooth arc on the board.
• Let the knife travel/slide instead of stopping it hard at the bottom of every cut.

You do not need to move fast. A calm, steady slide does more for the edge than a hard chop. The blade shape was designed to move. Let it.

Use the Spine to Clear Food, Not the Edge

One of the fastest ways to wear out an edge is to scrape the cutting board with it. Sliding the edge sideways across the board to scoop or clear food is extremely common. It is also extremely rough on the apex.

A simple swap protects the edge without adding steps:

• Flip the knife over and use the spine to push food off the board, or
• Use your hand or a bench scraper to move piles of food.

The motion stays the same. The wear on the edge drops sharply. Over time, this single habit change can add more useful life between sharpenings.

For more on how boards and edge contact interact, see How Cutting Boards Affect Sharpness (and Which Ones to Use).

Avoid Twisting, Prying, and Side Pressure

Knives are built to cut straight through food, not to pry or twist things apart. Side pressure is hard on any edge, especially on thinner or harder Japanese knives.

Common motions that stress the edge include:

• Twisting the blade to pop joints, bones, or frozen pieces apart.
• Prying under jars, lids, or stuck items with the tip.
• Rocking side to side in dense foods with a lot of force on a small section of the edge.

Use a different tool when you need leverage. Reserve your kitchen knives for straight cuts, rocking, and controlled slicing. The edge will thank you by staying useful longer.

Match Your Motion to the Food and the Knife

Different foods and different knives respond best to different motions.

• Dense foods (squash, cabbage, root vegetables). Use a thin, sharp knife with a steady push or pull. Let the blade start the cut near the tip, then follow through.
• Soft or delicate foods (herbs, ripe tomatoes, cooked meats). Use light pressure and a clean slicing motion that lets the edge glide.
• Bread and crusts. Use a bread knife with a gentle saw action. Be mindful on very soft boards so the teeth do not dig deep grooves.

When motion matches the food and the shape of the blade, you'll need less force. Less force means less stress and slower wear at the edge.

Use More of the Blade, Not Just One Inch

When all the cutting happens in a small section near the heel, that area wears out much faster than the rest of the edge. Or if it's always rocking on the belly of the knife, then that space wears first. You end up with a knife that feels dead in one spot and oddly sharp in others.

Instead, try to:

• Start cuts closer to the top and finish closer to the heel.
• Let long slices travel along the length of the blade.
• Rotate where you do the most work when chopping larger batches.

This spreads wear out more evenly and keeps the knife feeling consistent along the full edge.

Choose Boards That Support the Edge

Technique and board choice go together. Even good technique struggles on very hard surfaces. If every cut lands with a sharp snap or click, you may be putting more impact into the edge than you intend.

As a general pattern:

• Use wood boards for most prep. They feel calmer and are easier on edges.
• Use thin plastic boards on top of wood for raw proteins when you want dishwasher cleaning after working.
• Avoid glass, stone, titanium and very hard plastics for everyday knife work.

Boards do more to shape edge life than most foods will.

Know When Technique Is Not the Problem

Even with good technique, every knife will dull over time. If you are using a gentle grip, sliding motions, better boards, and clearing with the spine, yet the knife still fights you, the edge probably just needs support.

A few signs that technique is not the main issue:

• The knife hangs or tears through paper instead of slicing.
• Tomatoes resist even when you use a careful cut.
• You have to concentrate to avoid crushing herbs and softer foods.

At that point, a tune-up or sharpening is the next step, not more grip adjustments.

For guidance there, see When a Knife Needs Sharpening vs Tune-Up and Knife Sharpening vs Honing.