Great advice to follow if you want to keep your knife… and your fingers. Seriously a dull knife is a dangerous knife.
Knives are important tools that we all use for a number of tasks in our everyday lives—from opening boxes to field-dressing game. Knives are everywhere. Knowing how to handle, use, and store knives are critical skills that we should all possess as outdoor enthusiasts, because your gear will only take as good care of you as you take of it.
Sharpness
One of the first lessons to learn is that the safest knives are actually the sharpest ones. That might sound a little contradictory, but the truth is that a sharp knife cuts more easily than a dull knife. This means it’s less likely to move in a direction you don’t want it to. How do you know if a knife is sharp? One method for testing sharpness is to hold a piece of paper, then draw the knife across the limp edge of the paper. A sharp knife will bite into the paper and cut it easily; a dull knife will deflect the paper and will not cut the paper; a marginally sharp knife will tear the paper.
Sheaths
There are a variety of sheaths on the market. Sheaths are designed to hold, carry and protect knives until they are needed. The most common sheath materials are leather and kydex. Kydex is a heavy plastic material that is molded by heat. It’s very durable, and lighter than leather. Other sheath materials include wood, metal and molded plastic. One of the primary ways people get cut while using knives is when they’re removing or inserting the knife into its sheath. When removing a knife from a sheath, pay close attention to where your hand is on the sheath, and if the cutting edge of the blade could possibly contact your fingers or hand while the knife is being removed. When putting the knife back into the sheath, equal care should be taken to ensure that the knife is lined up…