By Brand

I.O.SHEN KNIVES
Sharpening
Even the super-hard cutting edge of I.O.Shen knives will eventually blunt with use.
The recommended sharpening methods are to use a fine whetstone or our recomended electric knife sharpening machines:
A fine whetstone – this requires some skill and will take some time. Rockwell 62° steel is extremely hard.
Electric knife sharpening machines
The KE198 Knife Wizard will sharpen I.O.Shen knives but use only the fine abrasive section. ‘Break in’ the fine abrasive wheels with other knives (perhaps 5 or 6) before you use on the I.O.Shen Knives. Some light cutter marks will be visible.
The commercial KE280 knife sharpener or professional KE-168 are highly recommended. They will restore the razor sharp edge quickly and with a polished edge finish. Use only the fine abrasive belts for the best finish.
We do not recommend the use of any other knife sharpener – manual or electric. Most of those tested are too aggressive in operation and may damage your blades.

Wash, dry and immediately store. Dishwasher cleaning is not recommended.

SCANPAN non-stick cookware
Fat-free frying
SCANPAN non-stick cookware allows you to fry using next to no butter, oil or seasoning if you so desire. For best results, apply a single drop – no more, no less – of vegetable oil (do not use aerosol spray oils) to the cooking surface of the heated pan. Spread the oil around the cooking surface with a paper towel. The pan is now ready to use. Medium temperature is ideal for frying. High heat is unnecessary as the aluminium is superior in retaining heat. Furthermore, high heat will reduce the non-stick performance.

Frying with Seasonings
Temperatures reached during frying can be relatively high. The large surface of the pan, combined with the high temperature, may cause the fats and oils to react with air and break down into their chemical components. You can minimise the risk of that happening by using a medium-high temperature setting.

About fats and oils – Oil
Rapeseed oil and olive oil are high in mono-unsaturated fats, making them extremely suitable for frying. The high content on mono-unsaturated fatty acids makes them stable. Oils that are high in poly-unsaturated fats, for example, sunflower oil, are more sensitive to heat and are easily overheated. Therefore we do not recommend their use. Oils do not contain any water and do not bubble or spit while being heated. Many recipes call for the oil to be hot but not smoking before placing the meat or other food in the pan. (Oil that is smoking is essentially burnt and ruined). Putting a piece of onion in the oil will tell you when the right temperature has been reached: When the oil starts bubbling around the onion, the oil is ready for frying. Alternatively, you can heat the pan to medium-high heat, put the desired amount of oil in the heated pan, and start frying right away. The oil is heated immediately and will not break down.

About fats and oils – Margarine
Margarine may be easier to use but often has a high transfatty acid content. Nutrition experts consider this to be at least as harmful as saturated fats. Therefore, if you want to use margarine for frying, use margarine types marked with high mono-unsaturated fat content – or even better – free of trans-fatty acids.

About fats and oils – Butter
Butter has a relatively low break-down point. We recommend adding a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, instead of using plain butter, only.

Product care
SCANPAN® non-stick products are made for specific purposes; pans for frying, pots and saucepans for boiling, etc. By using the products for the right purposes, you will experience high performance products. If you, however, use the products for other purposes, they may not perform optimally, and the non-stick coating may be impaired.

Do not overheat the product. As the aluminium is superior in retaining heat, high heat is unnecessary. Furthermore, high heat will reduce the non-stick performance.

Do not use oil from aerosol sprays, as this can impair the product’s non-stick coating.

Do not store food in your Scanpan product.

Cleaning
After use, wash the product with warm, soapy water. It is easiest to clean the product while it is still warm. The product must always be completely clean, before it is put away.

It is not recommended to wash the product in the dishwasher.

SCANPAN IMPACT
Before Use
Remove any labels. Wash in hot, soapy water with a brush, cloth or sponge, and dry. Your SCANPAN stainless steel cookware product is now ready for use.

During Use
Heat your cookware to working temperature, i.e. 180°C-200°C, then add fat. Place the food and leave it until a frying crust forms (many people try to move the food, before a frying crust forms, resulting in food sticking to the surface). Too high as well as too low working temperature may cause food to stick to the frying surface.

After Use
After the product has cooled, wash with hot soapy water and a brush, cloth or sponge.

To remove any food stuck to your pan, fill the pan with hot soapy water and allow to stand. When the water temperature has reduced use a soft cleaning cloth to remove the food.

Please do not use harsh scourers or steel wool as they may scratch the surface. It is recommended that you use a stainless steel cleaner to keep the polished surfaces bright.

Prompt drying prevents water spots.

A mottled rainbow-like discolouration, commonly called 'heat tint' can be caused from excessive heat. This, and stains from starchy foods can be removed with stainless steel cleaner, a lemon, or a wash made from 1 part vinegar, 9 parts water.

Undissolved salt will pit steel surfaces. Add salt only after water has reached boiling point.

WUSTHOF KNIFE CARE
Cleaning
We recommend washing your knives with warm, soapy water after each use. Rinse carefully and dry with a towel.

Technically, Wüsthof knives are suitable for cleaning in the dishwasher (except knives with wooden handles), but there are a number of reasons why precious knives should not be cleaned in a dishwasher:

Many dishwashers have a cutlery basket into which knives, cutlery, and other utensils are placed. With both the loading and unloading of this basket, as well as the force of the water pressure, there is the danger that the blades will hit against one another or against other objects in the dishwasher and become damaged.
With dishwashers that have a cutlery drawer, the loading and unloading process may damage not only the knife blades, but also the covering of the cutlery drawer so that the coating can no longer provide the protection for which it was designed, causing rust to set in. This can lead to foreign rust deposits on the blade.
If the dishwasher is not used for a number of days, and the knives are not cleaned directly after use, the effect of caustic food particles such as pickles, spicy sauces, citrus fruits, and vegetables that remain on the blade can lead to unsightly spots and corrosion.
It is also very important to use the correct amount of dishwasher detergent, otherwise foreign rust particles will adhere to the blade. In most cases these spots can be easily removed with a steel cleaner.