Procure a smooth board, free from knots, or one covered with leather. If the latter, melt a sufficient quantity of mutton suet, and put it hot upon the leather with a piece of flannel; then take two pieces of soft Flanders brick, and rub them one against the other over the leather till it is covered with the powder, which rub in until no grease comes through, when a knife is passed over the leather, which may easily be known by the knife keeping its polish.
If only a plain board, rub the brick two or three times over it; for if too much be put on at once it will make the blades of the knives look rough and scratched. Let the board be of a proper height, and set so that you may be in a sloping position while cleaning the knives. Take a knife in each hand, holding them back to back; stand opposite the middle of the board; lay the knives flat upon it, and do not bear too hard upon them; by this method it will be easier to clean two knives at a time than one, and they will be less liable to be snapped or broken, when pressed on too heavily.
Be careful to keep a good edge on the knives. Carving knives in particular ought to be kept sharp, which may easily be done by taking one in each hand, back to back when cleaning, scarcely letting them touch the board when expanding the arms, but when drawing the hands together again, bearing a little hard on the edge of the knives; this will give them not only a good edge and a fine polish, but is much better than sharpening them with a steel.
The best way to clean steel forks is to fill a small oyster barrel with fine gravel, brick dust, or sand, mixed with a little hay or moss: make it moderately damp, press it well down, and let it always be kept damp. By running the prongs of the forks a few times into this, all the stains on them will be removed. Then have a small stick, shaped like a knife, with leather round it to polish between the prongs, &c. having first carefully brushed off the dust from them as soon as they are taken out of the tub. A knife board is often spoiled by cleaning forks, and the backs of the knives, upon it; to prevent this, fasten a piece of old hat or leather on the board where the forks and backs of knives are to be cleaned.
Always turn the back of the knives towards the palm of the hand in wiping them, which will prevent all danger from cutting. In wiping the forks put the corner of the cloth between the prongs, to remove any dirt or dust that may not have been thoroughly brushed out; and if there be silver ferules on the knives and forks, or silver handles, they must be rubbed with a piece of leather and plate powder, keeping the blades covered while the handles are cleaning.
Wipe the knives and folks as soon as possible after being used, as the longer they are left with grease and stains on them the harder they will be to clean; particularly if they have been used for acids, salads, tarts, &c. Have then a jug of hot water ready to put them into as soon as done with, and wipe them as before directed.
In order to keep knives and forks in good condition when they are not in use, rub the steel part with a flannel dipped in oil; wipe the oil off after a few hours, as there is often water in it; or dust the blades and prongs with quick-lime, finely powdered, and kept in a muslin bag.
TO CLEAN PLATED ARTICLES.
Plated articles require even more care than silver ones; they should be cleaned with soft brushes, not too often, and never with any thing but plate powder, not even whiting by itself; do not wet them more than can be helped or they will tarnish; nor brush them more than is necessary, or the silver will come off; the best thing for them is spirit of wine or oil, and take care that no plated articles remain long dirty or damp, for if they do they will rust, in case they are plated on steel, and canker if plated on copper.
Wash the brushes after the plate is cleaned with warm water and soap, and then set them to dry, with the wooden side uppermost.