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I'm a poor college student that doesn't know much about his knives, pots, and pans. Specifically is there anything that I can do to make my knives stay sharp longer and maintain them without spending too much money?

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That's a very broad question, too broad to answer in one response. Could you please split it into several questions, or make it more specific? Otherwise it will probably be closed. – BobMcGee Aug 2 '12 at 3:55
Agree -- too general. – FuzzyChef Aug 2 '12 at 4:11
I think he's asking about the most cost effective way to maintain reasonable sharpness on his knives. So I assume for example, buying better knives and paying someone to sharpen it regularly is out of the question. @And0r4k, if this is the case make an edit and take out your "etc". – talon8 Aug 2 '12 at 13:31

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Here are a few rules I follow with my own knives.

  • Don't put your knives in the dishwasher. Hand wash and dry immediately after use.
  • Store knives where they won't be banging up against other hard things: my favorite is in a wooden knife block.
  • If you must store your knives in a drawer, protect the edge. You can use a commercial solution like this guy, or cardboard and tape if you're on a shoestring budget.
  • Don't cut on a glass cutting board. They look nice, but will dull your edge.
  • Get a steel and use it. A steel is not for sharpening, but for maintaining a sharp edge. Honing with a steel before each use will help keep the edge straight and sharp.
  • Don't use dull knives. Either learn to sharpen yourself, or have them professionally sharpened.

Slightly off topic, but if you're a starving college student who wants to have a high-quality knife or two at a very reasonable price, take a look at Forschner/Victorinox. Yes, the Swiss Army Knife people. I was turned on to them by professional chefs, and have found them every bit as high-quality as my much-more-expensive Henckels and Wustof-Trident knives.

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I'll also add that bamboo cutting boards seem to increase wear-and-tear on knife edges, so probably worth sticking to regular hardwood or soft plastic. +1 on the Victrinox knives. – FuzzyChef Aug 3 '12 at 1:46
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I'll second the Forshner chef's knife -- I've had one for a few years and it's fantastic (only had to get it sharpened once). Don't buy those cheap knife sets they sell at warehouse stores -- they'll go horribly dull in months, if not weeks. – jalbee Aug 3 '12 at 6:29
+1 for hitting all the good 'points' (hahaha). I can say from experience that Victorinox knives rock. I was given a Chef knife and a pairing knife in 1991 when I was just starting out in the kitchen. Still have them and still use them on a regular basis. Ya, they're not as thick as Trident/Henckels but once sharpened were like a razor. Also, buy yourself a sharpening stone and learn to use it. Saves you lots of money i the long run. PLus its very Zen. – Chef Flambe Aug 3 '12 at 18:31
I hate wooden knife blocks because they are a microbe store. I don't like cardboard because it harbours mould spores. If you want to protect the edge on a knife, use the plastic edging they sell in DIY stores, or the "slide binders" sold in stationery places for holding papers together - both are a lot easier to sanitize than any alternatives. – klypos Aug 3 '12 at 23:44
+1, glass cutting boards dull any edge in no time and so do ceramic boards – sharptooth Jan 11 at 13:04

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