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How do I dispose of old kitchen knives? You may have found yourself asking this question after finally replacing an old set of kitchen knives. Can I just put it in the bin? You wonder. But what if it stabs the bin man?… Would I go to prison? Do I need to take it to the police? Can I even drive with a knife? 

Ok, maybe that’s a little dramatic. But seriously, can you put knives in the bin? Wonder no more… If you’ve been fretting about where to put your old knives, read on!

Can I put kitchen knives in the bin?

Can you put your old kitchen knives in the bin? In short, yes. What’s more, this is actually what the police advice is. Nowadays, bin collection is mostly done by machine, so the risk of harming anyone is low. 

To be safe, you should wrap your knives in something that will stop them from slicing anyone. An old newspaper taped around the blade is a good idea. Careful not to apply tape directly to the blade, as this can be dangerous to remove.

It’s also best to cover the point of the knife with something, cork or rubber are a good option. If you’ve got a corked bottle of wine sitting on the shelf, do you really need a better excuse to pop it open? (You can thank us later.) If you live in an area where you don’t have green wheelie bins and collection is done by hand, this extra precaution is really important.

So the answer is yes, you can dispose of your old kitchen knives by putting them in the bin. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Are there better ways to dispose of your old knives?

What to do with old kitchen knives

So what should you do with your old kitchen knives? We’ve already established that you can throw your old kitchen knives in to the bin. But is there a better way? Here are some of your other options:

Sharpen your old knives

Oftentimes, there’s no need to buy a new knife at all. Buying a knife sharpener or even a whetstone is typically less expensive than buying a new knife. Dull blades can be restored to a very sharp edge without much effort or expense. Sharpening your knives is more economical than buying replacements and it’s also really satisfying! So next time you’re thinking about throwing out your old knife, buy yourself a decent sharpener and restore it to it’s former glory.

Can I take old kitchen knives to the police station?

Technically speaking, you can take your old knives into the police station. Police in the UK will accept your old kitchen knives and dispose of them. That being so, the police advice is to safely wrap the blade and put it into your bin. There really is no need to take your knife to the police station. Save yourself from travelling with a potentially dangerous kitchen knife and throw out old knives in the normal way.

Can I sell my old kitchen knives?

In the UK, it is against the law to sell a knife to anyone under the age of 18. If you plan to sell your old kitchen knives, make sure you are confident that the buyer is of a legal age. If you are exchanging the goods in person, ask the buyer to provide ID to prove their age. 

If you are selling your old kitchen knives online, you will need to post your knife with an age verification on delivery service. You also need to make sure that you are in compliance with the vendors regulations. Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay and all other online marketplaces each have their own guidelines and policies. You need to do your research and make sure you aren’t breaking any rules.

So long as you are sure that the buyer is of legal age, then selling your old knives can be a great way to get rid of your knives whilst making a bit of money.

Where can I donate my old kitchen knives?

Another great way to dispose of old knives is to donate them. In the UK, you can donate your old knives to a charity shop so long as they are in a reasonable condition. This means they need to be clean. Wash your old knives thoroughly in warm soapy water before donating them. They also need to be undamaged, so don’t bother donating any broken knives.

When taking your knives in to the shop, take precautions to cover the sharp edges of the blade. As when disposing of old knives in the bin, wrap the blade and cover the point. Consider placing the knife in a container to keep it safe and secure.

What is the best way to get rid of old knives?

That really depends. If you’ve got a really nice knife that you’ve replaced but that still has value, then you can consider selling or donating it. Selling knives is very regulated by the law and marketplaces, to be extra careful. 

Generally speaking, though, we’d say the best way to dispose of an old knife is to simply put it in the bin.