Care and maintenance

Most of my knives are made with plain, high carbon steel (often simply referred to as 'carbon steel' (this is a bit misleading because all steel is "carbon steel", but whatever, that's what folks call it)) This means they are not made from "stainless steel" and can rust.

Taking care of a carbon steel knife (especially a kitchen knife that will definitely get wet) isn't hard, but takes a bit of know how.

Here's how I recommend maintaining a carbon steel knife:

When you're done using it, wash and dry it off. Do this by hand, on purpose.
Don't leave your dripping wet knife in a dish rack to air dry
Definitely don't put your knife in a dishwasher
Tell your friends what to do if they borrow your knife
Maybe think twice about lending your knife to that one friend (you know who I'm talking about).

If your knife gets a little rusty, don't worry, it's not the end of the world. Simply scrub it off with a little steel wool and elbow grease, towel it off and do better next time.

Keep in mind, a little discoloration/patina on the otherwise shiny part of your knife is normal and not harmful to the knife (some oxidation is even a beneficial rust preventative). If you really don't like it, then scrub it away and maybe use a little food grade mineral oil on your knife from time to time.

What about sharpening??
All knives dull eventually. The rate at which this happens depends on factors like: hardness of the steel at the edge, edge geometry and how the knife is being used.

When performance declines, it's time to address the edge... usually a knife's edge first "falls out of alignment" with little micro serrations forming and getting a little bent. Using a strop or honing rod works well to realign the edge and regain cutting ability.
After a while though, the edge actually becomes dull and needs to be ground anew with something hard and abrasive like a sharpening stone. Most people struggle to do this effectively at first (it really comes down to correctish angle, consistency and applying appropriate pressure). That's okay, do it anyway. Sharpening your own knife is worth the effort and anyone can do it if they practice. There are also many kits, angle guides, YouTube videos, and old people that can help.