Suchada Palmer, a personal chef an instructor, shares the basics that every cook needs to know in terms of how to best handle a knife.

          Hold the handle with your primary hand, choke up right next to the blade.  
          Place your thumb and forefinger on either side of the blade closest to the handle.  
          Your hand wraps around the handle unlike how you hold a knife you eat food with.  
          Curve the fingers of your other hand and place their pads onto the item you're cutting with the pads close, but not touching the side of the blade closest to that hand.  
          Move the knife back and forth in a rocking motion across the item you're cutting.
          Clean knifes with a little soap and water and dry quickly with a soft towel.  
          Never wash knives in a dishwasher. 

For more from Chef Palmer, check out her website.