Knife Storage

Getting sick of my knives in the block on the precious counter space (not to mention a few pretty nice knives in drawers getting a bit banged up/ not used in the meantime!

I have seen a couple of people using the the magnetic strips to hang their knives along the wall above the counter. Looks pretty cool and maybe a good use of space and good for the knives.

Do any of you do this? Any cons on this?

Thanks

I know people who have "knife blocks" in cabinet drawers. I think this is a worse waste of space than a knife block on the counter.

We keep them in a knife block on the counter and will continue to do so until we find some thing better. Thanks for asking maybe something will pop up to help us too.

I've had the magnetic bar and I've had a knife block. About the same, really, just depends on what your kitchen has more of. My current kitchen, while tiny, has almost no wall space at all so I have a block.

The only drawback to the bar is that the knives are fully exposed to the atmosphere of the kitchen so if you don't have a good hood they'll get greasy/grimy eventually.

I’ve had knife blocks on the bench , I’ve had the magnetic bar in the RV, and for me the horizontal knife block in the shallow drawer with other basic prep tools is my favoured position.

[Robin Garr]

I’ve had knife blocks on the bench , I’ve had the magnetic bar in the RV, and for me the horizontal knife block in the shallow drawer with other basic prep tools is my favoured position.

Same for me, Barb! I used a big wooden knife block for many years, but finally, when we downsized to a new place with a nice but smallish kitchen that has more drawer space than either wall or counter space, Mary talked me into replacing the block with this bamboo knife drawer insert, and I've been perfectly happy with it. To give an indication of size, the third knife from the left is a 9-inch chef's knife, and it fits comfortably.

[Robin Garr]

If anyone cares, here's a link to the knife drawer insert, $26.42 on Amazon.com:

https://amzn.to/2EARaUI

[Jenise]

Bill Spohn needs one of those!!! Hey Bill!!!!

[Jenise]

Jeff is totally right; it all depends on what your kitchen has more of plus a little about your own proclivities. I have two knife blocks. But unlike most I also have tons of real estate in my kitchen--which is comprised of different zones for: prep, stove cooking, pastry/plating and cleanup. I have lots of open storage, so the knife blocks perched next to the 5 x 3 butcher block prep space that's built into the granite counter top suits me and 'the look' I meant to have perfectly.

Hey Robin, that is essentially the same as I have. Mary on the ball again. Does your steel not fit in the central position?
I designed the current kitchen around the way I like to work and therefore things I use most needed to be right there, thus the shallow draw is under my main prep area along with whisks, shears, measuring stuff, pen and paper, contents gets odd after that
I did however follow Jenise’s kitchen renovation and wow secret lust for that.

[Robin Garr]

Hey Robin, that is essentially the same as I have. Mary on the ball again. Does your steel not fit in the central position?

Hah! No, that monster steel, and also the Chinatown-purchased cleaver, don't even come close to fitting, Barb. I set as an absolute that my chef knife had to fit, and then compromised on the big items.

Hey Robin, that is essentially the same as I have. Mary on the ball again. Does your steel not fit in the central position?

Hah! No, that monster steel, and also the Chinatown-purchased cleaver, don't even come close to fitting, Barb. I set as an absolute that my chef knife had to fit, and then compromised on the big items.

Yes I hear you Robin, protect that expensive knife at all costs. Fortunately my steel does fit , but the Chinese. cleaver, a great asset,( $5) just has to exist alone.

Bill Spohn needs one of those!!! Hey Bill!!!!

Nope - I prefer the way I do it - the good knives live on a magnetic strip screwed to the bottom of the knife drawer. The 'extra' knives share a common knife drawer, or in the case of some special knives (Japanese) in their separate boxes, as well as all my sharpening gear (stones, water stones, dressing stone for other stones, steel to straighten edge, and a fine grain ceramic rod for a quick sharpen or touch up.

In order from bottom:

Sabatier paring (carbon steel)
Zwilling Henckels bread
Calphalon Katana
Sabatier medium chef (carbon steel)
Zwilling Bob Kramer Damascus chef
Sabatier large chef (carbon steel)

At left under other knives:

Slicing knife
1930s Solingen boning knife.

Those cover 95% of my knife needs. I don't like knife blocks - if you mistakenly put away a carbon steel knife with even a film of moisture on it by mistake you are going to get rusting.

[Jenise]

I think I have four paring knives in addition to a turning knife and it's not uncommon for me to use two or three of them in the prep of a single meal. Two of those are Henckels which lose their edge just being looked at. Probably should throw them away.

Two of those are Henckels which lose their edge just being looked at. Probably should throw them away.

Say more, please.

[Jenise]

Well, I have a cheap little white $6 paring knife that I can't seem to wear out, and then I have my Globals which hold an edge extremely well. By comparison the little Henckels seem to have a two-apple limit. They're the last thing I reach for.

Interesting. I have mostly Sabatier and a few Henckels. I like the Sabatiers better but the Henckels are workable.

But maybe I should buy a Global or two to see how they compare.

I have a knife block on a bench-top - a small benchtop in a corner, overhung by a wall cupboard, no good for working on - so the knife block is out of the way there.

[Jenise]

Interesting. I have mostly Sabatier and a few Henckels. I like the Sabatiers better but the Henckels are workable.

But maybe I should buy a Global or two to see how they compare.

I wasn't thrilled with my Henckels but they were okay. They were here, I used them, and really didn't think much about it until I got the smaller Katanas which I found myself preferring more often than not. Then I got the Global and found myself happy without ever before thinking I was unhappy. I had plenty of knives, but they were just knives. Then I got the Global (a gift from Bob, because I'd admired the style of the handle). Didn't know my knives weren't holding an edge well until I had one that did. Didn't realize that the Henckels were clunky until I realized how balanced the lighter Global felt. You might find the same--or not.