apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I don't really like seeing knives displayed on those magnetic strips and am not really into those butcher block stands either. (Plus, I live in a small space and don't want to give up valuable counter top space to a butcher block). I don't really see a need for having that many knives either - unless you're a professional cook or really enjoy cooking or something.

I have two knives (one large for meats and such, one small for fruits) which seems to do the job just fine. I keep them in a drawer. Within the drawer, they are in their own separate drawer insert with the blades pointing down.

So far no accidents.

In a drawer, sitting on top of non-slip drawer liner. I have 4 or 5 good knifes that all lay in a row, single file. It's a minimalist's knife drawer.

We store ours in a drawer (limited counter space), but they are not loose:
http://www.target.com/Hampton-Forge-Drawer-Knife-Block/dp/B001Q6I92I/sr=1-13/qid=1238174149/ref=sr_1_13/187-0798012-9315025?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&field-browse=3151061&rh=k%3Aknive%20block%2Cp%5F36%3A%240-%2424&page=1

My knives are also in a drawer on top of a non-slip drawer liner. The liner keeps the knives from getting jostled when opening and closing the drawer.

I like the magnetic strips. If you use the strip to hold only tools you use a lot, and not just as a display, it's really great to just be able to grab your weapon without touching anything else - no need to dry your hands, for example. I put one in my studio, too, where it holds all my scissors, exacto knives and a metal basket full of other miscellany.

I do the magnetic strip. I have MORE of a fear of sticking my hand into a drawer than having them neatly organized and in plain sight.

I keep my butcher block in a low cabinet. Easy to see, select the right knife and lift up.

My boyfriend is an ex-chef, and therefore has a rather massive collection of professional knives. And, we don't have a single drawer in our kitchen. (Not even kidding)

A standard knife block wouldn't have the correct number and size of spots for each knife, and we don't have a lot of counter space to sacrifice. I was initially nervous about a magnetic knife strip- I thought that his heavier knives could slip right off. Now I think it's wonderful. It holds everything at ready, and also allows him to showcase his favorite tool of the trade.

If you're still doubtful, try a drawer insert with slots for each knife- they hold them perfectly still with the blade down, so no risk to your fingers. This is also much better for the knife- getting jumbled around in a drawer dulls a blade, and you'll have to hone it much more often. Williams Sonoma makes a few really nice wood drawer inserts.

And, you might also check out your local restaurant supply shop- they sell sleeves for every sized blade.

Hope that helps!

http://shockthebourgeois.blogspot.com

Somehow I get the feeling that slapping the blades of your knives on those metallic magnetic strips can't be all that good for the blades...
...and where are you supposed to put the sharpening steel and the sheers?

It's a knifeblock for me - Besides, it was included with the set of knives anyway, so why spend more money unnecessarily?

I'm liking my ikea magnetic strip (it's hold in place my those 3M stickies!). Fast access to the right tool, that's the selling point. We like seeing our knifes on display, and after a while you don't notice them. I put them blades up and sharp side towards the wall.

You just have to understand that you won't just fall on your magnetic strip full of knives...

Magnetic knife strip.

I was initially a bit put off by the shiny blades, but now I'm used to it and find it wonderfully convenient.

I have a magnetic strip and I LOVE it. I've cut myself reaching into a drawer for a knife before, not knowing that my brother had put them away with the blade facing the wrong way.

With my strip I can see all my knives at a glance, and quickly find the one I want with no nervous digging around. Plus my knives stay so much sharper.

If you don't like having them displayed out on the wall, why not put the magnetic strip on the inside of a cabinet?

Anything but a magnetic knife strip. Very, very bad feng shui. I've seen the equivalent of a built-in butcher block, (along the very back of the counter in a straight line), but if you aren't re-doing a kitchen this is probably not practical.

I love my magnetic strip but I'm not currently using it. I keep three of my most used knives in a drawer. I've been trying to design a holder made of bamboo skewers, where I can just set the blade down into the holder and have easy access to the handle. If I ever figure out the specifics, I'll definitely send pictures in to AT or post them here. (If anyone has a good ideas, by all means send them along ;)

we don't have drawers. I hate butcher blocks. We have a magnetic strip and it's perfect. So there!

My boyfriend built a beautiful little island/butcher block/prep station for me, because we have next to no counter space. I bought him a set of all-metal Global knives. Usually, I'd really hate the magnetic strip (especially if the knives don't match--I know I'm crazy), but it looks really nice next to the island.

I keep my knives in a drawer in a utensil caddy that rests on no-slide stuff. It works well, and I just keep my wits about me when opening it. Never had a problem. I'd be more nervous about keeping them on a wall, honestly.

mlleErica, although the magnetic strips are pretty darn strong, I wouldn't trust people to not slam cabinet doors.

I was hesitant to use the strip because of my daughter, but it is high up and she is old enough to know better than to mess with them. It still makes me nervous though. For accessibility and maintaining the blades, you can't beat it.

I have the butcher block but it takes up space I don't really have. On the other hand, I have no place to mount a mag strip, either. My folks have a wooden drawer insert, which is quite nice if you don't like the look of knives on the wall. I'm not particularly bothered by the idea of sharp objects on magnets, though, so if I had wallspace, that's probably the route I'd take.

I use the strip and love it. The cleaver weirds me out a bit so I put a magnet on it and stick recipes there when I am cooking - it's at the perfect height. I also put my to do list there.

A friend of ours keeps her knives on the counter in a large rectangular vase filled with beans or corn (I forget)

magnetic strip! i've been wanting to install mine for.ever.now but haven't had the time with renovations in other areas of the abode. i've got the block that came with my knives and it takes up SO MUCH SPACE. i've got 2' of counterspace, and i cannot spare a square!

somehow my knife holder seems to make visitors uncomfortable. but i love him, er...it.
http://www.amazon.com/5-Piece-Stainless-Steel-Knife-Unique-Holder/dp/B000IXINLC

None of the above!

I bought this in-counter knife storage from franke (http://www.frankeksd.com/productdetail.php?prodid=369&node=9&group=16&lvl=1). It holds 5 knives and you should have enough clearance between the the wall and where the drawers end to install it (if your kitchen is somewhat standard). It comes in three pieces - the top black piece comes off for cleaning, there is a small container underneath that you can pull out for cleaning and the permanently installed frame. I installed it pretty easily myself with a little help from my Dad. I love it! And anyone who comes to visit remarks on how functional it is. My only complaint is that it isn't large enough to hold my large chef's knife, which I keep in a drawer in a sleeve.

(If you have butcher-block countertops you can also drill holes directly into the wood.)

I use the block that came with the knives that I own. Not crazy about the magnetic strip...makes me nervous, especially since I'm such a klutz and may cut myself reaching for one.

we presently have the ikea-brand in-drawer knife holder (we have 2 -- one drawer for carbon-steel knives and another for stainless steel... gluttonous, but we have the space and i treasure/use my knives).

however, i do prefer the magnetic strip. if you get a decent one (we had one from global in our last place) the magnets are more than strong enough to hold the knives in place -- plus, the dangerous bits are out in the open where you can see them. i'm the guy who takes the guards off of power-tools because i'd rather *see* the big red spinning blade than have it obscured by a jinky bit of nearly opaque plastic... so, in the same vein, i'd prefer to see/know where my sharpest knives are. over time, the strong magnets can actually warp a carbon-steel blade, so flipping them every so often is a must.

the magnets will also hold steels and shears, if necessary... and putting the blades away safely (without chipping the edge) isn't hard at all with a bit of practice (i.e.: if you aren't skilled enough to put one away on a strip safely, i'd question your merit of holding a sharp knife in the first place)... blocks take up space, can become unsanitary, can be not-so-good for the sharp-edges and (imho) look sort of stupid. in an older setup, i used to keep old wine corks on the tips of the knives on the strip, but it was pretty unnecessary (and sort of looked stupid, too)...

in any case, having unsecured knives rolling around in a drawer is a no-no for a number of reasons, but especially if you have house guests who are not familiar with your set-up...

all that said, of the many ways we've stored many kinds of knives, the ikea tray is my fave... great design, safe, secure, kind on the blades... but it takes up a lot of space.

kumquat77, I can't wait to hear what my therapist would say about that! ;)

I adore your knife block kumquat77, and actually thought about getting him when I was setting up my kitchen. :) I was gifted with other knives though, so went with the strip.

I actually use knife covers (homemade from cardboard or storebought) and keep all my knives in a drawer. There are also drawer inserts that have knife slots (or you can make your own with a piece of styrofoam).

We only use 3 knives (8" chefs, 6" utility, and a paring blade) and they're kept in a bamboo box atop our toaster oven.

I own only 5 knives and keep them in a Global knife block, after they are washed and completely dried.

I don't mind the magnetic strips, but I also have an irrational fear that the knife might fall off the strip and pierce my foot or my hands. I know this is completely irrational. I also don't like the blades exposed even though it looks kind of cool.

The idea of keeping knives in a drawer not only seems dangerous, but it's also not a good way to care for expensive knives. When you shuffle through drawers, throw kitchen utensils into the drawers, or otherwise move the knives around, the steel blade can get damaged or chinked. It's better to keep the knife blades away from other utensils.

I really don't like the look of knives on display...something kinda martial about it (though I know that's irrational). The blocks are supposed to not be so great because they can harbor bacteria or something like that (I got that from Good Eats, I think).

I use magnetic knife sheathes and keep everything in a drawer. They're brilliant. You can buy them below (or at most gourmet cookware shops) or make your own.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Cutlery-Edge-Mag-Magnetic-Protector/dp/B000MF2SVC/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I34PIOK40EJ1BT&colid=1R3AR0NP6I7C9

I have a knife drawer, but I get covered knives I really love my Kuhn Rikon Set of 3 Nonstick Color-Coded Knivesw/Covers they are super sharp and very colorful. They can be found for ~$30 for the set at http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.aol_refer.false.tpl.detail.msn_refer.false.item.K8808.ref.GBA?cm_ven=GOOGLEBASE&cm_cat=Cooking%20&cm_pla=Knives&cm_ite=K8808

I have the edlund commercial full knife rack mounted to a wall. It holds a lot of knives only because hubby dear needs so many of them.
http://www.superprod.com/product/198000.do?cid=google.com_198000

I love that knife block, kumquat - I've given it as a gift a number of times.

We have plenty of drawer space so we have a two-level knife organizer that fits all our knives.

I like my knife block just fine. Not crazy about the magnetic strip - I saw a few close calls when I worked in a professional kitchen. People would grab carelessly at one knife and knock the one next to it off. I'm far too clutzy for that sort of thing. The drawer-type blocks would be nice, but I don't have enough drawers to do it, and they aren't convenient enough to my chopping spot. I cook all the time, but I find I really only need about six knives - big chef's knife, paring knife, wavy bread knife, thin cake slicer (an indulgence, nice for bakers), and a fish knife (also not entirely necessary). I should get a boning knife. Anyway, I wouldn't know what to do with more knives than that, so a block is fine.

magnetic knife strip, yet to be mounted.
the block takes up counter space.
i recently purchased santoku knives, they don't fit in the block.

I think it would be neat to have a shallow knife cabinet, just deep enough for the magnet stripes. The door(s) could be treated to double as a chalk or white bored. That way the knives are easy to grab, no drawer worries, and you don't have to think about them until you want them. A funky little cabinet also makes a fun design feature.

I love my magnetic strip. learned the hard way not to put the cat food on the floor below it tho.

I have a magnetic strip from Target (about $20) and it is mounted above the stove so I can access it whenever necessary. I prefer magnetic strips to blocks/drawers because:

1. They don't take up counter space

2. They are better for the knives (as long as you don't 'slap' them on, which you don't)

3. They hold all the knives you need (no one needs more than 3 knives, sets of knives are a rip off to get more of your money and waste your valuable kitchen space)

4. They are less of an eye sore than knife blocks

I used a magnetic strip until I got my cats. Now I use an in-drawer knife block, and it works very well for me.
http://tinyurl.com/3d3jja

I like to cook and am frequently given nice and expensive knives as gifts.

I have 2 butcher blocks full of knives and another drawer full of them.

Yesterday I was wondering what to do with the blank wall behind my stove and I think I will install some magnetic knife strips to display my cutlery. I always thought the knife blocks were ugly anyways.

I have a magnetic strip I got from Ikea that I put those extra stregth magnets on the back and now it sits on the side of my fridge. Works like a charm.

ReadyMade magazine featured this DIY project for knife storage, though I have not tried it.
http://readymade.com/project/blade_runner1

Glass vase/plastic bottle a bunch bamboo skewers salt/sugar/sand = simple and cheap knife storage solution

Thoughts on which granule is softest for delicate knife points?

I have a magnetic strip and I love it. I have my most-used knives on it, as well as my kitchen shears (which get frequent use). At my previous apartment it also held my whisk and measuring spoons since the drawer situation was less than ideal.

Our knife sharpener told us never to put knives on magnetic strips, as it ruins the blade. If you have decent quality knives, stick with a butcher block. Also, something else I hadn't realized until cool knife sharpener informed me of it, was that cutting on a bamboo cutting board also really hurts the blades.

Very little counter space and one (1!) drawer in the entire kitchen, so I went with the magnetic holder. I do point all of the blades down, which doesn't seem nearly as dangerous.

i keep my counters as minimal as possible, so I keep mine in a drawer with dividers. also, keeping knives out in the open makes me think...what if someone broke in and saw the knives out?

ha! I thought the same thing, my little apartment!
I think I grew up watching too many horror movies.

I have both limited counter and drawer space so I've gone with a magnetic strip mounted on the side of my fridge.

Under-counter knife block - http://www.amazon.com/Wüsthof-Under-Cabinet-Swinger-Knife-Storage-Block/dp/B0000631ZH

My mom had one of these and I plan on getting one soon. We've had knives in drawers, in regular blocks and on a magnetic strip but I still like the under-counter block the best. The blades aren't exposed and nothing is taking counter space.

Also, the Kapoosh would be my pick for a countertop block - http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=13749337&RN=717

I stood there for ten minutes playing with the model when I first saw it. Best part is that it can be tossed in the dishwasher.

Knife block. Seeing knives out on a magnetic strip makes me uncomfortable. Plus, my OCD gets agitated if the knives don't line up perfectly. Yeah.

Moving on - my grandfather used to keep knives in the drawer. To prevent mangled hands, he created sheaths for the blades using folded cardboard and tape. I would imagine that there's a pretty way do do something similar, if one was so inclined.

I like the look of the magnetic strip, but I don't have one and I don't want one (i do like seeing them in interior design pics, though). I use a knife block which does take up a room on the counter, but works well for me - no blade accidents, easy access (it is on the conter above the tall, skinny cabinet that houses baking sheets and large cutting boards), it is hard to knock it over accidentally and the knife blades are protected. I used to have a straight vertical wood knife block from Ikea that I got years ago which minimized the amount of counter space used (the knives were completely vertical - not at an angle), but this did result in a few knicks from bigger knives where the blades stuck out of the slots a bit, so I got rid of it and got a standard block with knives inserted at an angle.

We have magnetic knife cover things - I think they're called "Edge-Guard" or something. We slip those over our expensive knives, then store them in a drawer. That way our hands, and the blades, remain protected. Plus they're out of sight and out of the way when not being used.

Knives on display in the kitchen is very bad feng shui. Definitely must be kept in a drawer.

Most people have WAY to many knives anyways -- most of use only really need 2-3 high quality ones. Avoid the sets and save your $$ for a good quality chef's knife.

Knives on display signify a working kitchen. However, they also add clutter, so if you already have a set, get a drawer block for your knives as linked to above...

i have four knives i regularly use (santoku, bread, all purpose smaller chef's, paring) and a couple more i basically never use. about six years ago i made little cardboard slips for each knife, to which i still return my knives after washing and drying.

I love my magnetic knife strip. Feng shui be damned.

http://baltimorerowhouse.blogspot.com/2009/03/magnetism.html

magnetic strip all the way... if you are a cook.
My knives are an extension of my arm and I baby them like nothing else in my kitchen. I've done the block, I've done the drawer insert, I've done sheathes and a knife roll and nothing is as sanitary or functional as a magnetic strip. Keep the handles down so that if you do knock one off you won't chip a point and mount it over a counter or butcher block so that you don't run the risk of skewering your foot. I've been storing knives this way for years, both at home and at work. In all that time I've never seen a warped or damaged blade from the strip, regardless of the knife material... even my carbon steel sushi knife which is far more brittle than most commercially available blades.
What's more, the larger the knife the more firmly it will stick to the strip so there is little danger of even your scariest knife slipping off... I use two hands to pry my 600g clever off the wall!
I'm not decor-minded in the least... I want my kitchen to be neat, clean and supremely functional. So as long as you don't mind seeing your knives, there is no better way to keep them.

I love my strip! It is over the counter, so if something did fall off, it still wouldn't stab me in the foot. I keep my shears on it was well as my bottle opener. Maybe when I have more drawers (next month!) I will think about tucking them away, but it is so convenient!