Knife Storage Don'ts "Any good storage solution is always better than loosely storing knives in a drawer," says Liu. "Not only is this dangerous, but you could potentially dull your blades by exposing them to other tools and items in the drawer."
Do not leave the knife near the edge of counters or tables or in a sink full of soapy water. Use knives only for cutting food. Carry knives with the blade pointed downward. Keep knives sharp.
For most home cooks, we recommend a magnetic knife strip or a cork-lined knife holder. Both of these knife storage solutions offer far more flexibility than knife blocks, without sacrificing safety or aesthetics.
Poor storage can damage your knives and possibly lead to personal injury, which is why properly storing your knives is so important. Keeping these tools unsheathed in your drawer in the same compartment as other cutlery can cause minor nicks and dents that are difficult to repair and can also quickly dull your knives.
Magnetic Knife Holder Strip
Magnetic strips are easily installed on a kitchen wall and, aside from saving valuable counter space, they offer a sanitized way to store your knives. A little DIY is all it takes to have these metal or wood magnetic strips installed and ready to use.
In Your Pocket
The pocket is a great place for smaller knives especially if they have a clip either on the sheath or the knife itself. Folding blades can easily clip to your pocket hem or sit inside your pocket due to their small size. Small, fixed-blade knives need a sheath.
Many chefs insist on keeping their knives in special sleeves to protect the blades from wear while they're not in use. King explains, “In a professional setting, I store my knives in wooden sleeves wrapped inside of a Japanese-style fabric knife roll to protect the edge of the blades.”
High-quality knives can serve you faithfully for years, but their durability depends on usage, care, and maintenance.
Sayas are wooden sheaths that guard the blade of a knife and means that you can safely store your knife in a drawer without having to worry about damaging the cutting edge.
Knife blocks can collect germs if the knives are improperly cleaned or if the block is not regularly cleaned. Knife blocks dull knives over time with the repetitive scraping every time a knife is removed or put back into a knife block. Knife blocks take up valuable kitchen counter space.
This meant sharp instruments were used in 41% of the 594 homicides that occurred in England and Wales in 2022/23. ONS data shows that in 2023/24, West Midlands Police recorded the highest rate of 178 offences per 100,000 population.
A kitchen knife should be sharpened every 1-2 months. Hone every week if you prefer a razor-sharp edge. For your professional chef's knife, you should have your knives professionally sharpened every 1-2 years. However, you might also still choose to sharpen them yourself every 2-3 months.
It's bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it. You should always cut bread with a knife rather than breaking it with your hands. It's said that your life will be broken otherwise. Never hand a knife directly to another person.
If you use a knife block, store them upside down
"The best knife blocks allow knives to rest suspended without the blade rubbing against any machine material. If you want to be extra gentle on your knives and your block has vertical slots, put the knives in with the spine down and cutting edge facing up."
Concealed carry of a knife is generally legal unless it's a dangerous weapon like a switchblade, and intent to use it unlawfully can make possession illegal.
Magnetic racks are a great storage option to show off all of your knives and see exactly which blade you are reaching for when cooking. Using a rack is one of the most hygienic ways to store your knives and is favoured among professionals.
Knife storage
The edge loses its sharpness when it comes into contact with hard objects. You can store sharp knives in the following storage solutions: Blocks made of wood or ceramics. The most common option.
Recycle them
Check with your local recycling companies to see what types of materials they accept to see if your knives make the cut (pun intended). Your knives will then get added to their scrapheap where they will be melted down and recycled.
Never expose your fingers to the blade. Pay attention to the knife blade, and where the edge of the blade is at all times. Don't forget the three finger rule when slicing: one in front (your middle) and two behind (your index finger and ring finger). For more, check out Gordon Ramsay's list of essential kitchen knives.
A sheath is intended to be used as a means to carry your knife around safely, not to protect your knife when it is not in use. All stainless steel knives will corrode eventually if not properly taken care of.
Never place knives at the edge of counter tops or tables. 4. Never leave knives in soapy water in the sink. This is a bad habit that easily leads to accidents.
One of our longtime favorite Western-style chef's knives is the Wüsthof 8-Inch Classic Chef's Knife, which is super-sharp and easy to handle. Invest in it and it will serve you well for years to come. For an editor-favorite, Japanese chef's knife, we recommend the Misono UX10.
Kitchen Knives
A rule of thumb in safe food preparation is to be sure you don't cut raw meat, poultry or fish on the same surface without thoroughly cleaning it between uses. The same is true for your knife. Wash your knife with dish soap and hot water after each use. Rinse with clear water.