Knife question for the chefs here

[BmillsSkier]

Do you have an IKEA nearby Benny? They have under-cabinet knife racks and wall mounted ones for cramped kitchens.

Or you could just duct tape a shoebox to the wall and stab the knifes through that - pretty similar construction to the IKEA stuff.

[KQ]

Here's what Cooks had to say on knife storage:

Most people we know who own knife blocks slide in their knives blade side down when the slots run vertically on an angled face. To investigate whether this damages the knife, we first sharpened our favorite chef’s knife until it could smoothly slice a piece of paper (our standard method for gauging sharpness). We obtained a knife block with slanting vertical slots and then, to mimic daily activity, slid the knife in and out of the slots repeatedly, stopping every 10 strokes to check the blade’s sharpness. After just 70 strokes, the knife was unable to cleanly cut through a piece of paper—a clear sign of dullness. We sharpened the knife and repeated the test again, this time storing the knife on its spine in the block rather than on its cutting edge. This time we found no discernible damage, even after 200 strokes.

Our recommendation? Magnetic knife strips, a universal knife block, or an upright wooden block are your best bets if you’re concerned about damage from storage. If you own a wooden block with vertical slots, store knives on their spine rather than on their cutting edge, as this will help them keep a keener edge longer.

And a review of magnetic storage racks:

Wall-mounted magnetic knife strips store knives without demanding precious drawer or counter space, plus they can accommodate even the longest knives. (Even our favorite universal knife block fails to sheath a 12-inch blade.) However, if the strip can’t secure a typical range of cutlery—8-inch chef’s, 12-inch slicing, 12-inch serrated, boning, and paring knives, along with kitchen shears—it isn’t worth hanging.

We tested five models priced from $19.99 to $50 and ranging from 12 to 16 1/2 inches long. Two were wood, two were stainless steel, and one had a rubberized plastic surface. We rated them on how easy they were to install, how many knives they held, magnet placement and strength, whether they hurt the knives, and how easy they were to maintain. All were fairly simple to install, though they did require a drill and a spirit level.

To test holding power, we put light and heavy knives on each strip, from a small paring knife to a 15 1/2-ounce meat cleaver, and checked how firmly they held, even shaking the board on which the strips were mounted. All stayed rock steady. Next, we placed and removed a new chef’s knife on each strip 100 times and then checked blades for scuffs, scratches, and dulling. Only one knife holder caused nicks when our blade hit its hard metal strip.

We preferred strips that stretched at least 15 inches—but magnetization from end to end proved just as important. Some left 3/4 to 1 inch of nonmagnetized, unusable space on each side, and one model’s interspersed magnets required direct placement of the blades, lest they slide precariously.

Our winner held knives securely in place, didn’t nick blades, and was the only strip with more than 1 inch of clearance between the wall and the knives, keeping our knuckles scrape-free.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - WINNER

Messermeister Bamboo Knife Magnet
This strip offers ample room for five knives plus a pair of kitchen shears. It was easy to install and clean, and the bamboo surface was gentle on blades.

RECOMMENDED

Chicago Cutlery Magnetic Knife Storage Strip
This simple stainless-steel strip aced almost every test. However, the clearance for reaching between a knife handle and the wall was a less-than-ideal 3/4 inch. Grooves where the stainless steel meets the magnet can trap grime, but this strip can easily be removed from the wall and thrown into the dishwasher.

Mag-Blok
This handsome wooden strip has a particularly strong magnet that held all the knives securely. We had only two complaints about the model we tested: First, clearance for knuckles was less than ideal. Second, its magnet was too short (you lose an inch on each nonmagnetized end). An 18-inch model ($48) offers more usable space.

NOT RECOMMENDED

MIU France 15-Inch Magnetic Knife Bar
This strip’s strong magnet and stainless-steel surface were rough on our chef’s knife, nicking its sharp edge. It also affixes permanently to the wall, making cleaning a hassle

Bisbell Magmates Magnetic Knife Rack
Instead of boasting a solid magnet running the length of the strip, this model offers just five round magnets spaced along its length, limiting the number of knives it can hold. Knives that were not directly fastened to one of magnets slid precariously.

[Benny Profane]

Awesome, KQ. Thanks.

[Cruiser]

I have a pair of these. Totally satisfied with the way they work. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000CR...ref=mp_s_a_1_2

[iceman]

Nice, but that takes up a whole drawer.

There's all different sizes and kinds of them: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...fe+rack+drawer

Not saying they're the only answer but they do work well and there's a lot of types of them.

[old goat]

I have a maple counter top on the cabinet next to the stove where I do my slicing and chopping. I cut slots for knives along the back. Takes up a lot less room than a knife block would. Of course the top drawer has to be short. And I slide the knives into the slots with the spine of the blade facing me, like tha article above explains.

[XXX-er]

There's all different sizes and kinds of them: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...fe+rack+drawer

Not saying they're the only answer but they do work well and there's a lot of types of them.

Yeah thats ^^ the one I got over the sink, I got the 18" model insted of 12" so ... mines bigger

for under the cabinets where they will not be seen I got some cheaper ones that are actualy for the work shop and don't look so purdy

Mag strips are also nice in your workshop

[grrrr]

I've got two blocks for the everyday knives and the Norpro 12" magnetic for this knife:


I like the looks of those bamboo ones though.

[crashtestdummy]

I made my own magnetic knife strips. Solid wood with rare earth magnets. Each magnet has a different colored wood plug over it, so you can tell where the magnets are. I would make them different if I did it again, but they work just fine, so no need to change.

I also have a couple of knife blocks that I made 25+ years ago. The knives rest on their sides, so the blades stay sharp. These work well, but we needed more knife space, so I built the strips.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

How many knives do you need? I think 3 knives is perfect, 10" chef's knife, bread knife and paring/utility knife. Is it just for display? I have 3 high quality knives and that all I ever use, mostly just the chef's knife.

[PNWbrit]

How many knives do you need?

Dude that's crazy talk.

It's only a matter of time before we get a TGR chef's knife forum.

Probably next in line when they finish setting up the one for chop saws?

[jamesp]

How many knives do you need? I think 3 knives is perfect, 10" chef's knife, bread knife and paring/utility knife. Is it just for display? I have 3 high quality knives and that all I ever use, mostly just the chef's knife.

mostly I just use 3 knives also, chef, bread & paring as you say. Food nerds who butcher/cut meat lots might also need boning, cleaver, or filleting knives also.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

mostly I just use 3 knives also, chef, bread & paring as you say. Food nerds who butcher/cut meat lots might also need boning, cleaver, or filleting knives also.

Butchers and dentists, weird demographic here.

[KQ]

I have this knife stand - it's a counter one but I thought I'd put it out there as it is wonderful. Knives are in sideways so you don't have to worry about the blade dulling issue and the slots are all big so you don't have to search for one that is the right size. It will not, however, fit a meat cleaver.

Angled Knife Stand

(Yes, expensive. It was a gift)

[KQ]

How many knives do you need? .

........ kidding

[MagnificentUnicorn]

........ kidding

I'll take the chef's knife on the right, the parer 3rd from the right and the bread knife in the middle.

[Dickeymotto]

How many knives do you need?

Butcher here, so in addition to my chef's, santoku, bread, and paring knives I've got a cleaver, 10" and 12" cimeters, 10" and 8" breaking knives, 2 6" boning knives (one is pretty worn and only sees use on the kill floor), 5" boning knife, skinning knife, a lamb skinner, and 4 honing steels.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Butcher here, so in addition to my chef's, santoku, bread, and paring knives I've got a cleaver, 10" and 12" cimeters, 10" and 8" breaking knives, 2 6" boning knives (one is pretty worn and only sees use on the kill floor), 5" boning knife, skinning knife, a lamb skinner, and 4 honing steels.

I understand if you are a butcher but the average Joe here doesn't need all that.

[abraham]

Ultimately you can probably get down to just one if you really want to. But more knives are nice for having multiple people cooking or prepping at the same time and maybe keeping meat and veggies separate without having to wash and clean the knife while things are busy.

[Buster Highmen]

A nice wedding gift is a set of his and hers meat cleavers.

[XXX-er]

I know a software guy who retired at 42 by owning virtually nothing ... how much of anything do you need ?

[Meadow Skipper]

... how much of anything do you need ?

You're not American, are you?

[iceman]

Too much of everything is just enough.

[BmillsSkier]

........ kidding

Nice rack!

I love Global's edges and weight, but man that handle can get slippery in the kitchen.

[Benny Profane]

Well, you need a few good knives in your life, for one thing.