If you love your knives, you probably already know the basics: Have them sharpened regularly. Keep them out of the dishwasher. Don’t leave them in the sink. Dry them before storing them. But hold on a sec—just where are you storing those essential kitchen tools? Finding the right home for your knives is more than just a question of kitchen organization. The right knife storage can help your knives stay sharper longer—and help your kitchen look sharper, too.
There are three basic ways you can store your knives: On the wall, in a drawer, or on the counter. The good news is, there are storage products that can help you make each scenario work for you and your knives. As artisan knife maker Bob Kramer told me: “If you take care of them, the knives will do what they’re supposed to do, and that is cut.”
On the wall
If you have the space, a magnetic knife strip mounted on the wall above your counter is a great way to store your knives. It’s Bob Kramer’s preferred method, because all your options are always in clear view. And unlike some of the other storage methods, a magnetic strip enables you to see every inch of every knife, so you won’t have to go searching for the one you want. When picking a magnetic knife strip, keep a few things in mind: You want the magnet to be strong enough to hold your knives securely, but not too strong that the magnetic force will snap the knife to the bar. “If the magnet’s too strong and you’re not careful, there’s a slim chance you could chip the knife,” Kramer explains. To protect your blade from the dreaded “knife slap,” make sure the first thing to hit the magnet and leave the magnet is the blunt backside of the blade rather than the sharp cutting side.
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