Keeping Your Knives Sharp: Proper Storage
Store your knives so the blades never touch other metal or hard surfaces. The edge of a kitchen knife is a series of microscopic teeth; when they bang against a drawer or another tool, those teeth dull or chip instantly, forcing you to sharpen far more often than necessary.
Stop the drawer scramble
If you are currently tossing your knives into a kitchen drawer with spatulas and peelers, you are ruining your edges before you even start to cook. Dedicate one spot that keeps the blades isolated and stationary.
- Magnetic knife strip
- In-drawer knife block
- Universal edge-safe knife block
Respect the contact point
The golden rule is blade-to-air or blade-to-wood. Never let the sharp side of the steel rest directly against stone, glass, or other metal.
The method.
Clean and dry completely
Moisture is the enemy of high-carbon steel. Wipe the blade bone-dry with a clean cloth before placing it in storage to prevent invisible corrosion.
Choose your mounting method
Install a magnetic strip at a height where the tips of the knives point downward or are shielded by a wall. If using a drawer insert, ensure the slots hold the knives vertically so the blade edge is suspended in the air.
The proper draw
When pulling a knife off a magnet, twist the spine of the blade away from the strip first. This ensures the sharp edge never scrapes against the wood or metal mount.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Avoid block inserts that force you to slide the blade against wood; look for designs where the knife rests on its spine.
If you must use a shared drawer, use individual plastic blade guards to wrap each knife before putting them away.
Keep your magnetic strip away from the heat of the stove; constant temperature shifts can affect the metal temper over many years.
The ones that keep coming up.
Is a knife block on the counter bad?
Not if the slots are wide enough that the blade edge doesn't touch the bottom of the slot when you slide it in.
Does the magnet hurt the steel?
No. In fact, a high-quality magnetic strip is one of the safest ways to store knives as it keeps the edge entirely free of friction.
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