Whereas good quality knives tend to be strong, the blades tend to be very fragile. Keep in mind that a blade is sharp based on its taper at the edge. The thinner the taper, the sharper the blade, the weaker the edge; ultimately, the more care you have to take to make sure you protect your investment.

Here are four ways I recommend storing your knives

Knife Blocks
Knife Cases
Knife Sleeves
Magnetic Knife Strips

Knife Blocks
I like knife blocks probably the most mainly for these reasons

• they're stationary
• take up relatively small amounts of space
• they provide the easiest, most convenient access to your tools

Once you put your block on the counter top, your knives are ready for you to grab them as you need them. No fishing around in drawers. No unrolling cases/portfolios. Just grab and go. When you need to get through a work order every second counts and a good block can help you manage your time and energy the best. As you complete your knifing tasks you just wash, dry, hone, wipe and put your knives back in the block ready for your next project.

Knife Cases/Portfolios
These are a must for the traveling, private and personal chef alike. Each type has its pluses and minuses. For example,

• the hard cases provide great stability and the most safety, but can be very challenging if you need them to fit into a smaller space than the case will allow. They look very official and give the feel of the old Samsonite commercials adding more peace of mind, but can be on the cumbersome side too.
• The flexible [fabric based] types allow for easier travel, more potential risks on damage. They have better presentation quality along with better space optimization. They also tend to be more carry-friendly, with what seems to be a wider variety on the market to fit your personal feel and statement to your industry. [important, when speaking to your 'artistic' expression.]

Sleeves are always the best idea when carrying your knives around in one of these.

Knife Sleeves
If you don't have a block or a case/portfolio for your knives and you want to keep them out of sight, maybe in a drawer, you want to make sure you have them properly guarded with knife sleeves. The sleeves fit over the edge of the blade and keep them from getting damaged [nicked, chipped, etc.] while in the drawer with other utensils. There’s nothing worse than going for your knife and having it all messed up because you didn't store them correctly. Your knives should be able to last you a lifetime and be passed down your family line, with the proper care, like a good set of pots and pans [I've got some that best me by almost a generation!]. Keep them sleeved when you're not using them. It'll be safer for them and you.

Magnetic Knife Strips
These, aside from being in a drawer, loose, would be one of my least favorite ways of storing my knives. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything wrong with it, per se. I think it looks very impressive having your knives on display like that, it's convenient, but I think it provides a certain level of danger; maybe not as much for you as the innocent bystander, but there's still the potential for danger.

On the slight chance you grab a little too high to get your blade you could get an injury. If the magnet isn't as strong as it should be the knives could fall and cause injury to themselves and yourself. Depending on the setup, it could cause a discoloration along the lines the magnet engages with your knives. That won't affect you knives' abilities to cut, but it ruins the presentation. Not a deal breaker, but a definite consideration, nonetheless.

There you have it; four ways for you to store you kitchen knives, my most favorite to least. When all's said and done, you've gotta pick the one that's right for you. Just make sure you're informed of the pros and cons of each to help you make your best selections.

As always, it's my pleasure sharing with you this information. Until next time...