Oooh, Messermeister, my absolute favorite: the weight and balance in my hand, the way it keeps it's edge, all so divine I swoon everytime I pick it up.

I love my knives and seeing tales of favorite knives here have tempted me greatly into expanding my already reasonable collection.

This particular picture and post brought something to mind: knife storage. I used to use a magnetic bar like the one pictured. I then received a knife block & set as a starter, and have mostly used that since. I now have more knives than will fit in my existing storage and am considering some new storage options.

There are some new-fangled knife blocks that allow random stowage & dishwasher-safe parts. There are traditional wooden knife blocks. For those with enough wall space, there is the magnetic bar option.

What's the best way to store knives? What's the easiest way? Are there other options out there that are good for knives & handy for cooking?

hey amanda
these are my knives, and they're actually on two seperate magnetic strips, one over my stove that has the knives i use the most, and the other on the wall behind me, where i keep the jumbo messermeister and other specialty knives, like my cleaver, boning knife, etc, etc
i believe the strips are the best way to deal with knives, at least for me, bc i have a TINY kitchen and a butchers block would just be out of the question, but, if you have the room and like the look, i think the choice is completely up to you
just keep em honed and sharp be nice to them, and they'll be around for generations

On the subject of knife strips... do most of you keep your knives pointed UP or pointed DOWN? I prefer down myself, less unsettling than seeing all those sharpened edges pointed at my face.

Until I moved in with the lady (and now we're living out of the knife block I gave her sometime last year--I had 2 sets - don't ask), I used a magnetic strip myself - the pretty brushed steel version Ikea makes. It was cheap and did the trick. However, I've decided it may not be the best option based on the fact that you have metal touching metal, and ultimately some time you'll probably nick the blade. Also, I learned very much by accident that prolonged exposure to the magnetic strip causes your steel knives to also become magnetic, picking up bottle caps on occasion. Probably not harmful, but ... interesting at least.

My favorite so far seems to be the Schaschlik knife block available for $125. It holds any knife of any shape or size, and almost any quantity, but costs you as much as a new Wusthuf. If you're like me however, with more craft skills than cash, you can choose to DIY, and follow Chris' example.

Good knives are a must, and I have insisted that my girlfriend only use quality (however, not outrageously expensive - yet) knives instead of the flimsy serrated nonsense. Take care of them and they should last a while for sure... Until the next clearance sale anyway....

My html links didn't follow through that last post. Here they are:

http://www.greenergrassdesign.com/martinrobitschschaschlik.html
http://www.chrisdiclerico.com/2005/09/17/knife-block-copy/

enjoy!

I'm fond of the Sanelli professional knives. The handles are bright green, which is nice because I'm not as tidy with my countertops as I should be, and they stand out from the clutter. I like the way the handles feel in my hand (nice and grippy) and...

wait for it...

Y'all are gonna hate this....

they're dishwasher safe. : )

oh lee, those are great knives!
i used them a lot in professional kitchens for that very reason, washable, help to cut down the possibility of cross contamination

I have a serious weakness for knives with carbon steel blades (I posted the cleaver & 2 knives on Mar. 20) The softer steel is so much easier to hone and you can have a razor-sharp hollow grind put on the edge. The difference is like night and day. You maight not think of buying old knives, but I prowl eBay looking for vintage Sabatier knives and have found some real gems.

New ones from Mexeur et Cie are very fairly priced though, but they don't have quite same soul as the old originals with wood handles. http://fantes.com/carbon.htm

jason
my mom has a really, reaaaally old sabatier that she has been abusing for years and i keep trying to rescue, but, for some reason, she just won't let me take it from her even though she swears it has bad demons inside it because she hurts herself every time she uses it
its very, very strange

This might sound a little odd, but...I have a chef friend who swears by keeping his knives in sand. He has a 6x6x12" open-topped wooden pillar on his worktop, full of builders sand (the coarse stuff). The weight of the sand means it's almost impossible to tip it over, you can put any sized knife in there in any position, the sand keeps moisture away from the blades and you don't have any chance of there being nasty bugs lurking in there. Seems to work well, thinking about making one myself.

Does anyone out there happen to have an old 1960's) carbon 6" Sabatier knife that they want to part with? My husband purchased one in Enlgand in 1968; it's been our best friend for many years until we left it at someone's house who now claims we gave it to him years ago...I could just steal it, but it's family...
The knife is light, lighter than most Sabatiers, and I can't seem to find the right one. I'd appreciate any help anyone can give!
Thanks

I've just about every knife out there, & for some reason I keep gravitating back to Henckels 4 star, or more recently Twin Cuisine. I've got Wusthof & I think they're certainly fine & Sabatier & Viking, but my other knives really hit the spot. I usually stick to an 8 inch chefs knive as I really appreciate the maneuverability & control over the tip. A 10 inch way more blade than I need. I guess if I worked in a commercial setting I might come to appreciate it! As a side note, some of my family have the carbon steel Sabatier knives & they are gems in that old world sense. They sharpen up so easily & are a delight to use. I think Elephant currently makes them.