Kitchen knife storage

Gents,

Since we're about to adopt, the state dictates that I lock up my knives. I have a few options, but the one I prefer by far is a locking in-drawer box, which I can make myself pretty easily. Here's the rub - the drawer is generously sized, but once you account for the box material, it's not quite tall enough to accommodate my largest knives. I'm now thinking that the knives can be slanted a bit in storage - instead of storing them like this: lllll, I could try to store them like: //////

What I'm not yet comfortable with is how this might affect the edge. If you keep the knife vertical, the bevel doesn't have pressure to bend one way or the other. Kept slanted, the edge now has pressure to bend. How much pressure? Not much, but then again, there's a pretty keen edge there.

Am I overthinking this? Probably, but I didn't want to find myself having to regrind all my big knives just cause I didn't think this through. Any thoughts?

I haven't a clue about the storage, but major congrats on the adoption!

And I thought I lived in a nanny state.

You don't want the edges exposed, which is why I like a knife block. If you must use a drawer, either get one of those thingies with slots or else cover the blades before you store them.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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I haven't a clue about the storage, but major congrats on the adoption!

Thank you! we're still in the investigative process, but should have us some childrens by the holidays.

Originally Posted by Manton

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And I thought I lived in a nanny state.

You don't want the edges exposed, which is why I like a knife block. If you must use a drawer, either get one of those thingies with slots or else cover the blades before you store them.

Actually, I have one of the drawer-slot-thingies already, but it makes the knives too tall to fit into the box/drawer. I'll probably make one specifically for the box, but was wondering if there's a long-term adverse effect to storing the knives on their edges, canted at an angle.

Angles are not good. The tiniest amount of pressure will fold a sharp edge.

If you really like to use the steel, this is not a terrible problem, because you can take out the fold. But having to do that with every use might get old.

Originally Posted by Manton

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Angles are not good. The tiniest amount of pressure will fold a sharp edge. If you really like to use the steel, this is not a terrible problem, because you can take out the fold. But having to do that with every use might get old.
You are supposed to use the steel before every use. MAC told me that you don't really need to hone their blades because Japanese blades are so much harder than European blades, but I just had to saw through a tomato with my santoku (used about 2 times) and after a few swipes on the steel, it cut through it like butter again. I didn't realize the edges were so sensitive to angle, makes sense though. Right now I keep my mine in a knife bag with the cardboard sleeves they came with to protect them but I'm going to get some plastic blade protectors for them. If there is no room for them, I'd probably keep the blade protectors on them and put them in a drawer with a nonslip mat.

I do use the steel before every use, but there is a difference between aligning the burrs and honing the edge, and outright "unfolding" a folded over edge.

Edges are, as you can imagine, extremely thin. It does not take much to fold over the edge along most of its length. On a good knife, it can be folded back rather easily, but that takes a little more work than a simply hone with the steel.

Besides, in the real world, not everyone hones their knives before each use.

Is a knife magnet hanged high out of the question? There are a couple of companies who make custom magnets enclose in wood of your choice.

If you only have one or two knives that do not fit in the drawer you can wooden sheaths for them and keep them in the drawer like that.

You may also be able to find, or have one made, a drawer block with horizontal slots.

I don't think slanted slots in a wooden in a drawer block would degrade the edge noticeably. Most standard on the counter knife blocks are slanted and no expert I know of has recommended against their use.

Seriously, you can't have kitchen knives out if you're adopting a child? Wow, can you say big brother? And, jeez, you're in Texas

We have ours sitting in a knife block on the kitchen counter and neither one of our kids has ever touched them.

Anyhow, congratulations on the adoption!

Guys, thanks for the well-wishes. Texas can be pretty rough-and-tumble do-as-ya-like, but CPS pulls no punches and they don't mess around. Anything with a keen edge requires a locked door. My razors are now in the closet - which is locked. Liquor has to be locked up. Not sure about beer, though. Escape ladders for every upstairs bedroom, and a fire extinguisher per floor.

Stories about about CPS inspectors and their insistence on locked doors.

Once the children are legally adopted, CPS exits the picture and we're free to lounge around in our skivvies until noon and leave knives lying about, but before then it is Ward and June Cleaver, only a tad more uptight.

However I did get a lock cylinder for the case, and I've reconsidered the case design, and I might be able to swing a taller case and not need to tilt the knives on their edge. Or, if I still is an issue, I can tilt fairly slightly. Or I can lay the tilted knives edge up so they rest on their spine. Just have to be really REALLY careful when pulling it from the drawer, unless Japanese knives are so sharp they'll cleave corian.

1. Congratulations and good luck under the eye. Much respect.

2. Honestly, I might consider locking the 'good' knives away in a less convienient place as opposed to putting them up on edge. As Manton said, any angle will be bad. Truth is, you will get an angle no matter what you do if the knives are bevel-down. The engineer in me sees dual spring-clips to grip the sides of the blade while leaving the bevels free in air, or a spring loaded block that hinges out of your lockbox at a touch. Neither is really practical short of a fab shop though.

~ Huntsman

Originally Posted by Huntsman

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1. Congratulations and good luck under the eye. Much respect.

2. Honestly, I might consider locking the 'good' knives away in a less convienient place as opposed to putting them up on edge. As Manton said, any angle will be bad. Truth is, you will get an angle no matter what you do if the knives are bevel-down. The engineer in me sees dual spring-clips to grip the sides of the blade while leaving the bevels free in air, or a spring loaded block that hinges out of your lockbox at a touch. Neither is really practical short of a fab shop though.

~ Huntsman

You have given me an idea, Huntsman. Two, actually.

option 1 - line the bottom with scrap leather, for cushioning

option 2 - thin slots. Really thin slots. May be tough - I might have to get a pin-thick router bit to make it work (or a very thin-kerf sawblade), but if a thin slot keeps the knife suspended, even at an angle there should be no trouble. This really only pertains to two knives, though.

How about a magnetic knife holder inside one of your cabinets? 15 bucks at BB&B

I think you've got something there. the open question is whether the safety locks will be sufficient or whether the state requires that there be a key for access. Mrs. T has already dictated that the cabinets shall not be defaced. Otherwise I'd have put a cam lock on the knife drawer and been done with it. Might cast about for a replacement front though...

Even though I don't have super fancy knifes, they are Hankel (sp?). I just keep them sharp edge down on the wooden blocks, and stored in drawers. I too have little ones around.

Major major congrats on adoption. Major respect from me to you for doing so. There are far too many unfortunate orphans.