We've got a number of knives that live on the counter top. It's driving
me crazy, but I don't allow them in the drawers. Some are very good knives,
and very sharp. Do you guys have any interesting design ideas I could
scarf?
There seem to be pros and cons to having the knives racked on the wall,
or sticking out of a block.
Wall mounted pros:
1. Completely off the counter
2. Potentially good looking with lots of wood showing
3. Takes less room when transporting (I intend to move someday)
Cons:
1. We tend to clutter our counter with small appliances. Access to a wall
mounted holder may be a bit less than easy, and I know messy hands will
reach for them.
2. Horizontal knife orientation is the only option. Our wall is under a
counter and our knives are long enough.
3. Some damage to wall to mount it. Next owners probably won't appreciate
holes. Need to remember to exclude it from deal when selling the house, or
risk losing hundreds of dollars worth of knives due to legailities.
4. May not be so easy to clean; I guarantee it's going to get splattered.
5. Sharpening steel is from Lee Valley, and handle design would make it
stick out. Probably not a big deal, but I'm just thinking out loud.
Note: Under cupboard option is a possibility. I haven't given it much
thought. Maybe I should. Seems cumbersome to use when I visualize it in
action, though. Your experience?
Counter top block pros:
1. Easy to access
2. Fairly compact (uses 3 dimensions instead of 2)
3. Many different styles to choose from
4. More portable, as long as it isn't tipped.
5. More potential for interesting designs (is this true?)
Cons:
1. Harder to clean
2. Harder to build
3. Takes up counter space (but of course it's better than nothing, which is
what we're using now)
4. A tip/spill could be disastrous
I can think of more, but these are the main ones. Here are my must-haves:
1. Must be easy to clean
2. Must be safe - must be stable, and all sharp edges must be completely
covered
3. Must be within my reach as a woodworker
Like to have:
1. Reasonably portable
2. Reconfigurable as my knife collection changes (but at the moment I'm
leaning towards just bettering my skills and using "replacement" as an
option to deal with this issue).
3. Stylish - anyone can buy a simple block--see ebay.
This one is very cool:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/c...e-block-002214
I'm afraid my bandsaw isn't up to the job, though. But the idea of using
super magnets is very appealing. It solves a lot of problems: I can clean
by disassembling, I can easily reconfigure by replacing interior separator
blocks, and I get to play with magnets.
Wall mounted, I'm thinking of a kind of long wooden hook that covers the
blade, and it extends around the tip of the knife to cover it, too, top and
bottom. You just stick the knife tip into the end and have it rest on the
long ledge of the hook. For portability, drill two holes close to where the
handle goes. On moving day twist-tie it in place. The tip cover holds its
end, the twist tie the other. How clever am I?
Eye-candy:
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/t...ed-knife-block
http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/searc...uctCode=KNIBLO
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...933190-7378431 I think
this one has a bolt that goes all the way through. Good idea for cleaning.
This is all I came up with in the 1/2 hour I've been thinking about it. One
result of the process is that I had a neat idea for a holder for one of the
knives that we take camping. Usually I just make a guard out of tape and
cardboard. I think I can make it over the weekend, so I'll show you
pictures if the result is okay.
What I would like from you are any additional suggestions and advice, stuff
I haven't thought of, and your usage experiences. I've never owned or used
one of these. My parents keep their knives in the drawer and they're as
dull as my dad can make them on his belt sander.
Thanks, everyone!
- Owen -