What side down in knife block?

[heidih]

I am no knife nerd and will continue my habits, but.... I saw an image of knives stored sharp side up in  block and it seemed like "what is wrong with this picture?". However, when I showed it to someone they said it was the proper way so weight of knife does not force sharp side into wood.

 

What do you do and why?

[dcarch]

Sharp side up.

 

If there is any moisture on the blade, by having the sharp edge up, there will be more room for the moisture to evaporate. Important especially for carbon knives.

 

"---so weight of knife does not force sharp side into wood.--"

 

??? So you don't damage the wood or the knife? 

 

dcarch 

[heidih]

Hey I thought the weight thing was goofy too....

 

Same person used that to say why newer blocks often have horizontal slits

Edited August 11, 2015 by heidih (log)

[daveb]

Down.  You would prob get more "bumps" from awkwardly holding a knife upside down to insert it instead of letting it slide into place as designed..  Some safety concerns about knives being upside down when friend/vistors expect them to be stored conventionally as well.

[lesliec]

I'm going with down.  The damage issue might be valid if the block was metal or stone, but I'd think the whole point of wooden blocks was to provide a relatively knife-friendly surface.  And certainly more finger-friendly than a turned-up blade.  Yuk!

[Porthos]

It was always edge up when I had knife blocks with vertical slots, attempting to keep the edge as pure as possible. I have moved on to horizontal-slot knife blocks as seen in my avatar.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Porthos (log)

[dcarch]

I don't buy the opinion that it is more dangerous with the edge up.

 

Sounds reasonable but how is it more dangerous?

 

dcarch

[gfweb]

I think either way it doesn't matter unless you store carbon knives wet...then maybe edge up is better by a  nose.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I vote for side by side.

[Paul Bacino]

My Block..  for general use knife.

 

I would say my two blocks  the blades are side slide..  as when I put them to rest.  I try not to allow the blade edge to run on  the wood.  but just rest at its final inserted place.

 

Otherwise..  I do have Magnets  for most others

'

I would say as long as the blade doest  glide on wood and just rests.. little damage would be done

Edited August 12, 2015 by Paul Bacino (log)

[Shelby]

I'm sharp side up.  I don't know why...I guess I thought it was better for the knife blade?

 

Edited to add

 

HA HA it's MY knife block you saw 

Edited August 12, 2015 by Shelby (log)

[Norm Matthews]

My knife block has vertical slots for the steak knives and horizontal slots for the rest.  I store the steak knives sharp side up.  No particular reason except I thought it would be nicer to the wood over time.  When I owned a restaurant, the health dept. told us not to use a knife block but use a magnetic strip instead. 

[Dave W]

My knife block is in a drawer and so storing knives edge side up would present the edges to unaware fingers, edge down and regular honing keeps them in tip top shape anyway.

[dcarch]

When was the last time you clean and sanitize the inside slots of your knife block ?

 

After a few years of use, what do you think is inside ?

 

With the sharp edge side up, it seems to me it would be the most sanitary way.

 

dcarch

[Edward J]

How do you suggest cleaning a 1/8" wide slot that is 12" deep?

If it (knife block slots) had two open ends you could wrap a ruler with a cotton guaze and clean it like a rifle barrel, but alas, the slots have only one end. No mystery why the health inspectors don't want to see them....

[scubadoo97]

I keep my most used knives side by side on a board. No knife blocks. All unused knifes have blade covers and are in a drawer or in a knife roll

[Norm Matthews]

I always clean and dry mine before I put them up. I find restaurant rules are for worst case possibilities where there are lot of  busy and tired people using the kitchen all day and who don't know what someone else has done.  They aren't likely to be a problem in a domestic kitchen with one or two people who use the kitchen once or twice a day.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Norm Matthews (log)

[lesliec]

My knife block is in a drawer and so storing knives edge side up would present the edges to unaware fingers, edge down and regular honing keeps them in tip top shape anyway.

 

Mine's the same (hence, perhaps, my somewhat blinkered response above).

 

And I discovered last night that storing the knives sharp-side-up isn't possible in my block, even if I wanted to - they don't fit!

[Norm Matthews]

In a restaurant kitchen things might get wet and stay wet and warm all day which will allow germs to grow while in a home kitchen, it will dry out  and cool off and germs won't survive.

[Lisa Shock]

I've always done edge up, seemed like a good way to not have them get dull. But, my current block at home has horizontal slots for the big knives, just the small knives get vertical slots. Twice a year I wash it out completely in the sink.

[nickrey]

Edge up. I take knives out by handle. Can't see how you'd ever cut yourself: given how clumsy I am and the fact that I've never cut myself, I consider that proof positive.

[paulraphael]

No one's ever shown that it makes any difference. The old argument is that edge-down wears out the edges, since you're rubbing them against the wood. But you rub them against wood a lot harder when you cut things.

 

My block holds the blades sideways. I can imagine this causing problems with carbon steel blades (moisture could accumulate between the wood and the big flat surface of the blade). But it doesn't happen. Never has, even in the most humid conditions. 

 

The only issue I would have with with the edges pointing up is the extra bit of contortion required when grabbing or putting away. Don't see any danger here, just don't see any reason to do it this way.

 

You can safely get whichever knife block you like most. Consider the orientation of the blades an esthetic choice.

[boilsover]

Down.

 

IMO, this is mostly an Angels-on-Pinheads question in terms of maintenance.  But since I keep my knives in a drawer block/tray, I don't want anyone (well, some specific people would be OK) getting cut when they reach into the drawer.