Safely Storing Knives

Sharp knives can create a hazard, especially if they are all thrown in a heap in one of your kitchen drawers. Luckily, there are safe ways to store even the sharpest kitchen knife. Here's how to store knives safely:

1. Buy a knife block. This is the easiest way to prevent a drawer full of assorted knives. Although most complete knife sets come with a knife block, they can also purchased alone, which is helpful if you have assembled your knife set from a variety of different manufacturers instead of all at once. Knife blocks do not have to be wooden; plastic or glass types are also available; many are designed to fit into kitchen drawers. Make sure you buy one that can hold all your knives, or several smaller ones to hold all of your knives in several groups.
2. Keep the knives separate. If possible, keep knives separately from other kitchen utensils. Either place them in a countertop knife block, or in their own kitchen drawer. This will prevent people from touching the knives when looking for another utensil.
3. Store knives safely in the drawer. A knife block that fits in the drawer is the best way to do this. If you do not plan to use a knife block, keep each knife pointed away from the front of the drawer to prevent people from having to pick up the knife using the blade.. If possible, separate the knives from each other using a silverware separator, and keep a cardboard or paper knife cover on each knife.
4. Add a child lock. If you ever have young children in your home, even if they are not your own, invest in a simple child lock for your knife drawer, if nothing else. If your knives are usually kept on the counter, lock them away when young children are around. This will keep children from injuring themselves using your kitchen knives.
5. Keep knives organized. If you have many knives with similar handles, you may want to label the slots in your knife block so that you'll always know exactly which one to pull out.
6. Wash the knives carefully. When storing knives safely in the dishwasher, place them blade-down in the silverware holder.

Storing knives safely is one of the first steps you should take towards ensuring that nobody gets hurt in your kitchen. Knives should be stored so that their blades do not need to be touched when selecting a knife.

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