Magnetic Knife Block - where art thou

Find deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
ptolemy

ptolemy

KKF Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
1,626
Reaction score
1,483
Last 4 years, I had my knives on a peg board with 2 magnetic strips jury rigged with zip ties (old pic attached). It worked actually very very well.

My knew kitchen is actually smaller in some ways. I also don't have access to a wall to reinstate my peg board. I been looking around for a magnetic knife block and seems the largest available in this (that I could find).

I been thinking that it should work if I get 2 of them, but ideally, something like this that's 24" wide by 16" tall would likely be much more useful. What do you guys think>?

Also, if you have other ideas I should consider for magnetic knife block, please share! I have 12" knife and a 14" slicer I want to consider.

TIA

2015-12-13 01.55.53.jpg
 
+1 for making one, I made the one on the right with some easy to find oak.
IMG_20190706_113216.jpeg
 
+1 on making your own, these guys had convinced me a while a go. I have zero skills, so mine are made of ikea mag racks, old belt/jacket, glue, popsicle sticks and velcro. Making it yourself allows maximum customization for small spaces (aka: trying to justify buying more knives if you have more rack space syndrome)

_20190807_085636.jpeg
 
I made a 24" one in Oak but need another one or two but can't seem to get around to making them. Hopefully things will calm do a little for me as fall rolls around and I can make a couple more. I've been tempted to just buy one a time or two but I just can't make myself pay nearly $200 for one like I want.
 
+1 make one. I don't have pics, but it does (just) fit my recently acquired Kurosaki cleaver (76mm blade height)

rotating block
 
Unfortunately, I don't have space to mount a magnetic bar as I have no open wall space near prep area and walking 15ft each time is just not worth it to me.. I need something that sits on a semi-island. I guess there are no better options out there right now.

Thank you all :)
 
ptolemy said:
Unfortunately, I don't have space to mount a magnetic bar as I have no open wall space near prep area and walking 15ft each time is just not worth it to me.. I need something that sits on a semi-island. I guess there are no better options out there right now.

Thank you all :)
Click to expand...

that's exactly why I made mine, no wall space
 
Xenif said:
+1 on making your own, these guys had convinced me a while a go. I have zero skills, so mine are made of ikea mag racks, old belt/jacket, glue, popsicle sticks and velcro. Making it yourself allows maximum customization for small spaces (aka: trying to justify buying more knives if you have more rack space syndrome)

View attachment 58373
Click to expand...
Love the nakiri love!
 
To the OP: I’ve owned a couple of those on-the-counter magnetic knife blocks, although not the one you linked.

I don’t have a good suggestion, though, because of the ones I tried, either the magnets were too weak, or they were so strong that the whole thing would move around if you took a knife off with imperfect technique. If you can’t get something that attaches to the counter in some way, make sure it’s freaking heavy.
 
I would be curious to try something like these, though:

https://express.google.com/u/0/prod...f9U3SIkll46MDbY_p5BlPxNsbLA2TkyEaAog1EALw_wcB

or

https://www.cuttingboard.com/artelegno-venezia-magnetic-knife-block/

Seems like this kind of construction might be more stable than the ones I tried. The ones I tried stood straight up and were tippy.

Don’t get this one, for instance.

https://www.messermeister.com/products/acacia-magnet-block-mkb-10ac?variant=8516130308147&currency=USD&utm_medium=adwords&utm_campaign=&utm_source={adgroup}&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkK_qBRD8ARIsAOteukDvZXEypEZjcJYT4o9toc4o0PQ0H5kMQ66bWRfafhXzEGWZACVgqNgaAl1WEALw_wcB
 
ian said:
To the OP: I’ve owned a couple of those on-the-counter magnetic knife blocks, although not the one you linked.

I don’t have a good suggestion, though, because of the ones I tried, either the magnets were too weak, or they were so strong that the whole thing would move around if you took a knife off with imperfect technique. If you can’t get something that attaches to the counter in some way, make sure it’s freaking heavy.
Click to expand...


thanks for the links. i actually got the one I linked today. It's def heavy and stable (8lbs before knives). I have to get used to it now, as knives attach on 2 sides. def enough magnetism as well. ill post comment after some time passes and we'll see if I end up chucking it out of the window :)
 
ptolemy said:
thanks for the links. i actually got the one I linked today. It's def heavy and stable (8lbs before knives). I have to get used to it now, as knives attach on 2 sides. def enough magnetism as well. ill post comment after some time passes and we'll see if I end up chucking it out of the window :)
Click to expand...

Awesome! I’ll be interested to learn how it works out. While I now have the space for wall mounted mag strips, I didn’t for most of my young adult life, and I’m sure others will also appreciate a good recommendation.
 
@ian - Why are you opposed to the Messermeister you linked to? I picked one up 2nd hand and I'm happy with it. It performs quite well and knives can be loaded on both sides. Stability is not an issue as the weight of the block matches the strength of the magnets. However, I admit I usually add/remove knives as a two handed operation just in case. The walnut looks pretty good too.
 
Marek07 said:
@ian - Why are you opposed to the Messermeister you linked to? I picked one up 2nd hand and I'm happy with it. It performs quite well and knives can be loaded on both sides. Stability is not an issue as the weight of the block matches the strength of the magnets. However, I admit I usually add/remove knives as a two handed operation just in case. The walnut looks pretty good too.
Click to expand...

It did look pretty good, but the magnets in mine weren’t strong enough for me. Too easy to jostle something and have it fall off. That happened to me a couple times, although this was my pre-fancy knife (e.g. I mostly used Shuns) phase so it didn’t matter so much. I remember one or two times when it seemed unstable, too, but I don’t remember clearly at the moment.

Glad it worked out for you, though! Who knows, maybe I just wasn’t careful enough with it.

(Full disclosure: I’m writing to you as anesthesia wears off 10 mins after a routine procedue. Drunk posting to the max! Loyalty to KKF! *bicep curl*)
 
Last edited:
ian said:
It did look pretty good, but the magnets in mine weren’t strong enough for me. Too easy to jostle something and have it fall off. That happened to me a couple times, although this was my pre-fancy knife (e.g. I mostly used Shuns) phase so it didn’t matter so much. I remember one or two times when it seemed unstable, too, but I don’t remember clearly at the moment.

Glad it worked out for you, though! Who knows, maybe I just wasn’t careful enough with it.

(Full disclosure: I’m writing to you as anesthesia wears off 10 mins after a routine procedue. Drunk posting to the max! Loyalty to KKF! *bicep curl*)
Click to expand...
My turn for full disclosure... I was using the block at my sharpening station, not in a kitchen.

After reading your post, I experimented a little. The block performs best with just 3 large knives per side. Four or five knives (per side) can be accommodated if they're not too big (esp. the last two) and using care. This is not surprising given the placement of the magnets shown on Messermeister's website: https://www.messermeister.com/colle...-blocks/products/acacia-magnet-block-mkb-10ac

The website also showed me the retail price of these blocks. Glad I picked mine up 2nd hand. Could not recommend them at their MSRP. :eek:
 
  • Like
Reactions: ian
ian said:
I would be curious to try something like these, though:

https://express.google.com/u/0/prod...f9U3SIkll46MDbY_p5BlPxNsbLA2TkyEaAog1EALw_wcB

or

https://www.cuttingboard.com/artelegno-venezia-magnetic-knife-block/

Seems like this kind of construction might be more stable than the ones I tried. The ones I tried stood straight up and were tippy.
Click to expand...

@ian I have several Artelegno knife stands, and they're generally well made and sturdy, with strong -- but not too strong -- magnets. The magnets in general are either completely hidden and embedded in the wood, or sunk lower than the wood so they can't damage your blades. I did get one that wobbled and had to be exchanged. Amazon.com carries a bunch of them now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ian
On the topic of knife strips and blocks, how do you take yours out, I have a wood one, am I ok to just twist the knife away from the blade or just pull it off?
Sorry to hijack kind of, just interested on how others take their knives off, my strip is quite strong.
 
Simon T said:
On the topic of knife strips and blocks, how do you take yours out, I have a wood one, am I ok to just twist the knife away from the blade or just pull it off?
Sorry to hijack kind of, just interested on how others take their knives off, my strip is quite strong.
Click to expand...

You should twist away from the edge. If the magnet is very strong, just pulling it off (or lifting the handle sort of up and toward you) can cause some san-mai knives to bend toward the tip.

I used to have a very strong wooden strip. It was even a bit scary when a knife would smack onto it. I have since covered it in leather, and the magnet is now less strong, the feeling is more plush, and the hold is just as secure.
 
ian said:
You should twist away from the edge. If the magnet is very strong, just pulling it off (or lifting the handle sort of up and toward you) can cause some san-mai knives to bend toward the tip.

I used to have a very strong wooden strip. It was even a bit scary when a knife would smack onto it. I have since covered it in leather, and the magnet is now less strong, the feeling is more plush, and the hold is just as secure.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, good idea, like the idea of getting some glue and putting a nice piece of leather over it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top