Knife guards

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Beer boxes and duct tape handle my needs. :)

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Boxes from your recent knife purchase. Or Amazon purchase.
I support this. That way things aren’t weird shaped, potentially poking out of the cardboard, or experiencing angular pressure/twisting/bending etc. Protects your handles too.

Unless we’re talking henkels. Then wrap them up in a towel and call it a day 👍.
 
I've always stuck with the messermeister plastic guards. But those felt lines ones are not too shabby
 
If the knives are reactive, stick to bare plastic or cork lined guards. I've had problems in the past with felt-lined ones and carbon knives. This includes the ones from Korin, which I otherwise like a lot.
 
If the knives are reactive, stick to bare plastic or cork lined guards. I've had problems in the past with felt-lined ones and carbon knives. This includes the ones from Korin, which I otherwise like a lot.
I also had problems with felt guards making reactive knives rust (especially when I lived in humid Florida). I’ve taken to soaking the inside of the felt guards with mineral oil for fully reactive knives. Works great and eliminates the possibility of them holding moisture.
 
I use the basic plastic guards from CKTG. I do have a few felt lined ones but now after reading this thread I may ditch them for my carbon knives.
 
Best for care I've found is not a prefered option for simplicity.

Felt lined guards are real simple to use, although with thicker blades they're not always so well-fitted especially if full height circa 2" size. My problem has been they don't do well with humidity or uncontrolled environment: need to dry the blade very carefully, control exposition to kitchen circumstances, and even with the best of supervision, if you're to leave a blade there for more than a few days, you just never know. Stainless for the most part is not even a guarantee it won't happen. The slightest "infiltration" of any moisture is deadly, and once it happened the guard is good for garbage: even let to dry for a long time before reusing, don't be surprised to find even a Victorinox to develop some slight corrosion at the spot inside the guard that was affected.

For complete peace of mind about any incident of the kind, the option is not as simple. I like DIY cardboard because well its free and it breathes and you can rebuild one every while. If I had to buy back some guards though it would be Victorinox magnetic sheats. Won't be well fitted for thicker knife neither (magnets won't hold) but for what fits in (3mm under I'd say) there's a way to make them foolproof to corrosion. Since they open in two, you can slap a fold of paper towel into it. It will prevent any scratching the blade, but also prevent rust to form because to some extent they breathe a bit and the towel can absorb its part of moisture until it all dries out. Once closed back with the blade in, you can tear off the extra towel surrounding it and overnight the towel will get a definitive fold and will follow the guard sides when you open and close without getting out of place, sticking to the knife, or be of any bother for a good while. I've kept iron clads and mono carbons nice this way even with infrequent use.

However these guards are white so stain easily, and while it's claimed they're washable, better rule of thumb is to avoid any such contact with moisture but a quick swipe with a damp rag. Not because they won't dry, but because the laminated cardboard exterior and especially the fold of the guard will get all mushy and bendy.

For knives used most of every day though, or for temporary transport of otherwise stored ones, felt lined is the best.
 
Interesting! Any special technique to get that job done right?
I just use a restaurant supply squeeze bottle. Fit the tip between the sides of the guard and let the oil drip in. Then slide a knife around in it to get even coverage. I haven’t needed to reapply in the year or so they’ve been like that. The knife comes out a little oily, but easily wiped off. This is how I store most of my vintage carbons.
 
What do folks like/use for knife guards? I’m going to be traveling more this year and will probably bring a couple knives with me. I’m too cheap to buy a bunch of sayas. What works well?
Kydex/cork for me all the way for my travel kit, I have carbon knives. I prefer them to sayas, quicker to remove and require less space—some may not like the exposed blade face fearing they get scuffed; I don’t worry, they’re tools not works of art.
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travel? i bring a Swiss Army knife.

i do very little cooking, unless i signed up for a cooking class. my knife is for cutting into mystery fruit and food from street stands. something comforting about knowing what the insides look like before i take a bite.
 
Felt lined guards for stainless bare plastic for carbon. You might get some cosmetic scratches on the side of your blade. Make sure you either wrap them up in something or secure the guards on with something like some elastics
 
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