When you make an investment on a beautiful knife, you want to ensure that it’s well taken care of so you can hold onto it for a long time. You not only want to protect the blade, but the handle itself. A standard knife block simply won’t do the trick, and it isn’t designed for anything more than standard kitchen knives. As a knife collector, you’ll want to store the knives properly so they last.

Carrying Pouches

Your knives shouldn’t just be thrown in a drawer and piled on top of one another. You can do damage to the handles or the blades. Invest in a zip up knife storage pouch. There are a variety of different pouches you can choose from depending on the knife’s use. You may want a sturdier knife pouch with a handle designed to hold several knives at once, or you may want a small pouch to carry just one particular knife. The important thing is that the pouches are made out of a sturdy material that can’t be cut through. Some collectors opt for other storage methods, like display cases, toolboxes, and safes. Fixed blade knives, however, are best stored out of the sheath to prevent moisture and debris from sitting on the blade and causing rust or tarnish.

Climate Storage

Before you store your knives, in order to prevent rust and damage, you should rub them with mineral oil. Keeping them dry, sharp, and out of the sun will help to prevent rust.

Where and how you can store your knives also depends largely on the material of the handle. Ivory and other natural bone-handled knives should have mineral oil rubbed on them to prevent shrinking or cracking in unsuitable climates. Cracking can occur in dry climates or climates that lack humidity, so you want to take this into account when you store them. Think about storing it in a place like a dark, somewhat humid room (like a basement) as opposed to a stuffy closet or attic. On the contrast, knives with handles made of other materials like wood and stone will need to be store away from humidity. Make sure they aren’t exposed to drastic temperature changes; instead, keep them in a cool, dry place.

If you have automatic knives with leaf springs in them, you should always store these knives in the open positive to relieve tension on the spring and to preserve the action of the knife.

If you’re storing your knife collection for long periods of time, be sure to oil them approximately once per year, and check on them every now and again to ensure they are maintaining their beauty.