The Importance of Kitchen Knife Guards (or Knife Sheaths) Reviewed

I recently found out the hard way why kitchen knife guards are essential in kitchens!

I have two knife blocks that I constantly use in my kitchen and I love them.  However, I have several chef knifes that I have been given over the years that are not part of a set and do not have a "slot" in the blocks.  For 20+ years I have stored those chef knives in a kitchen drawer, under my cast iron trivets.  Since the trivets sit on little feet, this has worked beautifully for me for all of that time.  I keep those chef knives because we need them during the holidays when I share my kitchen with several family "chefs".

A few months ago, I purchased a Dexter-Russell 12" Scalloped Slicer.  I have been wanting one since fellow contributor, Dawn Rae, recommended the Dexter-Russell 8" Bread Knife.  I needed the 12" instead of the 8" simply because I need to be able to easily cut cake layers in half horizontally.  The Dexter-Russell 12" scalloped slicer is fabulous!  It can cut so much more than cakes or bread and has been a wonderful addition to my kitchen chef knife collection.  I join Dawn in highly recommending the Dexter-Russell knives. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't room for my awesome new Dexter-Russell scalloped slicer under the cast iron trivets so I set it, blade side down, against the side of the drawer.  I keep my hot pads laying on top of the cast iron trivets.  As you can imagine, things shift slightly when hot pads are removed and then put back up.  

By now, you can probably guess what happened.  2 weeks ago, I reached for a hot pad without looking and my finger barely landed on my scalloped slicer. It took over 30 minutes to stop the bleeding. It was the next day before I could touch my finger without the bleeding starting again.  As soon as I could type, I went in search of a knife guard!

One mishap with a knife was all it took for me to seek out knife guards for all of my unprotected chef knives in my kitchen drawer.

Recommended Chef Knife Guards

Fortunately, Dexter-Russell makes a knife guard for the 12" Scalloped Slicer.  It is just as wonderful as the knife itself and it is now protecting my scalloped slicer from my frolicking fingers and hands.

Recognizing the previously ignored need, I also purchased guards for my extra chef knives.  

I also ordered a cover for my most beloved vegetable slicing knife, which was originally my mother's knife that she gave me.  Even though I keep that knife in the drawer with our flatware, I realized it really should have a cover too.  After all, I use it all of the time because it cuts so well.  It needs to be protected from frolicking fingers too!

Due to the length and width of the knives, I purchased different knife guard brands.  

 Mercer Culinary Knife GuardThe Chef Sac knife guards are the perfect size for my 8" chef knives, while the Mercer Culinary knife guard is the perfect size for my long vegetable knife.  The 12" Dexter-Russell knife guard was specially made for my Dexter-Russell scalloped slicer, so of course, it is perfect.  There are additional sizes available in the Dexter-Russell guards.

All of the guards are completely open on one long edge so knives slip in and out of the guard with intentional pulling pressure, but they do not slip out otherwise.  The Chef Sac knife guards have felt interiors which I am not crazy about, but they do the needed job of covering the knife blade and they fit the knives.  

Either the Dexter-Russell or the Mercer brand (shown on the right) would be my first choice in knife guards. Which one I would purchase, would be determined by which brand offers the size needed.

I washed all of the guards in dishwashing soap before I used them.  The felt lined guards took 2 days to air-dry on the inside, which is why I don't like them as well.  I doubt the felt will hold up to a lot of wear & tear, but it probably will reduce scratches on the knife blade as claimed.  Since I only use those chef knives during the holidays, the Chef Sac knife guards will probably last years for me.

 

 Chef Sac Knife Edge GuardsCheck Price Mercer Culinary Knife Guard, 10 Inch x 1.5 InchCheck Price Knife Guard, 12 In, Poly, BlackCheck Price Dexter-Russell KG8W Wide 8-3/8Check Price

Regardless of the chosen brand, I highly recommend covering all knife blades with knife guards if they are stored in drawers or anywhere other than a knife block. The guards are definitely cheaper than an emergency room visit and a lot less painful.

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The Importance of Kitchen Knife Guards or Knife Sheaths Reviewed by:

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The True Meaning of a Kitchen Table

 

I'm having a moment.

We're in the process of giving our kitchen a facelift, and our dining room table, which has sometimes doubled as our kitchen table for thirty-six years, may need to be sold.

What's the Big Deal About Selling a Table Anyway?

Thirty years ago or so, I read an eloquently and emotionally written article in Reader's Digest about a family's kitchen table; thinking about it today brings tears to my eyes. I tried to find it for you so I could link to it here, but I have yet to find it.

The author talked about her family's life around her table: gatherings, birthdays, celebrations, games, and tears. I've always remembered that article. Having such a big family, I  easily relate to the memories created around the family table.

She said she didn't want to sell her memory-filled table to anyone. She wanted it to go to a family growing with it and filling it with their memories.

Why Thinking About Selling this Table Has Me in Tears

I'm a wuss. It's official.

My husband and I purchased this table in 1986. We needed a large table for our large family. I have three step-kids (all grown up now) and, at that time, one son of our own. Today, we have four sons, and we've since added six grandchildren. 

We have had almost every birthday for all the kids around this table. We've celebrated baptisms, Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings, and every other major event families celebrate.

A memory from 1987 at this very table
with my Dad, our oldest boy as a baby, making us laugh,
and my youngest brother

Our kids have gone from little to big; we've added spouses, girlfriends, and boyfriends to the family mix. In-depth conversations, teasing, and great food have been shared for decades.

I recently sat with my oldest boy, sharing tears at this table about mom's (his grandmother's) passing. Mom and Dad shared many dinners with all of us at this table. Dad passed away in 2013; missing him is now a part of my soul.

This Table Has Lived

It's not just a table; it represents our life.

I'm still determining if I'll sell it.

In fact, after typing this, I think if we can't incorporate it into the new design, I'll keep it in case there's a move to a new home in the future. 

It's solid oak. In my book, it's priceless. 

It's not priceless because it's solid oak but rather because the characteristics of an oak tree represent our family traits: longevity, strength, stability, and endurance. 

Hey, our family isn't perfect; we've had our share of struggles, but as the mom, I see many faces passing through time whenever I glance at the empty seats gathered around.

Here's our table, our life:

A Kitchen Table Filled with Memories

Do you have a table where your family has gathered for generations? 

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Review of Refrigerator Liners

Refrigerator liners can organize the space and help to keep your refrigerator neat and clean.

I used to dread the job of cleaning my refrigerator.  Forgotten spills would become sticky and hard to clean. Then I read about organizing with refrigerator liners and my job became much easier.

Features of DII Refrigerator Liners

• Ultra-absorbent
• Reversible
• Cut to Fit any Size Shelf or Drawer
• Quick-Drying
• Machine Washable
• Shape Retaining

Above photo shows the patterned side of the liner.  Photo below shows reverse side which is a checked pattern.

What I Like about These Liners

I hated to clean my refrigerator.  It seems like I never saw the spills till after they were sticky and hard to remove.  Now when I see a spilled area on the liner I can just remove the liner and throw it in the wash machine.  No more scrubbing and rubbing and I always have a clean refrigerator.

The liners in the produce drawers are great too.  The liners have a cushy  feel and provide a soft place for fruits and vegetables.

The set I purchased had 6 12x24 liners which I cut to fit my refrigerator.  They ended up fitting all my shelves and drawers.

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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