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A Buyer’s Guide To Chef Knife Bags!

What Is A Chef Knife Bag?

It’s interesting how we spend a lot of time discussing and critiquing knives, but hardly ever do we focus on the luggage used to carry them. As chefs and enthusiasts we store our knives in these things, as we travel from one place to another.

 Today we give merit to one of the chefs most indispensable tool: the knife bag! 

A knife bag is to a chef as a toolbox is to a mechanic. It’s the one single tool that contains all your prized possessions. That $700 handmade blade you bought when you were over in Japan, or the Wusthof 3 piece your wife bought you last Christmas. All that steel contained in a single case!

 It only makes sense then to give knife bags the respect they deserve! 

And that’s what today’s post is all about. Not only will I be discussing my 3 best knife bags for chefs, i’ll also be talking about what to consider before buying one, and how to maintain and care for your bag.

Later on, i’ll spend some time discussing alternatives to knife bags, and I might even touch on custom bags and where to buy them!

 

3 Of The Best Knife Bags For Chefs!

#1 The Ultimate Edge 2001-EDB Deluxe Chef Knife Case

Ultimate Edge is a company that specializes in diamond honing rods, blade savers, and chefs luggage. They’ve been around since 1983, so there’s definitely no shortage of experience! The evolution deluxe chef knife case has continued to remain a popular choice for chefs all over the world!

All The Positives! (Pros)

Has A 600 Denier Polyester Shell

Denier is simply a unit that measures fabric density. I won’t go into the details here, but I highly recommend you check out this article that talks about fabric strength and durability. That being said, 600D is in my opinion sufficient enough for a knife bag. It’s got decent tear resistance and is still fairly light!

Padded Carry Handle & Shoulder Strap

You can either carry this bag by using the padded carry handle, or a shoulder strap. The padded carry handle is firm and strong, so it should be able to handle a heavy bag full of knives. The shoulder strap simply latches over 2 D-rings, making it very quick and easy to connect or disconnect.

Double Stitched Design For Extra Strength

Here’s something I really like about this bag. If you look at the pictures closely, you’ll notice quite a bit of double stitching in the design. The pockets, which is where you’d put your knives in are elasticized and double stitched. There’s a lot of double stitching on the front/back of the bag near the zippers as well. Double stitching provides extra strength and reinforces against tears.

A Total Of 18 Elasticized Pockets

You have a total of 18 elasticized pockets to store all your knives in. For most people, myself included this is more than I’ll ever need! The bag measures a good 20” in length and 9” high, so you should have no problem fitting larger than normal knives. There’s also a pen/pencil holder and 2 slots to stick your business cards in.

All The Negatives! (Cons)

Shoulder Strap Could Use Some Reinforcement
Either use a tougher fabric for the shoulder strap or change the end connections altogether. That’s what I would do if I were Ultimate Edge. Also the shoulder strap could use a more thicker padding so it’s more comfortable to carry for long durations.

 

#2 Chef’s Knife Roll Bag (By Noble Home & Chef)

A budget option for anyone who doesn’t wanna spend $100 or more on a knife bag. Noble Home & Chef have done an admirable job on this knife roll bag for how little it costs. Bang for your buck? Heck yes!

All The Positives! (Pros)

Can Carry 11 Knives Including A Meat Cleaver!

This bag has a total of 15 slots; 10 of these can be used for your everyday knives (chef, paring, utility etc.), 1 slot is for larger tools such as meat cleavers or scissors, and the remaining 4 are for smaller utensils such as tasting spoons. Impressive storage capacity that’s for sure!

I Like The Buckle Mechanism!

Some prefer zippers, others prefer belt straps. I tend to prefer buckles! Why? Well, there’s a few reasons: one, I find they’re a lot more robust and less likely to break than a zipper, and two they’re quicker and easier to access.

Nice & Compact When Rolled Up!

If there’s one thing I love about roll style knife bags, it’s how compact they are when rolled up. You don’t get this with a regular knife case. When rolled, this bag measures up to be 8” long and 19” wide.

Removable Shoulder Straps!

You get a similarly styled shoulder strap to the Ultimate Edge in #1. It’s adjustable and easy to connect/disconnect, but it lacks a thick padding. Oh well, can’t complain given that it retails for so cheap!

All The Negatives! (Cons)—None!

None That Come To Mind!
Really can’t think of any to be honest. All in all it’s a decent quality bag that does what it’s supposed to (store and protect your knives!). Good value buy, but it would be foolish to expect that it will last a lifetime. Most people don’t seem to realize this unfortunately. Oh and there are no knives or cutlery included!

 

#3 Chef’s Knife Roll (By Chrome)

Last but most certainly not least is this knife roll designed by Chris Cosentino and Chrome. Chris is a talented chef who also happens to own a number of restaurants in San Francisco, Portland, & Marin. But that’s not all…he’s also a competitive cyclist! With this bag, you really get to see both sides of Chris’ personality: cyclist and chef. In the end, you get one incredibly awesome knife roll!

Image Credit: Chrome Industries

All The Positives! (Pros)

1050D Abrasion Resistant Nylon!

Would it surprise you if I said this is the same material used to manufacture military backpacks? Well, it is! If you were to compare 1050D nylon with the previously discussed 600D polyester, nylon is far superior in tear and abrasion resistance. Does it really matter? For an everyday backpack, probably not. For a knife roll, you bet it does!

Snap Closure Flaps

Another thing I really love about this bag are the snap close flaps. Not only do they provide an extra layer of protection, they also ensure everything remains clean and all in one place. It does add an extra element as far as access is concerned, but I’d rather be safe and have my fingers than having access to my knives half a second earlier!

Light, Durable, & Aesthetically Pleasing!

We already talked about how 1050D nylon kicks butt, but this bag also features a military grade tarpaulin lining. From all the chef knife bags discussed so far, this is quite easily the toughest. But it doesn’t stop there, it’s also light (weighing approximately 1lb), and I think it looks absolutely gorgeous. It’s got a minimalist, clean look to it!

Handle Is Designed To Be Offset

Chrome really thought about this one! The handle has been designed such that it’s not dead in the center. What’s the point of this? To counter against the weight of knives (and tools) so that the bag is better balanced. It’s the small details that really distinguish the good from the best. This is one such detail!

All The Negatives! (Cons)

No Shoulder Strap
This is the only blemish to an otherwise fantastic product. If a shoulder strap was included in the design, this would in my opinion be the best knife bag for chefs, hands down. Are shoulder straps all that important? I certainly think so. I’m a little surprised with Chris being a cyclist and all, why he didn’t consider a shoulder strap. The more I think about it, the more baffled I am!

 

So What’s The Best Knife Bag For Chefs?

And the jury says……..

 All 3 are fantastic in their own ways! 

That’s the truth. It’s hard to pick one from the other simply because they all have this one thing that’s great about them.

  • The Ultimate Edge—Best storage with 18 elasticized pockets!
  • Noble Home & Chef Roll Bag—Definitely the best budget option!
  • Chrome Knife Roll—Best roll bag in terms of durability and toughness. Also very elegantly designed!

So there you have it. If storage is important to you, pick the Ultimate Edge. If you’re on a budget, get the Noble Home & Chef. If you’re willing to spend a little more, get the Chrome knife roll bag!

 

Why Every Chef Needs One!

Here’s 3 reasons every chef needs a knife carrying bag of some sort.

#1 Helps Keep Your Knives Protected!

You can’t just toss your knives in any ordinary bag. Should you choose to do so, you risk damaging the ever so delicate edge. Most people don’t realize this and then wonder why their knives are always so dull!

Knife bags eliminate this problem, and help keep your knives protected while on the go. A good bag will have multiple pockets of various sizes designed to fit a variety of knives.

 Knife bags protect your knives from 2 types of damage 
    • Physical Damage—The kind of damage that comes from dropping a blade on its edge. Even though it’s hard to tell, a knife’s edge is incredibly delicate. Minor knocks can and will damage an edge!
    • Rust—As long as you own a steel knife, rust will always be something you have to think about. A knife bag, if used correctly, can help protect your blades from rust. I’ll talk about this some more in the maintenance and care section, but having desiccant pouches in your bag helps keep things extra dry!

#2 Allows For Easier Travels!

There are other ways to carry knives, but none are better than using a knife bag. Knife bags keep things safe, organized, and professional.

 Can you imagine walking into the subway with everyone staring at you because the clunking of knives in your bag is so unbelievably obvious!? 

Next thing you know, the cops have been called and you’re stopped for questioning. For those of you who are chefs that work in restaurants, you’re probably used to taking your knives to work everyday. Do you use a knife bag or some other contraption? I’d love to know. Leave it in the comments!

Chef knife bags are just as useful to home cooks and foodies. Next time you’re over at buddy’s house, you don’t need to put yourself through the torture of using their crappy cutlery for food prep. Simply bring your own!

#3 Helps Keep Your Knives & Tools Organized

To an extent of course! If you’re an unorganized person, then a knife bag won’t help you, changing your habits might!

By the way, chef knife bags aren’t just great for storing knives. You can store all sorts of cutlery and tools in them as well.

 For example, you can store tasting spoons, forks, bottle openers and corks, scissors, pens, whisks, and even sharpening stones! 

In a sense, you should think of your knife bag as a one stop shop for everything you do in the kitchen, not just something to store knives!

 

These 2 Things Are A Must!

As previously discussed, knife bags are a must have for chefs (and enthusiasts). In order for me to even consider a bag, it has to meet the following 2 criteria:

 

#1 It Must Be Able To Protect My Knives
“Well isn’t that what it’s supposed to do?” Yes, but tons of bags fall way short of expectations. I’m not saying a knife bag needs to be bullet proof to satisfy my needs. What i’m looking for is something that will take the brunt instead of my knives. For example, if I drop the bag from the kitchen counter, I expect to see zero damage to my knives. Bags that are cushioned and made of resilient, tough material have no issues. It’s the cheaper materials that fail to provide adequate protection.

 

#2 It Must Be Able To Store All My Knives
Because if it doesn’t, then having a bag kinda defeats the purpose, know what I mean? We’ll talk about this more in the consideration section, but this is why it’s so important to understand how many knives (and other tools) you’re looking to carry. Knowing this beforehand can save you from a lot of disappointment!

 

Protection and storage are 2 things I refuse to compromise on. As such, any knife bag I choose should satisfy both these requirements. Most of the other things are secondary, as far as i’m concerned.

 

6 Things To Consider Before Buying!

There’s a lot to consider when buying a chef knife bag, probably a lot more than the 6 things I’ve listed below. However these 6 are what I consider to be the most important!

Lastly, if you have any additional accessories to store in the bag such as honing rods, sharpening stones, or leather strops, make sure you account for this before buying!

 

What About Cleanup, Care & Maintenance?

#1 Cleaning Your Chef Knife Bag!

Cleaning a chef knife bag is really not that difficult. Generally speaking, your bag will collect dirt from 2 different sources:

Source 1: Dirty Knives & Tools

Surprise surprise! Even though it’s so obvious, most of us still continue to place dirty knives inside our bags. Pro tip 1: thoroughly wash all your knives before storing them in the bag. Pro tip 2: avoid storing rusted cutlery in your bags, or you might create an even bigger mess! 

Source 2: Dirty Kitchen Counters

Spills are to kitchen counters as traffic is to highways, there’s nothing you can do to stop them! Dry spills, such as baking powder or flour spills, are much easier to clean. Wet spills, such as oils may penetrate through the material and are generally harder to deal with.

How do you deal with both sources discussed above?

    • Only place clean cutlery into your knife bag/roll. Best practice is to use knife sheaths to cover blades where possible. This not only keeps the knife and bag clean, but also reduces the possibility of tears and punctures.
    • Just as you clean a kitchen spill from your counter, clean up any residual mess off your knife bag. Use a rag lightly soaked in dish soap and warm water to wipe clean.

#2 Long Term Care & Maintenance (4 Tips!)

Follow these 4 tips and your knife bag will last a lifetime!

Tip #1
Don’t over pack. Doing so adds extra pressure to the zippers and seams, which as a result may rip. If you need more capacity, consider buying a larger bag that can fit more knives.
Tip #2
Take cleaning seriously. The only way to do this is to make cleaning a habit. Every month give the bag a thorough clean. Remove all knives and tools, and take the time to clean each and every pocket/slot.
Tip #3
Follow manufacturer recommendations. Read the instruction manual and follow what it says. Failing to do so could not only result in damage, but could also potentially void your warranty.
Tip #4
Place a pouch or two of desiccant in your knife bag. Desiccant is the stuff you see packaged in shoe boxes and other items. It’s the thing that explicitly says “do not eat!”. Desiccant is really good at absorbing moisture from the air, so it reduces the potential of rust formation on your knives. Next time you score new shoes, save these little pouches and neatly stash a couple in your knife bag. Be careful to not place them near your blade however, the last thing you want are your kitchen knives to be contaminated with desiccant!

 

3 Knife Bag Alternatives!

#1 DIY Leather Chef Knife Roll

You don’t have to buy a chef knife bag if you don’t want to! If you’re willing to get your tools out and do a bit of work, you can make your own knife bag. That’s exactly what strikeswhilehot did!

Here’s a link to his 9 step comprehensive guide that talks about how to make a leather chef knife bag right from scratch. Yes it does take a lot of time and effort, but there’s honestly nothing more rewarding than building or designing something with your own 2 hands!

Follow his instructable and challenge yourselves!

#2 Use A Towel

Get a medium sized kitchen towel that’s 100% cotton. This is what you’ll be using to wrap your knives in. There’s only one thing you need to be careful of when wrapping:

 Ensure all knife blades are not in contact with one another! 

I place my knives extra far from each other so there’s a lot of “towel” separating the blades. If you can, do your wrapping with knife sheaths covering the blades. This will prevent injury and reduce the chance of towel tears. Once you’re done, grab a lace and secure the makeshift roll at the top, middle, and bottom. Voila, you know have a towel knife roll!

If Done Properly, Towel Wraps Work Really Well!

#3 Get Yourself A Portable Tool Box

Storing your knives in a portable tool box is very much the budget option for anyone not looking to spend much. If you do decide to go this route, I recommend you still towel wrap your knives before storing them.

I really like this 14” toolbox from Waterloo. It’s light, easy to carry, and made from strong plastic. You can check out the latest pricing on Amazon by clicking the link below!

A Cheap Alternative To Using A Knife Bag!

 

What About Custom Chef Knife Bags/Rolls?

Custom knife rolls are for those who wanna take things to the next level.

 Nothing exudes personality and character like a custom knife roll! 

However, be warned personalized custom knife bags cost a premium. I’m talking anywhere from $400-1000 bucks, and maybe even more!

Is it worth the price tag? I don’t know because I don’t own one, but based on what I’ve seen, a custom knife bag is designed and built with a level of detail you just don’t find in mass produced bags. Everything from the stitching and embroidery, all the way to the zippers, belts, and buckles are built exactly the way you want it.

 Handmade and built to last a lifetime! 

What Are Your Choices & Where Can You Buy From?

There’s a couple places that specialize in custom knife bags:

#1 Linny Kenney (LK)

Art, pure art! That’s what the folks over at Linny Kenney produce. Linny is the owner of this business. Her specialty includes high end knife rolls and guitar straps. You can read more about Linny’s story by clicking here.

Words cannot even come close to justifying just how brilliant and incredible Linny’s work is! You honestly have to see for yourself to believe what i’m saying. You can check out samples of her previous work by going here.

Linny Kenney Sample 1
Linny Kenney Sample 2
Linny Kenney Sample 3
Linny Kenney Sample 4
Linny Kenney Sample 5

Image Credit: Linny Kenney

 Are you not blown away!? 

Which one’s your favorite? Mine’s the culinary special forces! To be honest, all her pieces are awesome. You can see the level of detail she puts into it. Passion like that cannot be mass produced.

If you’re up for it, contact Linny and see where it goes!

FYI: Just so we’re clear, I get absolutely nothing should you choose to order and buy from Linny. Her work inspires me to do my best in whatever I do, which is why I’ve featured her in this post.

#2 Custom Made

Custom made is a website that custom builds all sorts of things to suit an individuals specific needs and wants. How does it work?

 You submit a request to which makers review and provide quotes, and if you both agree then they make the product! 

What’s nice about custom made are the sheer number of designers who use the platform. As a consumer. that means more choices. You can view a designers profile to see the type of work they’ve done before you work with them. You can visit custom made by clicking here.

#3 Etsy

Last but certainly not least, Etsy!

Etsy is a gem in the rough when it comes to knife rolls, I kid you not! There’s tons of incredibly talented designers willing to work with you to create a personalized knife bag. Some are more flexible than others in terms of what they’re willing to do, so you gotta take some time to find someone who’ll meet your demands. Best part about Etsy:

 There’s tons of honest reviews to help you decide! 

And there’s a lot of variety both in terms of design and price. However, you can always expect to pay a premium for custom work, and this goes for everything, not just chef knife bags!

 

Now It’s Your Turn!

I hope you got some value out of this post. If there’s one thing I wish to leave you with, it’s this:

 A knife bag can be whatever you want it to be! 

There’s some really cool, highly functional mass produced knife bags (as previously recommended) that are affordable to most. On the other side of the fence, there’s always the option to go custom. In the end, it all comes down to what you want!

Now it’s your turn! Leave a comment and let me know what you look for in a knife bag.

 What side of the fence are you on: custom or mass produced? 

Lastly, show your support by sharing this post on the socials. If you have any questions, leave them down below and i’ll be sure to get back to you!

 

***Also, if you’re in the market for a knife sharpener, why not check out our reviews?***
Electric Knife Sharpener Reviews
Manual Knife Sharpener Reviews

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