I like DH's idea. (I'm also not sure that quartz can have the fine slots you'd want, but that's for someone else to answer.) The spill catcher is a great addition, especially if it's an actual box that you can remove the knife block from and um okay never mind. I don't know why you'd want a little trash can behind your microwave.

It might be easier to have the block have the lip and overlap the countertop hole, but you'd have to be willing to not be flush.

Haven't customized our butcherblock yet, but we're going to sink knives into a slit on back of area left of range and 3 food service stainless cylinder containers in a row of 3 approx. 3 inch holes drilled to the right of range, to hold utensils. The latter will sit in the hole on their collars at top of cylinders. We've already got two short drawers below butcherblock so that these won't interfere with drawer action. Goal is to cut visual clutter a bit and still have the working tools right at hand. Putaway after washing should go fast because we won't be messing with drawer pulling. Slop will descend into second tier of drawer/cupboard area, where pans are kept. No big deal, I hope.

I have always wished I could like the slots in the countertop, but I don't. I just skeeves me out. I know my knives are clean. I handwash them all. But...but...but..it CAN get gross in those little slots. And how do you clean in there? I don't think you can. >>Shivers

I stopped storing my knives in plain sight after someone on here was held at knifepoint, by her own knives, by someone robbing her house. Yes, I know they could search through the drawers to find them...but it made me think.

Hi breezygirl - pipe cleaners or bottle brushes. Use them to clean in the grooves of my appliances. :)

OMG sue36 - that is a terrifying story! I hope everyone came out of that situation unharmed. I'm in a 5th floor apartment, so I feel reasonably safe. I could be wrong, but prefer to cling to my naivete...

Thanks fori. I LOVE the overlap idea. DH prefers flush, but I think this might be a good compromise...

Thanks florantha - sounds like your organisation will be amazing. I can't wait to see pictures...

I would want to be able to clean the knife slots somehow. I also don't know if the unpolished quartz slots would possibly dull or scratch the knives, as granite would undoubtedly do.

Thanks shelayne, good point on the dulling/scratching; I would wager quartz will have the same affect as the granite. Guess we should run with DH's plan of a butcherblock insert.

I remember someone back here a few years ago (yes, it has taken us that long, lol) who had a special insert on the counter that was made for this purpose and would install within any counter material. I will try to remember the name of it. It was not bb.

might be by Ekland, Eklund or something like that?

Ok.. found the one I was thinking of. It is by Edlund:
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=IZ0&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&biw=1272&bih=601&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=edlund+under+counter+knife+holder&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
You can try these and mount them within the counter:
http://www.vivaterra.com/bamboo-box-knife-holders.html
hope that helps.

I'm going to make a deep drawer that has slots for the knifes to sit in. I don't want them out on the counter, but love having them easy to reach (don't like them laying flat). I have over 12 knifes, including a big cleaver.

This is going in the small island that has a butcher block top, and is very easy reach from the cooktop and main counter prep area.

I'm with those creeped out by what's out of sight in those slots... With no disrespect meant to you, I have witnessed any number of multi-legged creatures happily snuggling down inside of those things. Ick-ola. I don't really even think it has to do with your level of hygiene or cleanliness. Where's there's an opportunity, someone will move in....

I have worked in kitchens that have knife slots in counter tops and the motion that I need to execute in order to remove a knife from its slot is ergonomically awkward for me to the point of irritating. This is probably because I am short, but I would definitely recommend practicing this motion before committing to permanent knife placement in a counter top.

KD has a good point. I think this is the reason that conventional countertop knife blocks hold the knives all angled forward. Maybe you can adapt a knife block so that it sits in your counter with the knives at a comfortable angle.

One of the few things I am compulsive about is knives. It would bother me if one of my knives sat crookedly in the slot, as the oddly-balanced ones might do (boning knife, Chinese cleavers).

I would also want an accessible, cleanable container under the knives, as crumbs could get swept into the slots during counter-cleaning.

The issue of beasties living down there doesn't bother me - why won't they live in your drawers then? - anyway a couple of mothballs should do the trick.

Ergonomically, pulling the knives from the slots wouldn't be a problem for me. But the first time a helpful guest pulls my favorite knife only partway out before tugging sideways, thus bending the tip - well, hopefully SWMBO will be there to smooth things over, because I'll be incensed.

I think if something would crawl into a below the counter knife holder, then they'd crawl into a knife block on the counter as well. Can you put an angled knife block in your counter and have the back part of it come up above your counter a little to give you a more convenient way to pull them out? If you had a rubber gasket of sorts around the knife block, you could remove the block for cleaning and slip it back in the opening and not have open spaces for crumbs to fall through because the gasket and gravity would keep it in the right place.

It don't hold a lot, but its cheap enough to buy two. It looks like you can pull the whole thing out of the counter to clean.

Here is a link that might be useful: Drop in knife slots

What John said X2. I don't usually allow guests to use my 'good' knives, and they are really sharp, so my MIL for one is too nervous to want to use 'em. But as my kids get braver in the kitchen....I could see this happening and it would drive me nuts.

Nobody has addressed this, but I wouldn't do slots in the quartzite. YOU might hit that slot dead on when you are putting your knives away, but if someone else misses and hits the side, it could chip the tips of your knives, and scratch the stone as well, depending on your knives. Knives can be expensive and I just wouldn't take the chance on damaging them that way. If you do it at all, I'd stick with wood. I also wouldn't like the angle if they're just straight in, I'd want them raised and angled a bit to make them comfortable and easy to get in and out.

Cj

Thanks dianalo - looks like kitchen in the link you sent did some fancy hacking on these inserts to make them for counter top use.

I've continued to scour the internet & found this lovely example on Remodelista showing a Henrybuilt counter. Gorgeous, but I can't find it on the Henrybuilt website.

Thanks kitchendetective & warmfridge - excellent points on the ergonomics. Unfortunately, in this small kitchen, space is going to trump ideal angles, however I think we have enough space to set the slots on a bit of an angle. Too much of an angle and the counter in front of the handles becomes unusable.

BTW, pretty sure we've decided on the insert approach, butcher block or other material insert.

Thanks johnliu & dianalo,

The area below is going to be dead space behind the microwave. The MW is a bit of a beast (a Sharp R-930) but I will be able to get behind to clean, at least occasionally, when I'm feeling really motivated, and have worked on my upper body strength, and when the moon is full... ;)

Just got done putting a 120 inch piece of Boos butcherblock top with an undermount sink saddled in between two Cambria tops.. The butcherblock tops had two 17" knife slots installed on the right side of the kitchen sink. She wanted them run laterally in the top, not individual slots for each knife. This was all done with C&C machining and came out very nice. After the install was done and the sink up and running, she wanted an additional knife slot to the left of the sink also, behind the dishwasher. Too late for C&C machining, so I simply cut a slot with a circular saw to match the original ones.

Amazing things can be done with C&C equipment these days.

Thanks rollie, sounds very cool. I'd love to see a picture!

We have a friend who has a walk-all-around work surface (hate to call it an island, more like sawhorses with curtains underneath) made of two old large butcherblock countertops so there's a seam at back, parallel to long sides. His knives are kept in slit at the seam area--not sure if he routed it out or not. No special slot for any single knife, just dump them in the long groove. He loves to roast large cuts of meat Renaissance style, so that surface is his butchershop as well as his slicing and serving spot.

That product featured above with the bamboo sticks is very interesting, but would have same problem as other knife blocks--the distance to pull up before moving laterally with the knife. My problem is the desire to locate the knives deep to back of countertop, under the uppers. I have two well-used blocks, but have to pull them to front of counter before lifting knives upward. Angled blocks suck up too much precious space.

I didn't check the links above but did notice that both photos shown are open above. If you are going to have upper cabinets above the space, make sure you have clearance and that you won't want anything else to be on the counter for the entire length knives will be in -- no salt and pepper for the cooktop, utensils, oils, etc.

Finally found my camera. Here's our slit in laminate. Has been installed for about a month. Drawer below is shortened so it does not hit the blades. No regrets.

Here is a link that might be useful: knife slit in laminate