The following tips can help you to store your knives in the right manner to help the last a very long time. It will ensure that you get the best service out of those knives for years to come.One of the most important things to know is to keep your knives clean when they are stored. Wash and dry all knives by hand. Even if it says dishwasher safe, your cutlery will last longer if it is hand washed. Additionally, never allow knives to soak in the sink. This dangerous practice that could cause you to get injured will also damage the handles on a wooden knife set. The wood handles will become lose and split leaving the knives useless. You should also wash any knife that has been exposed to highly acidic foods such as tomato or citrus juice immediately to prevent pitting of the knife. These juices can also cause discolorization of the knife blade.Do not just throw knives into a drawer for storage. This too is a dangerous practice and will likely shorten the life of your knife. There are much better ways to store knives than this.You may want to choose a magnetic knife rack to store knives. This keeps them in easy reach and you can see the knife that you are grabbing. When storing on the rack be sure that the blades do not touch and that the magnet is strong enough to support the weight of the knives you plan to store on the strip.You will also find special trays for knives that will fit into a drawer. These trays allow you to store knives so that they are out of site. If small children are in your home, storing knives in a drawer allows you to lock them away for safety.Most people are familiar with a knife block. This is a nice way to safely store knives and makes for easy access of the knife set as you prepare the meal.Here are a few warnings for cutlery sets.Never use kitchen knives to cut anything besides food. Any other use can damage the knives or contaminate them with things that you do not want in your food.When using a knife, you should always use a cutting board. Wooden cutting boards should be made of hardwood so that they do not splinter. The hard surface makes it less likely that germs can penetrate the surface of the board. Plastic cutting boards should always be run through the dishwasher between uses. This will disinfect them and keep them safe. Always use a clean cutting board when you change from cutting meats to vegetables.