M.O.C. Woodworks Handmade Magnetic Knife Holders - Rack 'Em Up

I'm a home cook who aspires to one day be a restaurant chef. Or at least as good as one. On weekends and evenings, I practice and hone my skills in my own kitchen - chopping and mincing, working on my dice, julienne, brunoise and batonnet.

Over the years, keenly soaking up tips and tricks from top chefs around the globe, not only have my pantry and ingredients developed, so has my equipment.

While my knife collection is nowhere near next level, I've collected some good knives that help keep me on point whether I'm prepping salsa verde or cassoulet (expect to see these on my restaurant menus).

It's vital for safety and effectiveness to keep your knives sharp, so what am I doing storing them in a drawer without covers for protection? It's crazy - I might as well be using cutlery knives to carve the roast. Keep blades razor sharp by storing them up on the wall or fridge on a knife rack. The bonus? They're now easily within reach and you get to display them.

The only solution I could think of was to get a magnetic knife holder. That way, my lovely chef and santoku knifes would be out of harm's way (prop them up without creating a highway to a danger zone), within reach, and with no possibility of further dulling the blade.

In my exhaustive search, I came across a lot of subpar, flimsy options that did not inspire confidence. The last thing you want is your knives falling off the wall (true story: a good friend actually cut his finger from such an occurrence, so it's something to consider seriously).

Then there's the issue of appearance. Many that I looked at come with cheap, flimsy, plastic parts, ugly metals or are festooned in fun house colours.

It's also very difficult to find one of quality that doesn't cost as much as the knives themselves.

That's why I am completely smitten with M.O.C. Woodworks, out of San Rafael, California.

Owner Aaron Weinstock's entire business is centred around woodwork, so the craftsmanship of the wood products is sublime. In fact, the sumptuous grains are so beautiful, you'll be tempted to keep the bar up as is, and forgo all this knife business.

M.O.C. Woodworks Magnetic Knife Holders are custom built by hand with deep rich wood grain polished to a satiny smoothness. Choose your wood to match your decor - cherry, maple, walnut, wenge, white oak, lacewood, bubinga, and zebrawood - and customize the length for your particular nook (because what are the chances that the one from the store is going to fit in that one small space you have free?).

The long bar isn't just a pretty face however. It comes with a magnet so strong, it's like trying to battle a superhero. There's no question who's going to win. Thwack! Wow. I have no doubts that this beauty (pictured above in walnut) will never let me blades loose. So I can store and display my knives without fear of them falling and/or piercing me or anyone else.

And get this - there's an added bonus: I now have an empty drawer in the kitchen to fill up with whatever I like (Ooh, did my spice drawer just double? Am I finally going to up my napkin game?). The possibilities are endless.

These stunning magnetic knife holders are affordable, making them a wonderful gift, whether it's for you or someone on your list. M.O.C will even engrave it for you for a small fee.

Shop M.O.C. Woodworks Magnetic Knife Holders now. Enjoy free shipping within the U.S. You can also shop their stores on Etsy, Amazon and Carter Cutlery Co.

p.s. These magnetic boards can be used for more things than just mere knives. M.O.C. Wood Boards make an ideal magnetic organizer and storage solution for the kitchen, office, bathroom, garage - anywhere you can get things up and out of the way.