What to Look for in a Quality Knife Roll

Vagabond Knife Roll

Every superhero has one item in their kit that makes them feel truly invincible:

For Spiderman, it’s his spidey suit.

For Wonder Woman, it’s her tiara headband.

For a chef (like you!), it’s your knives.

“Japanese chefs believe our soul goes into our knives once we start using them. You wouldn't put your soul in a dishwasher.”

- Masaharu Morimoto, world-renowned Japanese chef

So, your knife roll carries your knives, which in turn hold a little piece of your soul. You shouldn’t skimp on the quality of the very item you use to carry and store your precious knives.

Buying a knife roll is a crucial decision, second only to choosing your knives.

You need the best quality knife roll on the market.

When making your choice, carefully consider:

Style
Quality
Material
Compartments for your knives

With that, let’s dive into the world of knife rolls so you can make an informed addition to your essential kitchen tools.

What Is a Knife Roll?

When you’re working in the kitchen, you will always feel more comfortable with a set of knives that you know and love. Using your favorite knives will keep you calm and in control throughout your meal prep.

Whether you are catering an event or hosting friends, your knife bag matters. You need a bag or case to store and safely transport your knives. A good quality knife roll will protect your knives while providing extra space for tools such as:

Peeler
Scissors
Thermometer
Scraper
Grater
Tweezer

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Knife Roll?

Size and Capacity

This is one of the most important factors you need to consider before making a purchase. Your knife roll should have enough space for all of your knives and essential tools. You need enough pockets to handle the different shapes and lengths of your equipment.

You should also choose a bag with special pockets for other accessories you might have on hand. This can be extra pockets with zippers or even a slot for an apron.

If you are starting out and have a small knife collection, choose a basic knife bag. It should have enough pockets for all the essentials.

A good quality knife roll offers enough space for you to carry each knife in its own slot.

Why Do Size and Capacity Matter?

A bigger roll gives you more space for all your tools.

You want a roll big enough to keep your knives from touching when transported. This will protect them from knocking against each other, which can damage the knives or lead to premature dulling of the blades.

A larger capacity also gives you more room to handle the knives. If your knives touch the edges of the pockets while handling, it can affect their sharpness.

You can further benefit from the additional room to hold your knives safely. This protects your fingers from accidents that can happen when putting away or removing tightly-stored knives.

A bigger capacity also gives you room for more tools. You want your rolls to remain useful even as you expand your knife and essential tools collection.

If you find a larger, high-quality roll, the investment will pay off in the long run. These spacious and top quality rolls from Dalstrong are made to last you a lifetime, even as your knife collection grows.

Basic Building Materials of a Knife Roll

When choosing a knife bag, you need to seek out options with:

An attractive material you can carry around with pride.
Strong interior material to protect your tools.
Flexible material you can roll up on the move.

The fabric used on the bag can influence your choice. You want a material tough enough to withstand the sharp edges of your knives. You also need an easy-to-clean fabric that can survive in dirty kitchens or outdoors.

While working in the kitchen, you will expose your bag to different types of dirt, which can stain your roll. You need a fabric that can withstand various cleaning agents and multiple washes.

Which Is the Best Material to Choose?

The top three material options for knife bags include:

Leather

Leather is by far the best quality material for knife rolls. It is durable, stylish, weather-resistant, and timeless.

Its strength and flexibility make it extremely practical in a kitchen setting. You can be sure it will protect your tools.

Leather gets better with age. Over time, it gains character to last for decades. This makes it the perfect material for a collector’s roll.

This material is also perfect in the kitchen as it is easy to clean. You simply need to wipe it down with a damp cloth after use. Since you’ll be cleaning it a lot, you’ll want to invest in a leather cleaner and conditioner.

Leather further lends its semi-water resistant quality to kitchen use. It can survive in moist environments and even in light rain outdoors.

When choosing a leather knife bag, you will come across two popular options: full grain and top grain rolls.

Both options will protect your tools. But, there are some significant differences between the two types of leather:

Full Grain Leather	Top Grain Leather
Comes from the top layer of the hide and is the highest quality	Comes without the outermost layer and is the second-highest quality
Is extremely thick and hard to manipulate	Is thinner and easier to manipulate
Features a natural, unique grain	Features an imitated grain print on the surface; most of the natural grain disappears when removing the outermost layer
Ages well and develops a natural, sought-after patina character that cannot be replicated	Ages based on the finishing coat, applied after removing the top layer; this reduces its ability to develop a natural patina over time

Both types of leather make for some of the best quality knife bags in the market.

Canvas

Canvas comes in as the second-best option for knife bags. It is highly durable, resistant to snags and tears, and ages well.

However, canvas in the kitchen must be coated with heavy-duty wax. A wax coating makes the canvas water, stain, and chemical resistant. This way, you can use it in the kitchen and clean it on a regular basis.

Canvas works best when combined with leather straps and accessories. The two fabrics blend together to create a stylish and functional accessory for every chef.

You can find strong canvas rolls from Dalstrong like this attractive option with leather accents.

Ballistic Nylon

Dalstrong Ballistic Series Premium Knife Roll

Ballistic nylon started out as a wartime fabric. It was meant to protect soldiers from shrapnel and bullets in World War II. Even though it wasn’t successful in the war, it became a popular synthetic fabric. A lot of people love it for its strength, durability, and resistance to abrasion.

In the kitchen, it combines perfectly with your tools as it is:

Easy to clean
Resistant to stains and chemicals
Lightweight and fast-drying

Dalstrong offers premium ballistic rolls in three colors.

Accessories in the Bag

If you move kitchens frequently, you will need a bag with extra pockets for all your other tools. The availability or absence of pockets can influence your choice.

For other accessories, the choice you make is more of a style preference. You can choose a bag with a lock or one that is easy to open. The former might work better if you are wary of losing your tools.

Some other accessory choices you can find in a knife bag are: