Review of KnifeSafe by Lamson Sharp

Knife safety is crucial during extended camping trips in the back country.  As with anything, it is important to use the right 'tool' for the job.  Although pocket knives are fine for general camp use, they were not designed for chef work and can result in cut fingers.  A proper set of kitchen knifes would be ideal, however a blade stored incorrectly can become damaged by other objects as you drive down washboard roads.  Worse yet, an improperly stored blade can be dangerous to remove from a cluttered gear drawer.

Our Observations

We have been using our set of LamsonSharp KnifeSafes for a couple of months now; transporting our knives to cooking classes and on camping trips.  Knifes are protected from damage with a hard plastic case that wraps around the blade.  The two halve,s which form the KnifeSafe, are connected via a plastic hinge and held together with locking tabs.  The locking tabs hold the blade securely between four rubber pads, preventing it from slipping out.

Conclusion

Cracks forming in the plastic hinge

We found KnifeSafe to be a great product to protect our knives during transit and while camping; the hard case prevents the knife tips from inadvertently being bent, ensures the sharp edge is protected from impacts, and most importantly ensures that no one gets hurt from poorly stored knives.  One concern we have with the design of the KnifeSafe is possibly wearing out the plastic hinge over time. Opening and closing the KnifeSafes several times a day during our last trip I noticed localized fatiguing of the plastic hinge in areas that saw the most bending. Small hairline cracks have begun to form on either end of the plastic hinge.  We contacted the manufacturer, Lamson Goodnow, regarding this concern.  They responded by informing us the design is intended to be disposable and that even after a hinge fails, the locking mechanism can still securely hold a blade in place.

Although we would prefer a design that would last longer, we feel the benefits of safely carrying a full-size chef knife outweighs the designs limitations.

Update 12/14

Despite our concerns of the hinge failing, our KnifeSafes have been running strong.  We have yet to have a hinge failure, and have really put these to the test in our travels.  We would recommend these to anyone looking to protect their fingers, and their knife's edge, on trips.  The KnifeSafes continue to be our go-to storage device for all of our field kitchen knifes!