Shun Slimline Knife Block Set - 6 Slot Bamboo Knife Holder for Kitchen Storage | Professional & Home Chef Knife Organizer | Perfect for Countertop Organization & Kitchen Decor

1. I am just a private (retired) individual with absolutely no relationship with the manufacturer, seller, or anyone else involved in making or marketing these things. I am getting zero compensation for this review (unfortunately).2. Just received this, so consider this as a preliminary review. (If things change I'll update this review.)3. This knife block so far appears to be PERFECT for my needs.4. (A) It is smaller and narrower than most knife blocks, but (B) it still has room for two small and two medium-sized (e.g., Japanese) knives, a sharpening steel, and kitchen shears.Elaboration: Received a really nice Miyabi 8" birchwood chef's knife at Christmas (2017). The Miyabi birchwood-handle line is (justifiably) expensive, so I won’t be getting a full set. But I wanted a small (bamboo, signifying Asia) knife block for it. Magnetic bamboo holders are innovative, but the Miyabi tungsten-carbide sharpening steel I found (see below) is not magnetic. Standard Miyabi knife blocks have 12 slots, are correspondingly more expensive, and are too big for my needs. There is (or was?) a Miyabi bamboo block with only three slots, but it is VERY hard to find, has to be ordered from Japan, is therefore expensive, and doesn’t hold a sharpening steel.This block is apparently made by Kai (I think of them as the scissors people)--e.g., for Shun (Model # DM0845 – see Shun DM0845 6-Slot Slimline Bamboo Knife Block 6, Brown ). But there is no insignia badge or brand on this one that I got, so it is generic. Take note of the size—it is small. That is what I wanted. I purchased it from DaSalla’s, since Amazon.com was out of stock. (I see that Amazon will have more in a month.) It arrived quickly and with no hassles. The Miyabi 8” blade fits perfectly in either of the lower two slots, and it takes a large Miyabi (Zwilling) tungsten-carbide 10-inch sharpening steel I found online at auction for a decent price.Conclusion: So far I can definitely recommend this. If you have no more than two medium and two small (e.g., Asian) kitchen knives and want a decent bamboo knife block at a reasonable price that does not take up a lot of room, consider this.