Knife rest

A knife rest is a piece of kitchenware for resting a used knife without touching the table to prevent cooking fluids from getting onto countertops.

Similar tools are the chopstick rest and spoon and chopstick rest used in Asian cuisine and the spoon rest.

Knife rests in their modern form were invented in the late 17th century or early 18th century, but earlier ones, possibly just wood, were used during the time of Henry VIII. They were invented to save the knife, fork, and tablecloth from being stained by cooking fluids. Later, however, they were developed in sets.

In the Victorian era, knife rests were created in a wide variety of materials, designs, and configurations. Materials used included gold, silver, mother of pearl, and ivory. The French also created knife rests, known as porte-couteaux. Russians, Germans, and other Europeans developed knife rests around this time. The Chinese created chopstick rests in the same manner.

Individual knife rests were used during a meal to support the knife so that it would not stain a tablecloth.

In the Western world, knife rests were used at table through the first half of the twentieth century, mainly by the upper classes, but now usually are purchased mostly as collector's items.

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