How to identify knives with matching handles in a block?

[hurricanej]

How do people owning full knife sets with matching handles identify which knife is which without pulling each from the knife block?

I admit that I find myself attracted to certain handle colors and styles and sometimes consider a full set, but in real life I rely on the fact that each of my kitchen knives in a block has a distinct handle. I know when I grab the "brown" one that it is my favorite slicer; the "black" one with a certain pattern is my go-to petite Chef's knife; the "elk" one is my new Santoku. Each of my outside knives has a similar config that allows me to know which knife is which without me pulling several from my "outside" block.

Is there some kind of "place setting" that applies to kitchen knife blocks that I'm unaware of?

 

[EngrSorenson]

Designate a spot for each in the block, then live with it for years not changing it. You’ll learn it just like you learn all the light switches in your house.

 

[sceva]

Many choose too big a set.

 

[thebrain]

My block on has two knives with the same size handles other than the steak knives. I just remember the what knives go where, it took about a week to get them memorized.

 

[The Zieg]

Just remember where you put them. It's not difficult.

 

[Danke42]

I take the knife out first eyes closed. See which one I got and then decide what I'm cutting to match up.

 

[RPZIP]

I have owned one block set (think they were Zwilling circa mid 1980s). I can't remember how many there were, but I do recall that I only ever used about three of them. If you really used them all and wanted to visually identify each one, you could mark the block next to each knife with some kind of shorthand or color marker.