Does anyone have any experiences of /advice about "universal" knife blocks, i.e. blocks that hold the knives in place with a dense bunch of plastic bristles instead of the usual slots in the wood.  I've recently got some decent knives, some that I've bought, some received as presents and I'm about to add a ceramic honing steel too. The problem is that they are all different makes and (I presume?) a ceramic steel isn't magnetic so a strip is out.(Besides, I hear ceramic steels are easy to damage so a block would provide more protection).  The solution would appear to be a "universal" knife block that could accommodate all brands, but I'd like to know:  1) Do the bristles damage or wear the knives as you draw/replace them?  2) Are there hygiene issues storing the knives like this?  3) Are these blocks ok for storing honing rods or just knives?  Any info would be much appreciated, thank you. 
The only hygiene issue would be if you put away dirty knives, which would be an issue in any knife block, or otherwise contaminate them. It's not like the slots in traditional wooden knife blocks can be washed.   Because you'll take the knife out, use it, wash and dry it then put it away any wear should be negligible. The bristles are made of plastic with a similar hardness to chopping boards. Whether you sharpen your knives frequently or are lazy you won't notice the difference.   The ones I've seen wouldn't have room for honing steels - there isn't enough room between the bristles.  