"Universal" aka "Bristle" Knife Blocks: Blade Damage and Hygiene 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.
Yes, very sharp/thin edged blades (think of something like a yanagiba or laser gyuto) will take damage because they will bite lengthwise into the plastic straws and get dulled and/or deformed/chipped. Also, an overfull plastic straw block can bend the edge out of hone because of uneven pressure applied to its sides.

ADDITION: Example experiment I did: Take Takamura HSPS (not the pro version), sharpened to the same angle these come with from the maker (around 18 degrees inclusive(!!). Very delicate knife but usable on a cutting board with care.), arm hair sharp. Stuff it in a bristle knife block a few times. No longer arm hair sharp.