New Knife Block!

[DrThunder88]

I got tired of my knives sitting in their blade guards in a silicone baking pan, so I decided to get a knife block. My collection of knives is rather eclectic, so finding one with the right slot configuration and I worried about those Koosh blocks messing with my fine edges. Then I thought, "why not make my own?"





It's nothing special. I used red oak 3/4x6" board for the main layers and base. The spacers are 1/8" and 1/4" thick black walnut strips fastened with urethane glue. I died the oak with TransTints and finished it with BLO to match the cabinets. I also embedded some 1/2" diameter magnets into the blade cutouts to keep the knives in place in the event of me knocking the thing over. Though effective as a keeper for the shorter knives, I came to regret it for the others.

Considering how horribly I screw up most industrial arts-related projects, I'm fairly impressed with the results. Most 6th graders could probably produce the same in a shorter amount of time, of course...

 

[john a]

Looks good to me, better then I could do.

 

[pacanis]

I'm impressed. It makes me wonder why I don't see knife blocks made so the blades sit on their sides, like yours.
Very nice!

 

[Rob Babcock]

Very nice work, DrT! Better than I could do with my woodworking skills!

pacanis, pretty much all better, higher-end blocks are oriented so the knives are "sideways." At least the ones I've seen.

 

[Andy M.]

Couldn't you just put your knives cutting edge up into a knife block with vertical slots

 

[JillBurgh]

That looks awesome! I have a "Koosh" and I like it. It's machine washable, which is nice. Only problem is it's not long enough for me to shove some of the longer blades in the whole way so some blade peeks out.

I might try to go homemade, now that you've inspired us! Thanks for sharing. Very clever.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Couldn't you just put your knives cutting edge up into a knife block with vertical slots

You could do that, but in a lot of blocks I've seen the angle is such that the the edge of the blade towards the end touches the top edge of the slot.

Of course, many people also find having all the handles upside down to not be aesthetically pleasing, either.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Is that a Tennesse Big Stick ceramic, DrThunder88? I have 3 that look just like that, except that mine suck. I got 'em on a real "fire sale" @ Smokey Mountain Knifeworks and they seem to factory seconds or something. I imagine they're normally nice sticks, I just got some bad ones. But mine were $.99 each with free shipping, so I was only out three dollars! Guess I shouldn't complain.

I have two nice ceramic hones, one that I got from Edge Pro Inc and one DMT CS2. I like both very well but I think the next thing I get will be the glass hone by HandAmerica (from Japanese Sharpening).

 

[pacanis]

Well I guess we now know that I don't have high end knives.... Well, I have a pretty good Chinese knife, but don't use it much.

I didn't know that, Rob, thanks.
Some day I really have to get rid of all these cheap knives I seem to collect and get four or five good ones. One of my 3 sets that I'm working with (not counting all the miscellaneous ones in the drawers, are one of those Ronco Showtime jobs where you buy the one knife and get about eighty free
I'm even using those free knives I just got with an Omaha Steak order. I swear I'm going to throw them all out as soon as they get dull.... well, more dull... honest

 

[Katie H]

Couldn't you just put your knives cutting edge up into a knife block with vertical slots

That's exactly what we do, Andy.

 

[pacanis]

That's exactly what we do, Andy.

That works in one of my blocks, but not so well with my Ronco knives. The handles are designed too funny and some of them get in the way of others when upside down, plus you couldn't read the labels to see which one of the 200 or so knives you were grabbing
Ron Popeil.....

 

[pugger]

Great Idea

That's an awesome creation. I have that Chinese knife - looks like a cleaver but w/ a very sharp & curved edge. Always have to take Great care w/ that one. I still store it in the original box, your holder is certainly much safer for that one.

 

[pacanis]

lol, that's exactly where I store my Chinese knife, pugger.

 

[DrThunder88]

Is that a Tennesse Big Stick ceramic, DrThunder88?

It is. I guess you can tell I'm a SMKW patron too!

Funny story about the stick. I had started drilling the hole and was testing the fit with one of my many freebie Big Sticks. I was carefully rotating the stick as I slid it in so I would know if it was sticking. When it bottomed out a few inches from the end of the handle, I started sliding it out the same way...

*snap*

[expletive deleted]

 

[Jeekinz]

I'm copying one of these with some modifications.

chrisdiclerico.com » Blog Archive » knife block copy

 

[LadyCook61]

Looks very nice !

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Hey Doc, that knife block is amazing!!!! I'm serious. Never let your wife show it to any of her friends or you'll be making knife blocks for the next 4 years! Seriously, it's beautiful and functional - what more could anyone want?

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I'm copying one of these with some modifications.

chrisdiclerico.com » Blog Archive » knife block copy

This I'm going to try until I get woodworking skills like DrThunder. Have you made it yet, Jeekinz?

 

[Jeekinz]

This I'm going to try until I get woodworking skills like DrThunder. Have you made it yet, Jeekinz?

Not yet. All it is is a box with skewers in it. I was going to angle mine, make 2 seperate compartments and have a dedicated holder for the steel.

 

[Rob Babcock]

It is. I guess you can tell I'm a SMKW patron too!

Funny story about the stick. I had started drilling the hole and was testing the fit with one of my many freebie Big Sticks. I was carefully rotating the stick as I slid it in so I would know if it was sticking. When it bottomed out a few inches from the end of the handle, I started sliding it out the same way...

*snap*

[expletive deleted]

I got mine already with the handle on it. Of the three I got, one was really nice. Like I said, for 99 cents each it was worth getting three for the one nice one! It's tough to beat a ceramic, and I like the design.

Next thing I want to get from SMKW is a few more laminated Mora knives. The ones with the red wood handle are very nice. The laminated blades are hardened to about 61 Rockwell and take an extremely keen edge. My dad has at least a dozen Moras and I've grown to really love them. I want to get enough of the red, wood-handled Mora's to use as steak knives.

Awesome block and a cool cutlery collection!