kitchen block

Atlas Knife Company

Atlas Knife Company

Joined
Feb 16, 2010
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Is there anything special I should or shouldn't do when building a block for kitchen knives? I'm planning on using a chunk of Bocote to match the handle. Should I wax the inside, spray it with teflon lube, leave it untreated, rub it with moose urine, etc? I'm sure there are tips to keep the wood from scratching the blades.
 
Don't know about food safe finishes, but make sure that the knife sits sideways in the block instead of resting on the edge ;)

-d
 
Yes, I'd think you should hold them by hand when sharpening them. Although, I wouldn't hold them with magnets because they would get scratched when careless people pull them off.
 
Last edited:
Zaph,
I use the aircraft grade thin plywood ( Woodcraft and hobby shops) and laminate up the block. Cut out a sheet of 1/8" ( or whatever thickness is appropriate) to match the blades, and use thicker pieces to space them. When the block is glued up, trim off the bottom at whatever angle is desired, and sand the sides and top. You can stain and varnish it as is.....or cut some fancy wood ( or buy thin pieces) and cover the outer sides. This works really well. I even did a patchwork block with many different burls on the outside.

BTW, you don't really want to make a block from a real hard or resinous wood. The wood acids may affect the blade. ( That is why I use the plywood core.)
 
might be a help as i have got a few cutting borads from hi in the last few years
mahoganycountertop.jpg
 
If you hold a knife in place wit a magnet it will become a litte magnetic itself.
If you then sharpen your blade, the small bits of steel you grind off will stick to the blade, making it hard to sharpen well.
 
I've noticed that when you hold the blank with a magnet the filings are slightly magnetic. However, I don't see how that would make it harder to sharpen.
 
my razors are ona mag strip and i have never had any harder time sharpening them and they are truely shave ready
but as always YMMV
 
I've done a couple of block holders for my kitchen knives and I coat them with a salad bowl finish I purchased from woodcrafters. They use this stuff for, you guessed it, salad bowls. It's food safe and gives a nice finish.
 
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