Building a Knife Block

A knife block is a great gift project that you can easily build in less than a day. I designed this compact knife block to fit a limited counter space, eliminate some knife clutter and house the knives used only on a weekly basis. I also created an accessible spot for the handy kitchen scissors (a tool that I’ve come to rely on for all sorts of kitchen tasks). There’s a slight 15-degree angle to the block that gives a clear view of the knives but keeps them up out of reach of untrained hands. The design consists of basically two parts: a central block core and a pair of curved outer layers that act as stabilizers but give some style to an otherwise blocky shape.  

 

 

One of the nice features of this project is that the design is flexible and can be altered to suit your needs. If you have more knives, you can add additional layers to the inner block. If you have some longer knives (like bread knives) you can add an inch to the length of all the pieces. If you have wide chopping knives, you can add to the depth and then make wider slots. I built mine from red oak to match our cabinets, but any domestic hardwood will work. I’d stay away from some of the oily tropical species because they can be a hassle to glue up.

Cut the inner block pieces from 3/4" x 3-1/4” thick boards. Set the saw at 15-degees for the bottom cuts and 90-degrees for the top. Remember to cut the outer pieces from wider stock (5-1/2” wide) and make sure they’re ¼” longer than the inner block pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Draw a smooth curve from the top of the curved side to the bottom. Cut along the curve with a bandsaw or jigsaw and then smooth the curve with a drum sander.  It’s helpful to cut one shape and then use that as the template for the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the sizes for the inner pieces (left) and the two outer pieces (right). Notice that the bottoms (top of photo) are cut at 15-degees and the tops are cut at 90-degrees. Use a flexible steel rule to help define the curve as you trace it onto your board.

 

 

 

 

 

Install a stacked dado blade in your table saw to cut the slots into the faces of the block pieces. Set the saw to cut 5/32" deep grooves into the selected pieces. The groove should be deep enough to easily slide a knife blade in and out, a good 1/16” deeper than the thickness of the knife blade. Label the pieces to avoid confusion and cut all the similar patterned pieces at each setting moving the fence as needed to widen the slot.

 

 

 

Groove the pieces for the wider slots. You may need to reset the depth of cut if your wider knives have thicker blades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dry stack everything before you glue to make sure you've got every piece in the right order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the configuration that worked for my knives. Measure your favorite knives to get the design that will work for you. Remember, you can add inner block pieces to expand the array or lengthen the parts to accommodate longer blades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apply masking tape to the smooth faces that meet the grooved faces. This will help keep excess glue from building up in the grooves. Once the glue is applied, peel off the tape. Work fast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you clamp the inner block pieces together; slide a thin scrap through each slot to remove any oozing glue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sand the inner block smooth since it'll be difficult once you glue the two final side pieces in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elevate the inner block with 1/4" shims and then glue the sides to the inner block. Be sure to wipe away any oozing glue from the inside corners,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sand the entire block and ease the sharp edges with a gentle round over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trace a pattern for your scissors bracket onto 3/4" x 2" x 5" board. Drill the 1-in. hole with a forstner bit first and then cut out the shape with a bandsaw.  Use your drum sander to smooth the curves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drill a 3/8-in. diameter recess into the edges of the bracket and then mark the location of your scissors bracket. Drill pilot holes with a #4 countersink bit and secure it to the block with #4 x 5/8" screws. Once the screws are installed, glue 3/8-in. wood plugs into the recesses. Finish sand and apply the finish of your choice.