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How to widen the slots in a knife block?

balloonshark

balloonshark

Diamond Member
I finally found a deal on a horizontal slot knife block. They say it's made out of hardwood but I have no idea what type of wood. What can I use to widen the slots so my knives fit? Will a regular bastard file work?

Knife block: https://www.macys.com/shop/product/...ional-11-slot-hardwood-knife-block?ID=8999967
File: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EBL4DI/
knifeblock.jpg
 
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Knife blocks are a poor way to store knives. What does it matter if the knives stick out from the block or, do you mean widen the slots?
 
MagnusTheBrewer said:
Knife blocks are a poor way to store knives. What does it matter if the knives stick out from the block or, do you mean widen the slots?
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Yes, widen the slots about 1/4".

I only have 3 drawers so I don't have room to store them in a drawer and the only wall I have open for a magnetic block is against my neighbors wall. Plus I'm on a blood thinner and I really don't want my knives just hanging out in the open.
 
My guess is it's beech, and filing will be slow going, and give poor results. I'm also not a fan of horizontal storage blocks. My unproven theory is they're more likely to trap water against the blade for longer periods of time. If I were to try it, I'd look into a saw blade; perhaps a coarse hacksaw, and try to overlap the kerfs. It's still gonna take some time, and probably won't look great.
 
You can put magnetic holders anywhere. Cabinet doors, refrigerator, end of a counter, splash guard, range hood, pantry... Have you ever cut yourself on a knife while not using it? If you have, it's not a problem with how it's stored.
 
lxskllr said:
My guess is it's beech, and filing will be slow going, and give poor results. I'm also not a fan of horizontal storage blocks. My unproven theory is they're more likely to trap water against the blade for longer periods of time. If I were to try it, I'd look into a saw blade; perhaps a coarse hacksaw, and try to overlap the kerfs. It's still gonna take some time, and probably won't look great.
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Thanks. I usually wash, dry and sit my knives out a bit to remove any dampness.

I'm not that familiar with beech but it looks to be about the same hardness as the oaks. It can't be any harder than the 3/4" hole in steel on the lawn tractor I spent 30 minutes filing to 7/8" last month. Not sure if I have a straight handle for a hacksaw blade or not. I'll have to look.

I wonder if they make a rasp of some sort that do the job? I don't want to spend a lot of money since the block only cost me $15 shipped.
 
How much material do you plan on removing? The problem with using files on wood, is the teeth load up bad, and the effectiveness drops quickly. If you have a hacksaw, maybe see what kind of adjustment it has. If you can rotate it 90°, and make it very long, you may be able to use it on the block by putting the blade through a slot, then mounting the saw handle to it. You could also clamp guides to the block to run the blade on. Cut the slot to the desired dimension, then raise your guide by ~1mm, and cut it again. Repeat til it's big enough. Just throwing some ideas out there. I'd have to hold the block, and contemplate it in person to firm up a plan of attack. I definitely don't like the file idea though.
 
MagnusTheBrewer said:
You can put magnetic holders anywhere. Cabinet doors, refrigerator, end of a counter, splash guard, range hood, pantry... Have you ever cut yourself on a knife while not using it? If you have, it's not a problem with how it's stored.
Click to expand...
I hurt myself almost every time I work on or repair anything. Trust me when I say it's not good to have sharp objects in my presence lol. Just last week I attempted sharpening my 2nd knife on a stone and slipped off the back the knife came forward and slip the tip of my ring finger in two places.

I can only think of two places in kitchen that I could mount a magnetic strip. Both of them would be on metal (stove and fridge) and all the double sided magnets holders were more than I wanted to spend.
 
lxskllr said:
How much material do you plan on removing? The problem with using files on wood, is the teeth load up bad, and the effectiveness drops quickly. If you have a hacksaw, maybe see what kind of adjustment it has. If you can rotate it 90°, and make it very long, you may be able to use it on the block by putting the blade through a slot, then mounting the saw handle to it. You could also clamp guides to the block to run the blade on. Cut the slot to the desired dimension, then raise your guide by ~1mm, and cut it again. Repeat til it's big enough. Just throwing some ideas out there. I'd have to hold the block, and contemplate it in person to firm up a plan of attack. I definitely don't like the file idea though.
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The saw I have can turn 90° and can use an 8", 10" or 12" blade. I have a 10" blade. I just checked the two top holes I want to widen and they are 9 1/2" long. The blade I have is not long enough when you consider how it mounts. The 12" blade would give me less than 2" to swing the saw back and forth. I do like the idea though. I had thought about using a saw. Too bad they don't make a long coping saw.
 
A couple of years ago, I bought a big set of Henckels Pro S that came with the block. It had 3 extra slots. Top one for a meat cleaver and two skinny ones I used for a carving fork and knife. I clean and dry each one after every use and then gently slide them back into the block. Was worth the $$ to have such high quality (and sharp) knives.
 
mxnerd said:
Universal knife block is better.

https://www.amazon.com/Mantello-Universal-Holder-Storage-Organizer/dp/B01MY5CUCM

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/kapoosh-universal-cutlery-block/1013749337
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I saw those and liked the idea but I was afraid they might scratch the knives.

lxskllr said:
You could get rare earth craft magnets, and stick the knives to those. They're cheap.
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If there was a way to coat them to prevent scratches and they held I would give it a try. I originally wanted a wood covered magnetic strip but I couldn't figure a safe place for one. A drawer insert was next and I even watched a video on cutting cork slats and placing them side by side. Then you could insert the tips of the blades between the slats on a lined surface. I only have three drawers though. A horizontal slot hardwood knife block was my 3rd choice.
 
Would a hacksaw blade fit in there? Might be able to use that to cut it wider. Like just the blade alone. you can also buy mini hacksaw type device that fits a blade in but some of it sticks out, might not stick out long enough though.
 
Not having it in front of me, my first thought would be taking a wood chisel to the back/bottom (in case it causes defacement then it's hidden) to try to remove the two, side, outer perimeter wood pieces, so the interior block(s) can be cut wider on a table saw with the blade adjusted to exactly the right height.

If the saw doesn't have a perfectly adjusted fence to get a true cut, it could end up messy looking, but so could a file or hacksaw blade, or anything else you try to use.

Trying to chisel it apart is risky, but it's not very valuable, especially if it doesn't work otherwise. I suppose you could try to saw the side panels off instead but each additional amount of work seems more like a hobby than a time effective way to end up with a knife block. Other knife blocks exist, pick a different one.
 
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