Had been getting pestered for some time to create a knife organization block for a drawer in the kitchen. LOML doesn't like things on the countertop. And the daughters complained that the cork block we'd bought at a kitchen supply store smelled like mold.
Had some leftover pieces of Ironwood I wanted to use up, so last night I pulled the drawer out and started cutting. Perfection tends to elude me but I typically only get close after several tries. This didn't do too badly on the first. The knife box itself is removable so that when a better inspiration hits I can take it out and put in better inserts. I love working with the Ironwood (likely the American or Eastern Hophornbeam - or Ostrya virginiana) which is hard and once seasoned relatively stable. The stuff looked wretched and I think my sawyer simply gave it to me to get rid of it. It has especially nice grain and color and if sanded to a fine grit takes a finish beautifully. I glued in strips of white pine as separators and also as a soft landing for the knife blade edges. The partition blocks are screwed into the box from below, and the box itself is screwed into the drawer (from below).
The box is just long enough for an old Sabatier high carbon steel knife that was one of my father's favorites. I think he just liked saying the name. As a kid, it was my chore to keep all those carbon steel blades sharp (stainless hadn't been invented yet) using a round whetstone. Great practice as I think back on it.
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Originally Posted by Jacques Gagnon
