Most knife blocks included with a set of kitchen knives these days are so homogeneous, they’re downright humdrum. If you’d like one that takes up a bit less space than the usual thick block and offers some opportunity for customization, this one might fit the bill. It’s also fun to make! Mine consists of seven wedges of cherry fanned upward in a tilted stack, with ⅛"-thick layers of wenge in between. I like the contrast of these chocolaty brown “pinstripes” outlining all that cherry redness. But you could substitute any two contrasting hardwoods you prefer, provided the one you choose for the wedges can be found in 8/4 thickness. A 42" length of 8"-wide stock or it’s equivalent will be sufficient. A piece of 4/4 stock measuring 4" x 48" will do for the thin laminations and feet.
This knife block will hold a typical set of kitchen cutlery — an 8" chef knife, a serrated bread knife, a couple of smaller utility/paring knives and four steak knives, plus a sharpening steel and kitchen shears. If you have even more knives to store, you could always add more wedges or widen the block to
