My new custom cutting board

[thebrain]

I have been wanting to come up with a good solution for breaking down vegetables (or whatever) for cooking. I have a food processor and a mandolin, so I've got the slicing, julienne-ing, etc. under control, but it's hard to get to that point sometimes - things don't always want to hold still to get cut. I've seen all the cutting boards with clamps and whatnot, at least online, but they never seemed like a good solution. In my book, your food-holding hand is actually doing a more complex task - holding something soft or slippery firmly but without crushing or bruising it. So I decided I just wanted a knife that would hold still, and anything I could accomplish by moving said knife, I could do by moving the food.

I have a good friend who is a model-maker and last weekend we went to his shop, where we cooked this up:



we bonded this piece of plastic to a cutting board I had...



so you can rest the knife in it...



and then another piece to clamp it in place with two screws. except i already lost one...



and the result is, you have the most dangerous cutting tool i've ever seen in the kitchen. which is one reason we made it so that i could take it apart. it also makes it easier to clean, and to store.



here's a view from the top, so you can see how the two pins hold the knife in place, although it's also clamped by tightening the screws.



and a shot from the opposite side.

[suzannesteam]

I don't see any pictures, could you try to repost? Thanks!

[thebrain]

I could see them when I checked this page, not signed in and from a different computer... can anybody else chime in?

[journey08]

I can see the pictures as well. That's a snazzy device, but I would be terrified to use it- Glad it's working out for ya though!

[Humboldtmtnbkr]

The pictures come up fine for me. Dude, that thing is crazy!

[MW]

I can see it (I'm using Google Chrome on Windows 7).

I always thought that since I hold my chef's knife in my good hand and put my bad one in a sling, there's no more chance of nicking my finger on a knife- but not with that thing! Keep posting any other cool stuff you cook up!

[billvxii]

That is so cool! And as far as cutting your fingers, probably would with two hands. I need a clamp to open bottles i.e. gatoraid Last week I opened a gallon milk jug by putting a set of tongs in the hand hole and put that to my hip (counter hieght) and used a pair of channel lock pliers to turn the top. My right ARM is BPI and my left hand has nerve damage from a mis fitted TLSO. The TLSO is a full body cast that I needed for my spinal injury. Life is a joy.

[djk]

pictures show here also. the only thing i can think of is that there is a setting in the control panel for display of images. but if this thread is the only one not showing the that is not the problem. about the board, it looks like it is made for a specific knife so if you can come up with an adjustable model that would be a deal maker. i keep thinking i'll see this in a slasher movie of some sort but then i guess i'm a bit on the crazy side. a great invention none the less. well done.

[thebrain]

We did design it around a particular knife and I did think about that. We could have done it differently so that any knife would work but this was the most secure way to do it, given that we had a particular knife. I picked a cheap, easily replaceable one (standard brand at restaurant supply stores). I don't think I'd make any money selling these and I wouldn't even want to, given that I'd just be a huge target for a lawsuit. I WOULD have been willing to make a few for people on here at cost BUT my friend who made this one was laid off a couple weeks ago so I don't have access to a lathe anymore.

[djk]

just try to keep every one's spirits on the upside. that was not the only shop, nor the only lathe. if and when you and your friend have the resources to resume research bump this thread with the news. i'm thinking i could send the knife i wanted fitted or y'all could include a knife that the board was made for. this thing, like all kitchen stuff, does not solve all situations or work in all situations but for a serious cook such as myself it's just another helper that would be nice to have. like i said above, well done. also, good luck to your friend.
and i realize that i would use this, as with everything else, at my own risk. no worries there.