Patent ID: 8627571

Claim:
A compact knife holder, comprising: a rear plate having a front side and a back side, wherein the rear plate is configured to constrain movement of a rear knife; a front plate having a front side and a back side, wherein the front plate is configured to constrain movement of a front knife, the front plate is substantially parallel to the rear plate; a middle plate in between the rear plate and the front plate, wherein the middle plate has a front side and a back side and is substantially parallel to the rear plate and the front plate; a first rear spacer and a second rear spacer, wherein the first rear spacer and the second rear spacer are affixed to the front side of the rear plate and the back side of the middle plate; the first rear spacer and the second rear spacer create a set of rear channels each having a width, wherein the set of rear channels are each configured to house a portion of a blade of the rear knife such that a handle of the rear knife is accessible outside the middle plate and the rear plate; a first front spacer and a second front spacer, wherein the first front spacer and the second front spacer are affixed to the back side of the front plate and the front side of the middle plate; the first front spacer and the second front spacer create a set of front channels each having a width, wherein the set of front channels are each configured to house a portion of a blade of the front knife such that a handle of the front knife is accessible outside the front plate and the middle plate; the set of rear channels and the set of front channels are crisscrossed in substantially parallel, non-intersecting planes; the rear channel is at an angle in a range of 10 degrees to 80 degrees or 100 degrees to 170 degrees relative to a horizontal plane; and the front channel is at an angle in a range of 10 degrees to 80 degrees or 100 degrees to 170 degrees relative to a horizontal plane.