Abstract: A cassette for holding, storing and, when desired, sharpening knives having an elongated body member having an opening at one end and defining a hollow space therein for receiving at least one knife blade which is inserted through the opening; tungsten carbide elements for sharpening an edge of the knife blade located within the hollow space; and post and wall members for guiding the knife blade into the hollow space of the body member comprising a pair of spaced elongated members attached to the body member for lateral guidance of the blade in a manner so as to align the blade edge at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sharpening elements so that, when desired, the edge may be sharpened thereby by engagement therewith, wherein the dimensions of the opening and hollow space are larger than the width of the blade such that the blade may be inserted into and removed from the body member without contacting the sharpening elements by the user exerting a force on the blade in a direction away from the

Abstract: A block for holding, storing and, if desired, sharpening knives is disclosed. The block includes a body member, at least one and, preferably, a plurality of elongated housing members disposed within the body member. Each housing member includes an open end and defines a cavity within the body member for receiving a knife blade through the open end. Sharpening means are rigidly and angularly disposed within the cavity at a position proximate the open end. The knife blade can be introduced into the elongated housing member in or out of engagement with the sharpening means. When introduced into the elongated housing member in engagement with the sharpening means, it engages the sharpening means at a predetermined angle of orientation, so that the edge of the blade becomes honed while encountering a minimal degree of resistance when being introduced into the elongated housing member.