Finishing question

[Junkyard Engineer]

I've done a Knife block in red oak to replace our run down old block.

What type of finish should I use in order to sustain kitchen environment (water, grease, bacteria and god knows what) ?

[SonomaProducts.com]

Red Oak is extremely porous. I would opt for a good film finish, probably a Poly. Some folks may steer you towards a mineral oil finish, such as used on cutting boards but I think Red Oak is just too porous and should probably be sealed.