Megan I don't know what a block piece is but it sounds like you don't want one and shouldn't have one.
@Ines once explained it in her experience report with the fancysteel belt, but I don't know exactly what the topic was called.
if you could get used to it after an hour i can only say congratulations, i don't think it works so well with real bands, but hey i am excited about the effort you put in