The best cutting boards, you ask? In my opinion, end grain boards are the best. End grain boards have been used in busy kitchens for centuries. Here’s why:
- The FDA says cutting boards should be “Hard Maple or its equivalent.” What I do is combine Hard Maple – which is the wood I use the most – with other hardwoods from around the world to make colorful, pretty, durable cutting boards.
- End grain boards show less wear than edge grain boards (the kind that show stripes; you see the edges of the boards instead of the ends). However, since these are hardwood boards they show much less wear than the less expensive softwood boards that many people are familiar with.
- Wooden boards are naturally anti-bacterial. These boards actually inhibit the growth of bacteria. Scientific tests have shown wooden boards have less bacteria than all other kinds of cutting boards after 5 minutes, after an hour, after a day. This is not just my opinion: it’s science. See the links at the bottom of this post.
These 3 boards were finished together with the 200th cutting board that published yesterday; the 4 of them hearken back to when I made boards in small batches of 5 or 10.
Those were good days.
Each of these boards are unique; I’ve described why in the description of each board.
Cutting Board 16 – End 043. This is the second time I’ve made this design. I love the colorful edge, and the strong brown Jatoba that complements the more muted tones of the Hard Maple. Purpleheart, Hard Maple & Jatoba. End Grain. 14″ x 18″ x 1-1/2″.
Cutting Board 16 – End 041. “Kaye’s Board.” I’ve made a few boards similar to this one, but the woods are different in every one. When I make this board, it generally sells in one of the first events it is shown at. Bubinga, Cherry, Purpleheart, Bloodwood, Jatoba, Yellowheart & Canarywood. End Grain. 14″ x 18″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board 16 – End 042. This board took over a year to make. I purchased the Spalted Ash from a woodworker in Camarillo who was selling off his inventory – the boards were decades old. The last few pieces of Ash got glued up in the shape you see here, and there they sat until I got some wide Jatoba pieces that were the perfect complement to the Ash’s brown tones. In woodworking, and in life, patience is a virtue. Jatoba & Spalted Ash. End Grain. 11″ x 15″ x 1″.
More
Cutting Boards: What Kind Do You Want?
Cutting Boards: Care & Cleaning
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