Advice on Chinese chopping board

Hi all

I bought this chopping board in Hong Kong a couple days ago and was wondering what people thought about the seller's advice on care and maintenance. First, here's a photo:

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As you can see, it's a nice looking piece of wood. It's solid but not too big, just about 28cm across and 4.5cm think, weighing between 2.5 and 3.0 kg. (Smallest size. Hey, I had to lug it onto a plane after.)

I asked 2 staff at the shop about care and their reply, basically, was to keep it wet. First, don't wash with soap or (obviously) put it in a dishwasher. Rinse it after use, they said, and use salt for cleaning and removing any smells. (Fair enough.) But more interestingly, both said to keep it moist all the time: after rinsing, cover with a wet towel - don't soak it, just cover it - and do this for at least the first month, and after that it should be 'okay'.

The more informative staff member said that if you don't do this, the whole piece will dry up and crack. I also asked if he knew about using oil or wax (thinking of mineral oil and beeswax, as people prefer here) and he said, yes, you can do that but maybe after and it's not necessary; oil wouldn't keep the board from drying and cracking and moisture was the crucial thing.

Was just wondering what the wood/board experts out there thoughy of this or if any one has experience with a similar board?

(In the photo the board is still in its plastic shrink wrapping. The advice was to do the above after first use and after unwrapping. At the shop, I noticed much larger pieces that were stored outside without plastic and kept moist - growing a bit of algae as a result.)

Just a bit more info should anyone be interested...

The shop I got this from is Man Kee Chopping Board and appears to be well-known in Hong Kong. http://mankee.hk/big5/ It's on Shanghai St near Yau Ma Tei and quite close to the Chan Chi Kee shop. If you google, there's some info on the disappearing traditional board makers in Hong Kong and this is one of the places mentioned.

The board was fairly cheap, HK$150, and so I hope it turns out to be a good deal. They told me it's made in China and the wood is from China, but that they don't know the name/kind of wood. (Though, as a shop that has traditionally specialised in boards, I find it odd they can't provide more specific info than that.)

I've used several round blocks that were not mine and owners generally don't oil and typically keep them wet...especially everyday-use blocks. I don't think I like this line of thinking, as it seems likely to promote fungus and a lovely bacterial culture throughout the wood fibers. I'd rather gradually saturate it with mineral oil.

XooMG said:

I've used several round blocks that were not mine and owners generally don't oil and typically keep them wet...especially everyday-use blocks. I don't think I like this line of thinking, as it seems likely to promote fungus and a lovely bacterial culture throughout the wood fibers. I'd rather gradually saturate it with mineral oil.

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Sure. Despite the apparent anti-microbial properties of the wood, I'd tend to agree.

My guess is that the water/moisture treatment is traditional and, of course, mineral oil wouldn't be. If so, then maybe they just wouldn't know about the oil approach as much. (One other thing they said was that I didn't need to use oil as the board would take in oil from the meats, etc, I'd be chopping at over time. But, unless you chopped at meat throughout the day, you wouldn't come close to exposing the wood to much oil in comparison to a repeated min oil treatment.)

Basically, I thought it'd be good to check here if people thought that I could disregard their instructions and just go the oil/beeswax route.

In a book on chinese cuisine that I have the one depicted (illustrated) is thicker then that (it's about 3-4 inches thick) and has an iron band. Not sure if that helps. Maybe to keep it from cracking you could bind the edge some how (if I were to bind a rounded wooden edge, my first thought would be raw hide and a staple gun...dunno how good that would work on a cutting board though, lol)?

If you use mineral oil the board will probably crack.

I'm not a fan of Chinese style cutting boards as they use "green" wood; the wood tends to be fresh from the tree rather than being properly dried. It is not uncommon to find sap leaching from the board when new.

Mineral oil won't absorb properly onto the board, it will form a very shallow layer on top of the remaining sap. An end grain kiln dried board is like a bundle of straws into which you can just pour oil. The Chinese board is more like a bundle of open bottles into which you can pour oil on top of the existing contents.

I would use of for decoration or as a bread board. I'm sure it will be "green" wood as you wouldn't go to the expense of drying a piece of wood in order to rehydrate it later.

Sounds like you know your stuff, MAS4T0.

Yes, I was wondering about his. I just peeled off a bit of the plastic and the wood definitely seemed moist and fresh underneath, and was very fragrant. I think you're right.

Hmm... The wood is nice but I don't think I'll use if for decoration. In that case I might, instead, follow the shop's instructions, not using the board, but keeping it most with a towel (I'll change the towels) and see how it is after the one month.

Helleri said:

In a book on chinese cuisine that I have the one depicted (illustrated) is thicker then that (it's about 3-4 inches thick) and has an iron band.

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Yeah, I've seen photos of these too. I actually expected that when I went to the stop, but theirs didn't have the bands.

Some old Americans suggest cleaning wooden boards with boiling water.

I agree that keeping it wet all the time is not ideal, especially the underneath which touches the table all the time with all the moisture, perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

LKH9 said:

I agree that keeping it wet all the time is not ideal, especially the underneath which touches the table all the time with all the moisture, perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

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Actually, it makes you worry how common the practice is. Only good if everything's cooked. However, the idea was also to use salt too.

Found it...looks more like a rope (then it does an iron band, as I had recalled earlier). That also has some advice about storage and use on it. Although I must say, the whole book comes off as a little condescending (and maybe a tad racist here and there) where the author refers to 'western culture'. That isn't to say the info probably isn't good. Just that anything I would excerpt from this particular book is going to show itself as a little off in attitude, lol.

Asteger said:

Actually, it makes you worry how common the practice is. Only good if everything's cooked. However, the idea was also to use salt too.

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I remember eating out at a food stall long ago, some food stuff chopped on the board, then served directly without being cooked once more(since it was cooked anyway), I could taste the strange smell of the dirty chopping board!:no:

LKH9 said:

I remember eating out at a food stall long ago, some food stuff chopped on the board, then served directly without being cooked once more(since it was cooked anyway), I could taste the strange smell of the dirty chopping board!:no:

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I believe that is called special sauce.

Helleri said:

I believe that is called special sauce.

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The more time they spending cleaning, the less time they spend cooking !

Helleri said:

Found it...looks more like a rope (then it does an iron band, as I had recalled earlier). That also has some advice about storage and use on it. Although I must say, the whole book comes off as a little condescending (and maybe a tad racist here and there) where the author refers to 'western culture'. That isn't to say the info probably isn't good. Just that anything I would excerpt from this particular book is going to show itself as a little off in attitude, lol.

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the wok shop sells a chopping like the one in the pic.
http://wokshop.stores.yahoo.net/choppingblock.html

I've seen them with lots of fittings, sometimes with big pipe clamps. The book Helleri posted may be right about the stumps but is very annoying and presumptuous with the East-West dichotomies and blind generalizations. Sadly such thinking is rampant on both sides....

I have one similar and after 5 year of everyday use is still in perfect condition, never had cracking problem - never soaked (never used with a cleaver). The wood it's really hard and doesn't absorb much water, the oiling is a good point, also cover- reduce food marks. I just clean it well after every use, sometimes I use a metal sponge and it's still in really good condition, I'll post some picture. If anyone pass by Prague can go to SAPA (Vietnamese City-market) and buy one for around 35€, maybe now they increased the prices.

If you are worried that it would crack you can buy this

http://m.aliexpress.com/item/1218451018.html?tracelog=wwwdetail2mobilesitedetail

XooMG said:

I've seen them with lots of fittings, sometimes with big pipe clamps. The book Helleri posted may be right about the stumps but is very annoying and presumptuous with the East-West dichotomies and blind generalizations. Sadly such thinking is rampant on both sides....

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Oh it gets way worse then that, lol... If you were to read through even about the first fourth of the book. It is filled with that. Some good points littered with negative cultural difference observations, that the author seems to try their best to keep off the pages. But somehow, simultaneously can't help making occasionally or bringing it all back around to that. It really does make it a hard read. Which sucks cause it has good information in it.

Anyway...I can't see going to a shop to buy a round of wood. I live in an area where firewood is still a year round business. We have propane and central heating systems as well. But still, about every single house also has a range/fireplace/or pot belly stove. I've got cutting rounds and anvil stumps off local woodchuckers before and for a chopping block I would probably turn to them as well. I'd also defer to their advice on what to get (they drive metal into wood all day...that's expert enough for me). Up here I can get just about any kind of wood as well. I guess though, for people who live in more urban or inner city areas, they sort of have to go to a specialty shop or order online.

Hey.. I am in the process of drying out such a piece as i picked up a Tembusu ( in Malaysia) aka Burmese yellow heart. MY attraction to it is that it is a solid big 1 piece end grain from a large tree.. 16 inches wide and abt 4 inches thick.

IT is still green. I did oil it adn after a few days.. it becomes white. AS wood is hygroscopic, it has to equalize with the moisture in the air. Oiling it even with tung oil, eventually the moisture from within will push it aside it and leave a deposit on the surface. Having said that.. oiling it is still useful as it retards the drying process as if the drying is too fast.. it causes stress adn cracks will appear. In this region .. it takes abt 6 months to dry for every inch.

This wood is prone to fissures or checking and if left unattended.. becomes bigger and eventually becomes a crack. When it is still a fissure.. soaking it in water wld make it swell and cover it up.

Thee smell from the wood moisture is quite discernible and thus is in storage in a cool place.

The traditional way here is to moist it and wash it regularly so that it retards the drying process . WHen you get it new.. you are suppose to soak it over night the first time. Once it has stabilized with the atmospheric humidity.. it shld be maintenance free..

AS you mentioned that there were moisture on the plastic wrapper.. the wood is still green and I suspect that parts of the surface wld have been mouldy. So.. if you intend to keep it.. oil it from time to time to retard the drying process to reduce stress till it really dries up. IN principle.. its just air drying wood and they always seal the end grain.

FInally.. a moisture meter is not applicable as it measures the moisture at the surface level only. WHen you touch it with teh palm of your hand .. you can feel the dampness.. if it is so... moist it from time to time

Have fun...

rgds
d

Tembusu is a great tree for making slingshot, I heard.:threadjacked:

I bought one from Chinatown in Sydney about 16 years ago. Gave up using it as a cutting board because it was so "green" that the grain would move so to speak and make the surface go very uneven. I still have this board and it's now my bread board. What I did was to get a small flat section on the side opposite the handle sawn off so I could stand it upright when not in use. Saves space.

There are those larger ones that are used in some char siew and siew ngap (Chinese barbeque meats) places that look fine though. The traditional way to clean it off seems to be scraping the surface with a cleaver.

Okay, I'm reviving this old thread for some advice. Probably should have read it before. Anyway, I was in Hong Kong a few weeks ago, and picked up a Large Kau Kong Chopper--thick cleaver, with an upswept spine. The knife is fine.
Just down the street was Man Kee, so I picked up a chopping board as well. The thick cleaver and board are for chopping hard stuff, possibly bones or other things I don't want to attempt with my more expensive and thinner J-knives. I decided I'd rather have this secondary board for chopping so I don't hack into my end-grain maple board.
I oiled the board several times, then put on some board butter. I was away and didn't use it for about a week, and when I pulled it out, there were a bunch of cracks on both sides. Maybe an inch or two long, and not super deep. (Yet, at least.)
I just soaked it in some hot water. It's a very dense wood--did not float in the sink. I guess I will try keeping a moist towel on it for a while. It seems kind of gross to do that long term, but I'll give it a shot for a while. It doesn't have a metal band on the outside, and I'm not quite sure how I'd go about finding such a thing here in Cambodia.
It wasn't terribly expensive, but I hope to keep the cracks to a minimum.

Any other ideas on how to treat it?

Asteger, how has yours held up since you bought it?

toddnmd said:

Asteger, how has yours held up since you bought it?

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I was in Vietnam recently and was thinking about this subject and my HK board. I was able to get a somewhat rough (I would have sanded it a bit) but nice and huge cut of, maybe, Tamarind wood which was, I don't know, at least 40cm across and 6cm thick. It was the kind the various meat sellers in the markets all used, and very solid. Paid only $6 or $7 for it in a market, because I had a Vietnamese helping me and I just got the local price. Anyway, I thought it was going to be worth lugging around, even if it was too heavy to stick in our check in baggage, and so I tried to carry it onto the plane, which they didn't allow - and so some friend of the security staff at Hanoi airport presumably has a huge new board for free.

The HK board has worked out well. I can't remember exactly what I did at first - experimented with how wet to keep it, or drying it, etc. I remember it drying alarmingly, with those radial cracks developing, and then giving it some water but thinking it'd be a write off. Then I forgot about it, then looked at it again and it looked good, without crack problems and it hadn't warped or anything (I think it had at one point in the beginning and then seemed to restore itself). I guess after sitting around a few months it had stablised somewhat.

The wood's a bit stinky, and this has lessened over time. Basically, when I started using it I oiled it with mineral oil, and this also made it look better (deep dark brown) and seems perhaps to have helped stablise it and eliminate some of the wood smell, which no longer bothers me. I remember in this thread that someone advised against using the oil, but it has turned out well for my board. Worried about expansions and contractions again, or warping, I'm also careful if it gets wet to wet it on both sides, so that any moisture absorption is spread out. However, it seems quite stable and sturdy, and is now a great solid small board, so it's all turned out well. Oh, and just so the entire board didn't become 'sealed' in oil, I also just oiled the top and bottom and left the sides unoiled, in case that helped with water/drying somewhat; because things have gone well, I haven't oiled the sides since either.

... Just looking again at some earlier comments in the thread, I remembered more of what I did when I got the board: I wasn't perfect but did try and follow the advice the shop gave, which was to keep it wet for the first month. After trying to use it and things being hit and miss, I got tired and stuck it in a closet on a pan with plenty of water and a wet towel that I checked up on. Sometimes I forgot and it dried, but when wet is was crackless and more swollen, and then I forgot about it and it dried and was all cracked. And then I assumed it was a lost cause, rough-tool board only, and I left it. Was pleasantly surprised a few months later when I rediscovered it in good shape, and it's been in regular use since.

... And one more: was looking at a site someone linked to earlier here, and this looks exactly like what I have http://wokshop.stores.yahoo.net/irchopbloc.html

Ironwood apparently?

I have one of those "ironwood" blocks from Wok Shop. Ironwood can mean about anything but I will say its a lot harder than American maple. The instructions that came with it said to soak it in salt water for several days, dry and then oil. It has been pretty stable since then. You see the same block all over China in convenience stores and even airport gift shops.

I mentioned once before on this forum but I really wanted to bring home one of the huge tamarind blocks I saw in Chiang Mai last spring but those things must weigh 40 pounds! I haven't found anyone that sells large tamarind blocks in the US though.

How did knife hunting in Viet Nam go for you?

Noodle Soup said:

How did knife hunting in Viet Nam go for you?

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Had no plan to knife hunt as I didn't expect much, but thought that large bit of wood confiscated at the airpot would have been a nice souvenir. Will be in Indonesia again soon, and there are certainly a few tamarind trees there.

There must be a way for you to order your block internationally somehow, with slow surface delivery so not ridiculously expensive.

So far I haven't been able to find a Thai source that is willing to ship the big ones. Of course, I probably wouldn't be willing to spend $150 on shipping a $10.00 block either.

When I was in Chengdu a couple of years ago, there was a guy going through the markets pushing a bike loaded down with chopping blocks of all sizes. Some of them were huge maybe 30-inches across. Never a good way to bring a lot of these super finds home.