Is this anything to be worried about?

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rennet

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I got a walnut carolina slab from Dave in February 2015 that arrived with what looked like a small scratch/defect in the corner and didn't think much of it.
You can see it on the leftmost corner of the 2nd picture:
eMiRDC9.jpg

7155NdM.jpg


This is a photo I took today of the defect. It doesn't seem to have widened or lengthened, but a thin line is visible on the underside of the board which makes me pretty sure it's a crack (end checking?) that runs through the width of the board.
qN493kx.jpg



Should anything be done to prevent this crack from expanding? The board is already oiled and waxed regularly.
Can I repair it somehow?
Any advice is appreciated.
 
If your concerned that the crack will propagate you can clean it with acetone and fix it with West Systems Epoxy.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--penetrating-epoxy--P015023724

This is very thin expo that will penetrate into the crack. Mix small quantities at a time and let it flow into the crack and cure then repeat as many times as necessary to totally fill the crack. Wear disposable gloves when working with epoxy and once cured sand any protrusions with 150 or 180 grit sandpaper, then recoil your board.
 
I think it might be a good idea to fill the crack. I know Jack has tons of experience with woodworking and using tools, so I'd trust his advice. I assume that epoxy is foodsafe once cured, and hopefully not too tough on your edges. Probably not that much of a concern anyway, given the location of the crack so close to the corner.

You could also contact John Loftis, the new owner of Boardsmith, for his guidance. I'd be curious to hear what he has to say.
 
I would definitely fill the crack, otherwise water goes in and trapped in there, it will be bad.
 
+1 on reaching out to John. Don't know how often he checks in here - try something more direct?
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

I've contacted John and will wait for his input as well.

In the meantime I'll see if I can find some penetrating epoxy. I looked for a while yesterday and it seems pretty hard to source in Canada.
 
David here.

Bad idea about using epoxy. First; to hard, might damage the knife edge. Second; epoxy will not adhere to the oil soaked wood. Third; trying to sand the epoxy off on the oil soaked wood will be an exercise in futility since the wood fibers will clog the sandpaper with just a few strokes.

Sorry about the crack, sometimes they show up in the most inappropriate times. If it hasn't moved then the possibility of moving is very small. You can cover the crack using a child's wax crayon which isfood safe. If is moves in the future, there are other methods that can be used to get rid of the crack.
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

I've contacted John and will wait for his input as well.

In the meantime I'll see if I can find some penetrating epoxy. I looked for a while yesterday and it seems pretty hard to source in Canada.

Hi folks, thanks for reaching out. It might sound silly, but I agree with my mentor here that a brown crayon would be the easiest semi-permanent solution. I suspect that there is just a little hairline checking in the wood; it happens, sometimes.

Not looking to start a debate, but I don't have negative feelings about West Systems epoxy in a situation like this, either. The checking is so hairline that I think you'd be ok. If you go that route, make sure you tape off the crack with blue painter's tape to make your clean-up easier.

Viewed solely through the lens of cost-benefit, a crayon will take 30 seconds and cost a dime. Epoxy has a much higher PITA factor, especially if you don't already own the product.

As a final thought, if you've had and used the board for over a year with no change in that little crack, I think it's unlikely that it is going to grow at this point.
 
David here.
...

Hi folks, thanks for reaching out.
...


It's great to hear from both of you. It's reassuring to know that the crack is unlikely to grow and that nothing really needs to be done about it. The crack is already full of beeswax so I was thinking of just warming it up a little and forcing some more melted wax into the void.

If the crack does eventually grow I'll be back in contact to ask about repair.

Thanks to everyone for the input!
 
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