Cutting board...Bamboo vs Oak

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You can always buy 2x4 planks from your local hardware store and glue pieces together.
 
CoteRotie said:
I completely agree, Hi-Soft (or maybe Sani-Tuff or equivalent) is the way to go for best performance and minimum edge wear.

However they don't look as nice as wood boards, and decent performance with better looks seems like a fair tradeoff for a lot of people.

I'll keep my Hi-Softs though :)
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See, I like the look of hi-soft, but maybe just cuz I know what it is and respect the establishment using
 
teak gets a bad rep, but i love mine, and have a hard time understanding this silica argument. i'm not cutting the board, i'm cutting food on the board.

i've also used bamboo, which i hated, due to the warping and cracking. people keep lumping teak and bamboo together because of the silica content, but my experience is that they are very different woods.
 
gman said:
teak gets a bad rep, but i love mine, and have a hard time understanding this silica argument. i'm not cutting the board, i'm cutting food on the board.

i've also used bamboo, which i hated, due to the warping and cracking. people keep lumping teak and bamboo together because of the silica content, but my experience is that they are very different woods.
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It will probably depend on the cutting technique one uses. If you 'guillotine and glide' you have a longer contact between edge and board than with pure push-cutting. In the first case, absence of silica will be decisive, in the second one, the wood's hardness.
 
Hi again all.

Thanks to all of your inputs I now have an idea what to look after. I am just still trying to come up with a good enough reason to spend the amount of money needed. It is after all just for home use.

Anyway...meanwhile I fell ower this really cheap oak board at a local market. I have no idea of brand. Or origin but it is a great size, 4 cm thick and nize and heavy. I washed it. oiled it twice with white mineral oil, and sanded it a bit with 240 sandpaper, because it got a bit rough after wash. Now time will tell if I made a bargain.
 

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Chef Doom said:
You can always buy 2x4 planks from your local hardware store and glue pieces together.
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Pardon my curiosity

2x4 inches?

And does it need to be sanded or?

What type of glue, is there some more foodsafe than others?
 
I've made several cutting boards out of oak and mahogany drops from a local molding-making operation. (American White Oak)
They hold up pretty well. With oak, the challenge is that the grain is kind of large. If you're using a very fine-edged blade, you might catch the edge in the grain. For my purposes with more rugged steels and angles, this is a non-issue. I'm sure end-grain would be great in oak, but that's a whole lot more work. :)

I sand to 220 with a hand-held orbital sander and treat with Howard's Butcher Block "stuff" (mineral oil/beeswax/carnuba)

Only one has ever separated a bit, but that's surely due to my own clamping error when gluing it up.
 
gman - if you own a hand plane go ahead and sharpen it to get the best edge and then take several strokes with the grain of a teak board. The first thing you will notice is the sound like running your tool over sandpaper and right after several strokes look at your edge. I can tell you what my experiences are making furniture out of teak but some folks just have to see got themselves. Yes a knife edge is a different geometry but it still is an edge. Don't take my word for it - try it for yourself.
 
jacko9 said:
gman - if you own a hand plane go ahead and sharpen it to get the best edge and then take several strokes with the grain of a teak board. The first thing you will notice is the sound like running your tool over sandpaper and right after several strokes look at your edge. I can tell you what my experiences are making furniture out of teak but some folks just have to see got themselves. Yes a knife edge is a different geometry but it still is an edge. Don't take my word for it - try it for yourself.
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i believe you, but i'm not using my knives to lathe table legs. i'm cutting food, and MY experience is that my knives stay sharp for an acceptable length of time, and even if they could last longer on a different type of board, i appreciate some of the other qualities of the wood, such as how it holds up when exposed to moisture. there is more to consider than edge retention.
 
gman said:
i believe you, but i'm not using my knives to lathe table legs. i'm cutting food, and MY experience is that my knives stay sharp for an acceptable length of time, and even if they could last longer on a different type of board, i appreciate some of the other qualities of the wood, such as how it holds up when exposed to moisture. there is more to consider than edge retention.
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I agree with you on that point. After all I am not using it 8 hours a day. And for me it is just as important that the board is solid and easy to maintain.

I ended up buying this..

https://www.skagerak.dk/dk/indoor/dania-cutting-board-50x27-s1990847

For me it has a good size, it's nice and solid/heavy and absorbs less water then my other wood boards. I haven't noticed my knives getting dull any faster..but as I said, I don't use it 8 hours a day.
 
Forgive my foolishness but I have always been taught end grain maple make the best chopping boards.
 
Was using a 12"x16"x3" maple endgrain since the 70's. Lately had it too close to the sink, and shouldn't have set glasses on it to dry. The pieces at the corners started to warp. Took the few pieces off, sanded the edges, and re-glued with wood bond. Will have to fill the gaps with wood putty. Light sand and some mineral oil should set it right.

All the rage now is side grain teak. I prefer end grain, but they come apart more readily.

If you're serious, get a standing solid maple butcher block from a restaurant supply. Boos makes some nice ones.
 
Which brands of hi soft seem to be the top based on forum consensus? Thanks
 
keen81 said:
Forgive my foolishness but I have always been taught end grain maple make the best chopping boards.
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I found and refinished a used one, but they can be had for less than two bills.


Maple CCB 2-1/4" Thick Chopping Block - Reversible
18X18X2.25 MPL-END GR-REV-GRIPS CHOP BLOCK CCB1818-225 662969358020 22.00 22X22X6 $ 175.95
 
If you want a super soft wooden board you could try the Tojiro Japanese Plum tree one. I got it and its super light and the wood is unbelievably soft. Be very carefuly with it. But you can be sure your extreme Laser Gyutos dont chip on it.
 
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