Sharp knives "stick" to cutting cutting board

[maxxpup]

Hi, my sharpest knives, the ones I use for veggies, onions, shallots etc. seem to stick on my cutting boards unless I'm using an up and down motion. Makes cutting extremely difficult.
The collective genius of the internet says my knife is either too sharp or too dull.
I think it's more likely the board. Any suggestions?
We're using a brand called Epicurean. Dunno what they are made of, but it's definitely not wood.

 

[M1k3]

Sounds sharp and thin behind the edge.

 

[mc2442]

If you are using composite epicurean boards that I am thinking of I am surprised you are sinking in as they are relatively hard (and hard on edges). Other than having a sharp knife, I would say it is technique or more specifically the force you are cutting with. I doubt you are putting as much force with "up and down motion" as you do push cutting.

Just a guess.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Is your knife sticking to or sticking into the board. We tend to immediately think of an edge sticking into a board as we encounter that with sharp and thin edges like @M1k3 said. But, I would also be surprised if that is the case on those hard boards. In fact, if you're blade is sticking on top of the board I'd be thinking the edge needs work.

I guess I could see a duller edge on those hard boards giving a stick feeling.

What knife/ves are you using? Does it leave a line/cut in the board when it sticks?

 

[maxxpup]

Most recently it was an Anyru Stainless clad B2 which is sharp AF. Just tried push cutting with it again. Pretty much not possible, didn't notice a line/cut.
Maybe the brand is wrong? they all kinda look the same...we have multiple sizes from SLT & William Sonoma.

 

[deltaplex]

Most recently it was an Anyru Stainless clad B2 which is sharp AF. Just tried push cutting with it again. Pretty much not possible, didn't notice a line/cut.
Maybe the brand is wrong? they all kinda look the same...we have multiple sizes from SLT & William Sonoma.

It's a "paper composite" board? My guess is that your push cuts are sinking in to the board until they stop, I'd try a board made of a different material.

 

[Delat]

A few of my knives stick in my end grain board sometimes. You might try either a lighter touch or a higher sharpening angle.

Epicurean boards are very tough, so if your knife is sticking in those you're probably pushing too hard. Although sometimes that's unavoidable with thick, dense produce.

 

[stringer]

Hi, my sharpest knives, the ones I use for veggies, onions, shallots etc. seem to stick on my cutting boards unless I'm using an up and down motion. Makes cutting extremely difficult.
The collective genius of the internet says my knife is either too sharp or too dull.
I think it's more likely the board. Any suggestions?
We're using a brand called Epicurean. Dunno what they are made of, but it's definitely not wood.

This happens to me when I go too fine with synthetic edges. Like anything above 2k. If you like very fine edges then I find that I have less trouble with board stickiness if I use naturals to finish. I can't prove it scientifically, but in my experience, an 8k synthetic edge will stick in the board a lot more that a trans/black Arkansas edge. But they should be about the same "fineness."

 

[maxxpup]

It's a "paper composite" board? My guess is that your push cuts are sinking in to the board until they stop, I'd try a board made of a different material.

I'm thinking of trying a Haregawa or Asahi cutting board. Not sure if one is better than the other for push cuts.

 

[tostadas]

When I use my synthetic rubber boards with knives sharpened to less than 1k grit, they tend to bite into the board. I don't have the same problem when using my wooden boards and higher grits.

 

[M1k3]

This happens to me when I go too fine with synthetic edges. Like anything above 2k. If you like very fine edges then I find that I have less trouble with board stickiness if I use naturals to finish. I can't prove it scientifically, but in my experience, an 8k synthetic edge will stick in the board a lot more that a trans/black Arkansas edge. But they should be about the same "fineness."

I had the opposite problem with my old Takamura. Edge off a India fine would stick like crazy into the cutting board.

 

[stringer]

This happens to me when I go too fine with synthetic edges. Like anything above 2k. If you like very fine edges then I find that I have less trouble with board stickiness if I use naturals to finish. I can't prove it scientifically, but in my experience, an 8k synthetic edge will stick in the board a lot more that a trans/black Arkansas edge. But they should be about the same "fineness."

When I use my synthetic rubber boards with knives sharpened to less than 1k grit, they tend to bite into the board. I don't have the same problem when using my wooden boards and higher grits.

I had the opposite problem with my old Takamura. Edge off a India fine would stick like crazy into the cutting board.

So KKF hive genius agrees with Internet hive genius OP. Your knife is either too sharp or too dull and you probably need more sharpening stones and more knives to figure out which. Or maybe more cutting boards.

 

[Michi]

So KKF hive genius agrees with Internet hive genius OP. Your knife is either too sharp or too dull and you probably need more sharpening stones and more knives to figure out which. Or maybe more cutting boards.

For a proper double-blind test, you need several of each, otherwise the results will not be statistically significant.

 

[maxxpup]

So KKF hive genius agrees with Internet hive genius OP. Your knife is either too sharp or too dull and you probably need more sharpening stones and more knives to figure out which. Or maybe more cutting boards.

I'm oddly at peace with this response.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I'm oddly at peace with this response.

Welcome.

 

[jedy617]

I notice my sub 100 bess Myojin denka is biting into my end grain board a bit.

 

[Pie]

Myojin denka

Damn sir. That’s one hell of a knife.

Re: OP: my edges stick so bad in my Hasegawa that the board just migrates around my counter. Tbh I’m mostly good with it because I don’t do much massive high volume preps, and I don’t really want to give up any raw sharpness.

I say grab yourself a different board, possibly end grain, and see what happens.

 

[Delat]

Here's an example of why it's so unpredictable. I did a carrot test video with a bunch of knives which is a perfect test case. They're all sharpened the exact same way - same 15 dps angle, finished and deburred on SG4k, stropped on diamond-loaded leather.

And yet only one knife in the test sticks in the board - you can clearly hear the Wakui nakiri make that distinctive "ting" sound on the first cut as I pull it out of the board. Immediately after that I lightened up the pressure and adjusted my cutting angle to be slightly flatter so subsequent cuts don't stick.

Some of my other knives will stick with a fresh edge (mostly the ones that are very thin BTE), but for whatever reason amongst all my knives, that Wakui tends to stick the most and not just with a fresh edge.