Cutting board that will not dull an edge?

Sharpnessis

Sharpnessis

Joined
Aug 11, 2012
Messages
810
I just bought a Catskill Craftsman end grain cutting board. It is beautiful! It says it will not dull your knives. Anyone agree or disagree or have any first hand experience?
 
I can't speak for that one in particular, but end grain is the way to go to avoid edge damage. Unless it's made of ironwood or bamboo, or something (I bet it's not).

- Chris
 
For the past 4 or 5 years I have been using Bamboo exclusively. Not a single issue. Very easy to clean and do not dull edges.
 
End grains are recommended.

some japanese claim they have wood that is superior to most woods, forgot the reason but a 4x2 board was almost a grand!

Let me dig for article.


yanagi have very steep angle so its important for wood not to damage such thin edges
 
HwangJino said:
End grains are recommended.

some japanese claim they have wood that is superior to most woods, forgot the reason but a 4x2 board was almost a grand!

Let me dig for article.


yanagi have very steep angle so its important for wood not to damage such thin edges
Click to expand...

The Japaneese have many claims about natural materials that can be only found in their country and can only be processed by a highly skilled artisan who has been secretly trained by master craftsmen for generations exclusively in Japan. Curiously those products are always priced beyond the means of any middle class person and the claims go un-tested for the most part because the material is practically unobtainium. I'm not saying that the Japanese don't do some amazing work and they are blessed with some truly unique natural resources, but some of the claims are a little suspicious.

I use cutting boards made of polyethylene, it may dull edges, but not any more than the food I'm cutting as long as I'm careful not to bear down into the cutting board without food between it and the knife.
 
I use wood for now, and have been eyeing a bamboo board. I have not had any problems with dulling my knives on that board. What makes me cringe is when my wife cuts up veggies directly on the granite countertop!!
 
HwangJino said:
End grains are recommended.

some japanese claim they have wood that is superior to most woods, forgot the reason but a 4x2 board was almost a grand!

Let me dig for article.


yanagi have very steep angle so its important for wood not to damage such thin edges
Click to expand...

I believe they use Honoki wood, which is native to Japan and softer than hard maple. It's ubber expensive because the use a solid board, a solid hunk of maple or any decent wood ain't cheap.
 
jacksterp said:
For the past 4 or 5 years I have been using Bamboo exclusively. Not a single issue. Very easy to clean and do not dull edges.
Click to expand...

I strongly recommend against using bamboo since the glue used to bind the grass together to form the board is very hard and will actually dull your edge much faster than an end grain board. Bottom line, there's nothing better than a well built end grain butcher block/cutting board. I use a Boardsmith http://www.theboardsmith.com, which will last my lifetime.

Last but not least, the feel from cutting on a high quality end grain board is an immediate improvement over bamboo, plastic or composite cutting boards. It truly feels more natural.
 
Reversing perspectives might be of some help.

Sharpening a stiff bladed knife below a cetain angle will cause its delicate edge to quickly dull when used against a board.

Without a reliable sharpening method or device, it can be very easy to allow a kitchen knife's edge angle to become too small.
 
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I have been using my wood carving board for 39 years. It is not an end grain cutting surface but a side grain cutting surface. Having been in the USAF for several years portability ranked higher than a huge heavy block to move cross continents Now I'm just used to it dimensions.
 
At home I use boos.

at work we the japanese boards, I would love them for home use but are very pricey. But I can clearly see it does not dull my edge nearly as much as my boos.
 
IMHO, the key is how you are using your knife. are you pull slicing so only the tip is touching the board or are you using the knife like a hammer? regardless of the board, it is the force of impact that is going to damage your edge.
I use plastic for proteins, I don't want to scrub a wood board with hot water, strong soap and bleach. I use wood for everything else.
the old sailor
 
So far so good on this cutting board! No slice marks at all! The knives seem to be staying sharp! I'm impressed with thus end grain stuff! :D
 
Bamboo is my preference. I would say it also depends on how you are cutting/chopping up whatever your making. Used a few different wooden ones and it seems to dull my edge faster.
 
DON'T go bamboo...especially if you cook a lot.

Check out Lone Star, Boardsmith, John Boo and Pro Teak. The first two are really works of art. Buy as big as you can afford and get at least 3/4 inch, preferably more. When it starts to look bad, refinish it with sanding. You will never need to replace them.

Stick with maple, teak, cherry, walnut, and a few others used by the best. End grain is nice but long grain will perform as well but not as pretty. I have a large block from Lone Star and a few smaller octogonal ones from Pro Teak...IMO, the best buy in the business is this, as it can often be had for under 30 bucks and it's good wood for the money

Avoid bamboo...it is bad for blades, it cannot be refinished, and because of how they are made, they can trap particles that makes one sick a lot better than a properly maintained maple or teak board. It's glue dulls blades faster...while probably not important for the massively thick German blades, it's a terrible choice for laser Gyutos. When oiling, NEVER use olive oil or any oil other than mineral oil and/or beeswax. Food oils go bad over time and ruin the board.

For meat, use a synthetic board...never do meat and fruits/vegetables on the same board, for numerous reasons.
 
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