End grain chopping blocks.... offcuts on eBay

[craigjsmith]

Morning guys....

I am wanting to start some chopping boards. Simple bread cutting boards I'm good with....

End grain butchers blocks are my next projects... on eBay I see pallets of offcuts of hardwood, oaks etc for sale... will the likes oak be hard enough for these???

I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Craig

 

[NazNomad]

Oak is not often used in end-grain cutting boards. The reason is that oak, while hard, has very large pores. When these pores are cut through they are visible to the naked eye. Large pores cause the same problem as cuts and scratches – they harbour bacteria and can cause waterlogging.

Maple, Cherry Walnut, Teak, or any of the 'non-toxic' close-grained hardwoods are ideal for end-grain chopping boards.

 

[craigjsmith]

Thanks for the quick reply... that has answered all my issues that I thought may arise...

Now on the look out for possible supplies of tighter grain wood....

Many thanks

 

[thetyreman]

yet butchers blocks are made from end grain oak...

 

[Beau]

yet butchers blocks are made from end grain oak...

Ehm you sure. The only ones I have seen are maple or beech.

If the board is just for cutting bread I cant see an issue. We have an old oak board (not end grain) and it's fine for cutting up bread but don't use it for raw meat. If you can get oak offcuts give it a go as after a few good coats of tung oil the pours in the grain are pretty much blocked anyway.

 

[NazNomad]

Also, from a pedantic point of view, if it's end-grain it's a butcher's block by definition, although chopping boards & butcher's block have blurred lines between them now.

 

[Rorschach]

You don't need to worry about the wood harbouring bacteria, wooden board are self sterilising. Oak is not the best though, it has coarse grain, clogs easily and cracks easily too I think.

 

[Dan j]

Bacteria wont multiply on wood unless its absolutely swamped with them.

I've seen a number of oak butchers blocks.
The biggest issue is if you are cutting with carbon steel knives on an oak block it can leave blue stains from the tannin reacting with the steel. Wont do any harm but might not look great.
Most bog standard kitchen knives are stainless, but some high end chefs knives use a carbon steel so you can have a razor sharp edge on them.
Beech is pretty ideal, easy to come by, no tannin and inexpensive.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

http://www.scobiesdirect.com/Products.asp?ProdCat=50054 Not exactly cheap.
I have to say I've seen dozens over the years, and they've all been beech or maple. I've never seen an oak one. A quick google shows loads of oak endgrain worktop/breadboard type things, but no oak blocks as such.

 

[Benchwayze]

Morning guys....

I am wanting to start some chopping boards. Simple bread cutting boards I'm good with....

End grain butchers blocks are my next projects... on eBay I see pallets of offcuts of hardwood, oaks etc for sale... will the likes oak be hard enough for these???

I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Craig

Craig.

Are you making just one board; or a run?

 

[craigjsmith]

Morning guys....

I am wanting to start some chopping boards. Simple bread cutting boards I'm good with....

End grain butchers blocks are my next projects... on eBay I see pallets of offcuts of hardwood, oaks etc for sale... will the likes oak be hard enough for these???

I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Craig

Craig.

Are you making just one board; or a run?

I am planning on making a few John..... looking to buy some bulk offcuts and make a few to gain some experience... I have already made one from a mixed box of hardwood i bought on ebay, but this is obviously difficult to tell to a newby like me what wood is what.... lol....

 

[Benchwayze]

Ah! OK. Just that I had a lump of maple lying about; it was going to be a wooden jack; another a round 'tuit, I never got to. There's ample timber to make one board. I would make one myself, as the one I have is split. 'Cos the last time I used it, I dropped it on my toe! My slippers don't have steel caps! 8-[

So I'll do without!

John

 

[craigjsmith]

Steel Toe'd slippers, there's a business opportunity right there....

I have just spoken to my (not so) local timber merchant and they have Maple and cherry in stock in 1 1/2" slabs....

They also do free delivery down my way so im ordering a slab of each to see how i get on.. the Maple and the Cherry should be a nice enough contrast.... Fingers crossed...

Go get your chopping board made... lol.... Oh clamps, i need more clamps... Ebay here i come.... lol

Craig