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Originally Posted by marmalady  In the market for a new one, just wanted opinions on the different woods - ie, maple, oak, bamboo, as to durability, care, etc. |
I believe that I might be able to shed a little light on this subject.
Maple is the traditional wood for cutting boards and butcher blocks. The tight, hard and dense grain pattern makes it ideal for use. Oak and other open pore woods are poor choices. The open grain and pores can trap water and food particles easily. Leave the oak for furniture. As well, some of the exotic woods used can contain toxic chemicals which the trees have developed as a defense to insects. Some domestic woods can be very toxic as well. Black locust can kill a mule. People who raise horses will not let black walnut shavings come into contact with their horses hooves. Cause some sort of a problem.
The general rule for choosing a wood for use, any wood with a running sap like maple which makes maple syrup or a tree with an edible nut. If the sap can make a food and the nuts are edible, then the tree is considered safe. Oak is an exception to this due to the open nature of the grain.
Bamboo is touted as a "green" alternative. Very hard and dense, harder and denser than maple in fact, and even harder when the small pieces are glued together and your knife edge is cutting against more glue than bamboo. The conditions the bamboo boards are made in are certainly not as clean as what you will see here in the USA.
Also, some major American board manufacturers are adding hardening resins to their boards to make them last longer. Makes them very tough on the knife edges and may be the cause of chipping in the better knives.
Mineral oil is the best treatment to use. It is an inert oil that is super refined and unlike vegetable and other organic oils, will not turn rancid. Some people suggest linseed oil, used to make oil based paint, and tung oil. Neither of which will dry completely without the addition of heavy metal driers which are highly toxic.
Odors can be removed with the application of a baking soda paste. Stains can be removed with peroxide. But nothing can compare to regular maintenance; cleaning, sanitizing and oiling.
All of the boards I make use the rubber tipped feet for several reasons. They absorb shocks from chopping and general use, they keep the board rock steady and stop it from slipping on the counter top during use, they provide a convenient hand hold for moving and lastly they give the board an air space underneath which helps to keep it dry, even out the moisture absorption which helps to prevent splitting and cracking. A well made board will last for a long time and a double sided board will last just as long but will be more prone to splitting and cracking from moisture that could pool underneath.
End grain will dull a set of planer blades in a matter or moments and the resulting mess will make an enemy fast. And an oily or well used board with a coating of fats will clog sanding belts instantly. Either live with the scratches or scrape the board to a new surface with a cabinet scraper.
David