Blog

Checkerboard end-grain cutting board alternating pale maple and dark walnut squares
checkerboard cutting board

Checkerboard Cutting Board: Which Woods Pair Best With Maple?

Walnut is the best partner for maple, with cherry and sapele behind it. But hard...
Read more
Macro comparison of porous open-grain red oak beside tight closed-grain hard maple, showing the pore structure that matters for cutting boards
open grain oak ash

What Woods to Avoid for a Cutting Board

Avoid open-grain hardwoods like oak and ash, every softwood, anything laminated with unnamed adhesive, and...
Read more
Solid birch cutting board beside a birch plywood board showing its plies
wood-comparison

Is Birch Good for Cutting Boards?

Solid birch works as a budget cutting board but dents sooner than hard maple. Never...
Read more
Scratched glass cutting board beside a warm end-grain maple board
glass cutting board

Maple vs. Glass Cutting Boards: Why Glass Destroys Your Knives

Glass cutting boards chip knife edges because glass has no give. Hard maple end-grain flexes...
Read more
Edge-grain vs face-grain hard maple cutting boards compared side by side
wood-comparison

Edge-Grain vs. Face-Grain Cutting Boards: Which Should You Buy?

Edge-grain is the better daily board. Face-grain shows the prettiest figure and costs least, but...
Read more
Acacia vs teak cutting boards compared side by side
wood-comparison

Acacia vs. Teak Cutting Boards: Which Should You Buy?

Acacia wins on price and looks, teak wins on water-resistance. Both dull knives faster than...
Read more
Small olive wood serving board with dramatic figured grain holding cheese and a knife
wood-comparison

Is Olive Wood Good for Cutting Boards?

Olive wood makes a beautiful cheese and serving board, but at ~2,700 Janka it dulls...
Read more
Hard maple vs ash cutting boards compared side by side
wood-comparison

Maple vs. Ash Cutting Boards: Does Open Grain Matter?

Buy maple. Ash is nearly as hard, but its open ring-porous grain traps moisture and...
Read more
Hard maple vs hickory cutting boards compared side by side
wood-comparison

Maple vs. Hickory Cutting Boards: Is Hickory Too Hard?

Maple is the better daily board. Hickory is tougher at 1,820 lbf, but it dulls...
Read more
Hard maple vs beech cutting boards compared side by side
wood-comparison

Maple vs. Beech Cutting Boards: Which Hardwood Wins?

Buy the maple board. Beech is softer and costs less, but it swells and warps...
Read more
Hinoki vs hard maple cutting boards compared side by side
hinoki cutting board

Hinoki vs Maple Cutting Boards: Which Should You Actually Buy?

Hard maple is the better everyday board. Hinoki is softer and kinder to knives, but...
Read more
Hard maple and soft maple cutting boards side by side showing grain difference
acer saccharum cutting board

Hard Maple vs. Soft Maple Cutting Boards

Not all maple is equal. Hard maple is the chef's-grade board wood; soft maple is...
Read more
1 2 ยป