Wood cutting boards - end grain vs. ?

[ohsmily]

What is the benefit of "end grain" wood versus other types of wood cutting boards? Does it last longer? Are the end grain ones harder? If in fact they are harder, then won't this have an adverse affect on your knives?

Thank you in advance.

 

[TATTRAT]

It depends on the stack of the wood if i remember correctly. Depends on if it is stacked and bound vertically versus horizontaly...I think. But i am not too sure as far as knives are concerened.

 

[Andy M.]

The end grain is better for the knives than the edge grain.

The end grain is actually not as hard so it dulls the blade edge less.

 

[Michael in FtW]

End-grain (true butcher block) construction is the most knife friendly, as Andy said. Wood is made up of long bundles of fibers. On an end-grain board the knife blade essentially slides between the bundles, rather than cutting into the side of them as in the edge-grain boards.

To anticipate your next question ... one is just as sanitary as the other when properly cleaned and oiled.

 

[ohsmily]

Well, then it looks like this board or this type of board (perhaps a little bigger) http://www.totallybamboo.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=106 will serve very well then. It is listed as end grain and someone mentioned that bamboo is a good material...
Or, if someone wants to recommend a particular board (with a link), feel free to do so.

(P.S. someone linked me to that "totallybamboo" page...they have nice stuff it seems).

 

[Michael in FtW]

Well, I can't do your shopping for you. Here are some Google results that will keep you busy comparing sizes and prices:

End Grain Butcher Block Cutting Boards

Butcher Block Cutting Boards

Note: the term "butcher block" is not synonymous with "end grain" anymore ... it just means pieces of wood glued together (end, side or edge ... or some combination) - you have to look at the board and the specs. Some boards use a mixture of end and edge grain in alternating bands for "decorative" purposes.

Boards with legs are not reversable (you can't use both sides).

All of the true Asian cutting boards I have seen are round slices of a tree trunk (end grain) but they are not often seen in the US unless "homemade" or you have a good Asian market in your area. They are the most prone to splitting and require the most attention to maintain in "pristine" condition ... but they are generally the cheapest.

People who have switched over to bamboo boards are fanatical about them - like ex-smokers believing second-hand smoke contains more Carbon-Monixide than the smoker ingests. They are generally pretty, durable and all that I have ever seen were of very good quality ... and due to the nature of bamboo "may" not be as prone to splitting and warping as hardwood boards if not properly maintained.