291 replies to this topic

[JPW]

Thin boards will have a tendency to bow if you let them air dry at an angle. You can usually fix by leaning it the other way the next time you wash and dry.

But on the whole, I agree with GoodEater - do not cut on a badly warped board.

Mineral oil can be found at a good hardware store (not necessarily at Lowes or Home Despot). If they sell cast iron pans, chances are that they'll sell mineral oil. Be sure to look for "food grade" on the label.

[sparrowgrass]

I have a wooden cutting board that is made of various hardwoods that are cut in about 1 inch strips and glued together. I washed it one day and set it flat on the counter, and the damp side swelled and warped the board. I just washed it again, turned it over so the swelled up side was on top, and waited till it had straightened out.

However, if I read your post right, the sections are warping independently. If that is true, I would follow Goodeater's advice and pitch it.

[Arey]

Any drugstore should carry mineral oil. It is commonly used as a laxative and lubricant. I suppose you could unwarp the board the same way antique restorers
unwarp table tops and such that are warped. Seems like a lot of trouble though, and you'd have to go out and buy a board to use while waiting for the warped one to be restored to a usable state.

[andiesenji]

If it is thick enough, and 1 inch should be, just get some sandpaper, coarse, medium, fine, super fine and sand it down until it is flat.
If you know someone who has woodworking equipment they can do it for you.
Even hardwood can be worked easily with sandpaper, wrap it around a block of wood which you can get as scraps at a lumbar yard or someplace like Lowe's or Home Depot, etc.

I have a lot of butcher block counter tops and occasionally have had one develop a bump, usuallly from someone setting a hot pan on a wet counter.
I have a lot of woodworking tools and use a wide draw knife to shave the bump down, then finish with sandpaper then seal it.

I buy mineral oil (food grade) in the drug store or Wal-Mart. It is usually right next to the Milk of Magnesia.

If you spend a little more and get one of the "end-grain" cutting boards, which are usually much thicker, you will not have a problem with warping just from moisture as wood warps along the linear plane. Heat and water will cause it to swell but it often will return to normal after a time.

If there is one of the "Factory Outlet" group of stores near you, check for a kitchenware outlet. They have excellent buys on cutting boards, all shapes and sizes, cheaper than I have seen anywhere else. I bought several to take with me when I am going to be cooking somewhere other than my home because most people do not have good ones and I do not want to ruin my knives. I carry one for meats and poultry and one for vegetables to prevent cross-contamination.

Here is a good hint for you. Go to one of the art supply places and buy one of the semi-rigid plastic art carriers. They have the perfect size for carrying your cutting boards, keeps them clean and away from other things.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Hi all,

Some of you may have seen me lurking around Malarkey on several occasions. I've met some of you and look forward to more such occasions. Now you're treated to me VERY FIRST post to eGullet! <insert fan fare here>

I've been up here for 20 minutes and am astonished to find no "gear and hardware" type of forums. Is eGullet all about food, cooking, but not about the equipment?

At any rate, here's my question. Please direct me to the appropriate forum if I'm lost. Feel free to slap me around if I'm totally out of line.

I have a debate going on with an acquaintance. He claims that Corian is an "disinfectable material" (sounds like a good band name, eh?). He swears by the stuff (and referenced use of the material in medical situations).

Well sure, it's non-porous, but after you cut on it in the kitchen?

He agrees that after you make several cuts, and grooves and chips with knives and other kitchen utensils that you've got some place to breed bacteria (not that I recommend using your good knives on such a hard surface). His solution? Use 240 grit scotch bright to restore it. Fine. Lesson learned there. Mine would get downright BROWN with bacteria.

But why then, if it requires such maintenance, is it superior to wood?

Last night, I was amazed to find that I couldn't google up any studies on the matter. I could have sworn this was a previously discussed issue.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Not A Speck Of Cereal

[winesonoma]

END GRAIN MAPLE is the only cutting board to use. Corian tears up your knives and you should always cut on a board not your countertop unless you want to make me rich. I do countertops.$100 will get you a 3.5 inch thick end grain maple that you maintain with mineral oil.

[jackal10]

Corian and the like is for looking at, not for a working kitchen. Its for poseurs.
It cuts, burns and melts at hot pan temperatures, and is not inherently anti-bacterial, unlike wood.
Use a wooden chopping or pastry board on top of corian

[malarkey]

Welcome to eGullet, Speck!

....and I've told you before, get rid o' dat ting. WOOD!

[fresco]

Cutting boards seem to come up a lot here. One previous thread, in which the wood vs synthetic issue is raised:

http://forums.egulle...=0

[irodguy]

The non wood, metal, rock, synthetic etc. all shares the same general problem. There is bacteria every where in the air etc.

If you use non wood, you not only may do bad things to your knife, but you also stand a much higher chance of contamination. Wood has natural antibiotic properties.

When I am using metal or a large marble for dough, I thoroughly clean it before and after use. While with the wood boards for a quick job, I normally grab cut clean, not so picky about the pre-cleaning.

[Dave the Cook]

A synopsis of a study by Dr. Dean Cliver, professor of population health and reproduction at University of California-Davis:

Wood beats plastic.

[fresco]

The link above is stale.

This one works:

http://www.mysticwoo...om/WoodBest.asp

[winesonoma]

Wood cutting boards; http://www.knifemerc...ducts.asp?SRS=1

[andiesenji]

Wood cutting boards; http://www.knifemerc...ducts.asp?SRS=1

This is my favorite online merchant.

They have great service and great products.

[Malawry]

I use wood for everything but raw meat--for that I use a NSF-certified plastic board I picked up at a restaurant supply store once.

My knives stay in great condition, and I have never contracted food poisoning.

[Steve Martin]

The 'wood is best' credo is purely the result of research conducted by Dean Cliver; in California, no less.

http://www.naturalha...ttingboard.shtm


All later research, including the FDA, refutes his claims.

http://www.securityw...oardsafety.html

http://outreach.miss...ting_board.html

http://www.oznet.ksu...mely/WOODVP.HTM

[bleachboy]

I also kind of like the color coded boards. For wood, there's one called Identibord.

Rubbermaid has a very similar product with color-coded plastic cutting boards.

[Stone]

Has anyone here ever gotten sick from their cutting board? Or known someone that has? Or heard about someone that has?

[Al_Dente]

Has anyone here ever gotten sick from their cutting board?  Or known someone that has?  Or heard about someone that has?

Nope. Though I dropped a heavy one on my foot once and had a big bruise. Does that count?

I hate to see people use Corian cutting boards. Your knives wouldn't be able to slice an over-ripe peeled banana after that kind of abuse.

Edited by Al_Dente, 22 July 2004 - 07:51 AM.

[jayhay]

I had a wooden cutting board warp on me, & I solved the problem by heating a heavy, cast iron frying pan, & leaving it on the board to cool. Good as new!

[rbm]

To unwarp the board, you have to rip the board into a couple of pieces, plane the edges and reglue the pieces again. The process is easy but it's really handy if you know someone with woodworking machines like a table saw and jointer (or maybe have access to a school woodworking shop).

Use the table saw or a circular saw to rip the board along the pieces where the board seems to be warping most, or if the board is warped over its entire width, cut into three pieces. Using a jointer or hand plane, joint each piece so that the edge is 90 degrees to the face. That's the reason a jointer makes the work easier because the fence of the jointer references the work to the blades and makes the work easy and precise. When the edges are jointed, reglue and clamp the pieces again. Your board will be a couple millimeters reduced in width after the operation but it will be flat again.

andiesenji suggested sanding the board. This would be arduous backbreaking work with no guarantee of acceptable results especially if the board is made of hardwood like beech, maple or some exotic.

[winesonoma]

Go buy a new one http://www.knifemerc...&categoryID=160

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Welcome to eGullet, Speck!

....and I've told you before, get rid o' dat ting. WOOD!

Wood. I'm all about wood. Wood, wood, wood.

Thanks all. For the record, I don't cut on my Corian board in general. It's just a small all purpose board that sets right next to the sink. My large cutting board, which I've had for many years, is away from the sink, and that's all my good steel sees (except for when someone *ahem* cut meat inside a Pyrex container ;^)

So it seems as if there's no HARD consensus, but either surface can harbor bacteria and should be cleaned.

But since Corian is hell on knives, there's no contest when it comes to cutting boards. All the minutia of non-porous vs. inherent bacteria fighting properties is moot, really.

Eh?

[andiesenji]

I use wood boards, I have different ones for differnt uses.
I do have one for poultry and meat, another just for vegetables that I take with me when I am going to be cooking at another person's house.

Rather than color coding I just drilled holes in one edge near the corner
so I can see them when the boards are standing on edge.
One hole for the vegetable board,
Two holes for the poultry board.

The heavier blocks I have in my kitchen at home are in two different places. One is where I cut meats, the other, close to the sink is where I cut vegetables.

[mrbigjas]

But since Corian is hell on knives, there's no contest when it comes to cutting boards. All the minutia of non-porous vs. inherent bacteria fighting properties is moot, really.

Let's not talk about your heretical electrical knife sharpening machine then, there, Speck.

hahahaha uh oh.

[chefdg]

Everyone keeps saying "wood".

[ellencho]

So if this is even possible, without my using it, my cutting board has warped even more, and you can see a separation between the junction between the 3rd and 4th pieces of wood. Perhaps it's been somewhat humid in Philly lately? I dunno. I've decided to trash my once beloved cutting board and replace it. In the end, this worked out for the best for my boyfriend who actually thinks I'm going to hold the board while he attempts to kick it in two. Thanks for all your suggestions all. I'll definitely take better care of my next board.

[Varmint]

This is why I use a rubber cutting board most of the time. It's soft, can be sanded down, doesn't slide, can go in the dishwasher, and if it warps, pop it in a 225F oven for 20 minutes to flatten it out. They're heavy as hell, but it's a good alternative once you've discarded your warped wooden board!

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I use wood boards, I have different ones for differnt uses.  [...snip...]

I do too. I mean, you need one with channels for cutting meat that will give up moisture, but it's not good for much else.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

But since Corian is hell on knives, there's no contest when it comes to cutting boards. All the minutia of non-porous vs. inherent bacteria fighting properties is moot, really.

Let's not talk about your heretical electrical knife sharpening machine then, there, Speck.

hahahaha uh oh.

"Thanks."

Hi all, I'm Speck, and I'm an electric knife sharpenaholic.

But it's a good one! I promise!!

Not A Speck Of Sharpening Stone