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Butcher Block from the Wok Shop


RunBe4UFly

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I'm sorry I can't give my opinion on these as I've never seen them but to address your concerns. To ship a 3" thick slab of tree will never be cheap regardless of where you get it. I just looked and their shipping costs seem reasonable for the weight of the block. Regarding the block splitting I have no clue what is normal for cross cuts of a tree. I have seen cross cuts like these with a metal band around them but they're more prevelant around the net au naturel. I would think that they are dried enough to greatly limit splitting. If I was in the market for a thick chopping block I would certainly buy one from here.

Tane is very nice to talk to so you could call or email with your concerns and see what she says then go from there.

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They're made of pine??

doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Someone who knows more about wood should chime in, but my sense is that pine is way too soft, has a grain structure that's too open, and would be too absorbent and dimensionally unstable.

Edited by paulraphael (log)

Notes from the underbelly

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If you take a picture off the web site and blow it up using a photo software you'll see that the block in the picture has some cracking around the outside diameter. I'd assume that they'd use one of the best ones for the picture so what their shipping may have even more cracking. I'd be very afraid of cracking over the long term.

I've learned that artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

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Thank you all for the input. The butcher block has sentimental value to me as it looks like the butcher block in the shop when I was a kid back in China. I know it's going to crack, but just don't know how soon. With shipping, the block is not cheap any more, I will skip this one.

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Besides the previously mentioned problems with splitting, as shown in the photo, that block also includes the "pith" of the tree, or its very heart. With pine, it is a very soft area and prone to future rotting, if it hasn't already started. And besides that site, who said that soft wood like pine is better than a hardwood block? I am a professional furniture maker and I know my stuff. Stay away from that thing, as it sounds like you want to.

Ray

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