News — Deer & Oak

If you want to protect your knives, choose a wooden or bamboo chopping board with a little “give” in the surface, around 2 cm thick, and avoid glass, marble or ceramic boards completely. In practice, a board like the Deer & Oak Large Bamboo Board at 45x35 cm, 1.8 kg and 2 cm thick will help your knives stay sharper for 5 to 10 years with regular home use and proper honing. Why board material matters for your knife edge Your knife edge is only a fraction of a millimetre thick. Every time it hits the board, the surface either...

If you want to keep kitchen knives sharp for 5 to 10 years of regular use, the best chopping board material is medium hardness wood, such as bamboo or acacia, rather than glass or hard plastic. Tests and real kitchen use show that a 45x35cm wooden cutting board absorbs some of the impact from each cut, so your knife edge rolls less and needs sharpening less often. Why board material matters for knife sharpness Every time your knife hits a chopping board, the cutting edge either sinks slightly into the surface or skids across it. If the board is harder...

If you want to protect your knives, a well made wooden chopping board is usually kinder on the blade than a typical plastic board. In our testing with standard chef's knives sharpened to 15° per side, knives used on wooden boards stayed noticeably keener for 20 to 30 percent more cuts than knives used on thin plastic mats. Why wooden chopping boards are gentler on knives The simple reason wooden chopping boards are often better for knives than plastic is how the surface responds to the blade. Quality wood has a tiny amount of “give”, so the fibres part slightly...

If knife sharpness is your priority, the best chopping board is a medium to large end grain or close grained wooden board that measures at least 38x28cm, weighs around 1.2 to 2.1kg, and uses a forgiving wood like bamboo or acacia. In practical terms, a board such as the Deer & Oak Large Acacia Board (45x35cm, 2.1kg) or Large Bamboo Board (45x35cm, 1.8kg) will help your knives stay sharper for 5 to 10 years of regular home use when cared for properly. Why wooden chopping boards protect knife sharpness Knife edges are incredibly thin, often less than 0.5mm at the...