News — knife care

If your main question is whether end grain chopping boards are best for knives, the short answer is: yes, end grain is usually the most knife friendly option, but a well made edge grain bamboo or acacia board will still protect your knives far better than glass or plastic and can last 5 to 10 years with basic care. What makes end grain chopping boards kinder to knives? End grain chopping boards are made so the wood fibres stand upright. When your knife hits the surface, the fibres separate slightly and then close again. This means: The cutting edge pushes...

If you want chopping boards that don't dull knives, choose medium firm surfaces like bamboo or hardwood, avoid glass and marble completely, and aim for boards around 1.5 to 2.5 kg in weight with at least 2 cm thickness so the blade sinks slightly instead of skidding. In our own testing at Deer & Oak, a quality bamboo or acacia board keeps a properly sharpened chef's knife cutting cleanly for 3 to 4 weeks of daily use, compared with 5 to 7 days on a glass board. Why some chopping boards ruin sharp knives Every cut is friction. The harder...

If you sharpen your kitchen knives every 3 to 6 months and use a quality board, Moso bamboo cutting boards will not dull knives more than plastic in normal home use. In fact, a well finished bamboo board can keep an edge comfortably for 4 to 8 weeks of daily cooking before you notice any drop in sharpness, which is very similar to a good quality plastic board. Can bamboo cutting boards dull knives more than plastic? The short answer is no, not if you choose the right bamboo and use it properly. Cheap bamboo boards can contain hard glue...

If you want the best chopping board set for knife care in the UK, choose a two board system in medium and large sizes. The Deer & Oak Bamboo Double Pack (45x35cm and 38x28cm, 3.0kg total) gives your knives a kinder cutting surface than glass or stone and can help keep a quality chef's knife sharper for 5 to 10 years with proper care. Why chopping board choice matters for knife care The fastest way to ruin a sharp knife is to use the wrong board. Hard materials like glass, marble and ceramic blunt an edge in a few slices....