News — knife care

If your main goal is to preserve knife sharpness, the best material for chopping boards in everyday home kitchens is medium hardness wood such as bamboo or acacia, used on boards around 2 cm thick. In tests and real kitchens, these woods are soft enough to protect the edge, yet firm enough for stable cutting, helping knives stay sharper for 2 to 3 times longer than on glass or very hard plastic. Why board material affects knife sharpness Every cut is a collision between your knife edge and the board. If the surface is too hard, the fine edge will...

If you want to keep your knives sharp for 5 to 10 years of regular use, plastic chopping boards are not the best choice. Yes, plastic chopping boards can damage knife blades by causing faster dulling and tiny edge chips, especially on harder, high carbon steel knives. A well finished wooden or bamboo cutting board is usually kinder to your knives and keeps their edge for noticeably longer. How plastic chopping boards affect your knife blades Most plastic chopping boards are made from polypropylene or polyethylene. They feel soft at first touch, but under the pressure of a knife they...

If you cook most days and want the best cutting board for long term knife care, a 4 cm thick hard maple board will usually last 5 to 10 years with regular oiling, while a similar sized moso bamboo board may need replacing after around 3 to 5 years of daily use. So if you are asking "what's the best cutting board material for regular home cooking and sharp knives?" the honest answer is often maple over bamboo, even though bamboo is more obviously eco-friendly. Maple vs moso bamboo: what actually changes in daily use? On paper, both maple and...

If you want to protect your knives, a medium hardness wooden board is best, and in our tests at Deer & Oak a pre oiled Moso bamboo board between 38x28cm and 45x35cm gives the best balance of edge protection, durability and value, with acacia a close second and maple ideal only if you want a very traditional butcher’s feel. Bamboo vs acacia vs maple: quick answer for your knives For most home cooks using Western and Japanese style kitchen knives between 15 and 20 cm, we recommend a Moso bamboo cutting board such as the Large Bamboo Board 45x35cm as...