If you want the best cutting board for keeping your knives sharp for 5 to 10 years, a slightly softer hardwood like acacia is kinder to the edge than bamboo. Bamboo chopping boards, including Moso bamboo boards, are around 15 to 20 percent harder than many traditional wood boards, which means they can wear knife edges faster, even though they are very eco friendly and durable.
Why are bamboo chopping boards bad for knives?
Bamboo feels smooth to the touch, so it often surprises people to learn that it is technically a grass packed with very hard fibres and natural silica. On the Janka hardness scale, Moso bamboo sits roughly 15 to 20 percent higher than many common hardwoods used for kitchen boards. Every time your knife hits that harder surface, the fine cutting edge is pushed, rolled or micro chipped.
In practice, this means that if you use a Moso bamboo cutting board every day, you may find you need to sharpen your chef's knife every 2 to 3 weeks instead of every 4 to 6 weeks on a slightly softer acacia board. The board itself still looks lovely, but your knife edge quietly pays the price.
The eco friendly trade off: sustainability vs knife care
So why do so many people still choose bamboo boards? Because bamboo, especially fast growing Moso bamboo, is incredibly eco friendly. It can grow up to 90 cm in a single day in the right conditions, so it renews much faster than most trees. At Deer & Oak, we use responsibly sourced Moso bamboo for our bamboo range as it offers:
- High durability for 5 to 10 years of home use when cared for properly
- Good resistance to moisture when oiled regularly
- A light, modern look that suits many British kitchens
The trade off is simple. Bamboo chopping boards are kind to forests and your worktop, but they are not quite as kind to knife edges as slightly softer hardwood options. If you prioritise sustainability and are happy to hone and sharpen more often, a bamboo cutting board is still a sensible choice. If you want to protect a £100 chef's knife for as long as possible, a hardwood like acacia is usually a better match.
How bamboo and wood boards affect your knives differently
To understand why bamboo chopping boards can be bad for knives compared with some wood boards, it helps to look at three simple factors.
1. Hardness of the surface
Moso bamboo boards, like the Deer & Oak Large Bamboo Board (45x35 cm, 1.8 kg), are made from compressed strips of bamboo. Those strips are naturally hard and often bonded with food safe adhesives. This creates a strong but relatively unforgiving surface. By contrast, our Large Acacia Board (also 45x35 cm, 2.1 kg) uses a slightly softer, more fibrous wood. When a knife hits acacia, the surface gives a little and lets the edge sink in rather than skidding across it.
2. Silica and glue content
Bamboo contains natural silica, a mineral that behaves a bit like very fine sand against your knife edge. On top of that, most bamboo boards are laminated, which means there are glue lines between strips. Both the silica and the glue are harder than wood fibres and can create tiny flat spots and chips along a fine edge.
3. Grain direction and knife feel
Traditional end grain butcher's blocks let the knife cut between fibres, almost like pushing into a firm brush. Many bamboo boards, especially flat grain designs, present more of a continuous hard face. You feel this as a sharper “tap” under the knife instead of a gentle “thud”. That sharper impact adds up over hundreds of cuts each week.
When a bamboo cutting board still makes sense
So should you avoid bamboo entirely? Not necessarily. At Deer & Oak, we still offer several Moso bamboo options because they solve real problems in busy kitchens:
- Everyday veg prep If you mostly slice peppers, onions and fruit with mid range knives, a bamboo board is tough and easy to wipe clean.
- Eco friendly choice Moso bamboo is one of the most sustainable board materials you can buy today.
- Value Our Bamboo Double Pack gives you a 45x35 cm and 38x28 cm board for £49.99, which suits many family kitchens.
We simply want you to understand the trade off clearly. Bamboo boards are durable and eco friendly, but if you own high carbon or premium Japanese knives sharpened to 15 degrees per side, a softer hardwood board will usually keep them sharper for longer.
Deer & Oak chopping board specifications
Here is a direct comparison of our main bamboo and acacia boards so you can match the right board to your knives and cooking style.
| Product | SKU | Size (cm) | Weight | Material | Typical use | Knife friendliness | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Bamboo Board | DNO-BCB-LG | 45 x 35 | 1.8 kg | Moso Bamboo | Daily veg prep, fruit, bread | Moderate wear on fine edges | £34.99 |
| Medium Bamboo Board | DNO-BCB-MD | 38 x 28 | 1.2 kg | Moso Bamboo | Small kitchens, quick tasks | Moderate wear on fine edges | £24.99 |
| Carbonised Bamboo Board | DNO-CBB-LG | 45 x 35 | 1.9 kg | Carbonised Bamboo | Serving and chopping, darker look | Moderate wear on fine edges | £39.99 |
| Bamboo Double Pack | DNO-BCB-2PK | 45 x 35 + 38 x 28 | 3.0 kg | Moso Bamboo | Full family set, raw and cooked separation | Moderate wear on fine edges | £49.99 |
| Large Acacia Board | DNO-ACB-LG | 45 x 35 | 2.1 kg | Acacia Wood | Daily prep, carving, serving | Kinder to sharp knives | £44.99 |
| Medium Acacia Board | DNO-ACB-MD | 38 x 28 | 1.5 kg | Acacia Wood | Smaller worktops, cheese, fruit | Kinder to sharp knives | £34.99 |
How to protect your knives if you already own bamboo boards
If you already have a Moso bamboo chopping board in your kitchen, you do not need to throw it out. You can reduce the impact on your knives with a few simple habits:
- Use bamboo for tougher jobs Reserve your bamboo board for bread, root veg and everyday chopping with utility knives.
- Use wood for your best knives Keep a dedicated acacia or end grain board for your sharpest chef's knife and slicing knife.
- Hone little and often A quick hone with a steel or ceramic rod every 2 to 3 cooking sessions helps repair the minor wear that bamboo can cause.
- Oil your boards Regular oiling helps prevent deep grooves that can catch and twist the edge. Once every 3 to 4 weeks is usually enough for a busy kitchen.
Who this is for
Ideal for...
- Home cooks who want a clear answer on why bamboo chopping boards can be bad for knives and how to balance that with eco friendly choices.
- People choosing between Moso bamboo and hardwood cutting boards and who care about both sustainability and knife performance.
- Owners of 2 to 6 quality knives who want them to stay sharp for 5 to 10 years with sensible board selection and care.
Not recommended for...
- Anyone looking for disposable plastic boards or ultra light travel boards.
- Professional kitchens that need specialist commercial boards and sanitising systems.
- People who never sharpen or hone their knives and want a maintenance free setup.
FAQ
Q: Are bamboo chopping boards always bad for knives?
A: Bamboo boards are not always a problem, but they are harder on edges than many wood boards. If you use mid range stainless knives and are happy to sharpen slightly more often, Moso bamboo is a practical, eco friendly choice. If you use very fine, thin blades, you will usually see less wear with a softer wood like acacia.
Q: Is Moso bamboo better than plastic for my knives?
A: For knife edges, good quality plastic boards can be a little softer than Moso bamboo, but they mark and scar more easily. Moso bamboo offers a nicer cutting feel and is far more eco friendly, although it can be a bit harsher on very sharp edges. Many home cooks keep one plastic board for raw meat and a bamboo or wood board for everything else.
Q: How often should I replace a bamboo cutting board?
A: With regular oiling and hand washing, a Moso bamboo board can last 5 to 10 years in a typical home kitchen. Replace it sooner if you see deep grooves, cracks or stains that do not come out with normal cleaning, as these can trap bacteria and also catch the knife edge.
Q: Which Deer & Oak board is best if I want to protect expensive knives?
A: If knife care is your top priority, we usually recommend our acacia range over bamboo because acacia is slightly softer and kinder to fine edges. A 45x35 cm acacia board gives you space for prep while keeping impact on your knives low, especially if you hone regularly and avoid cutting bones or frozen food on it.
Recommended Deer & Oak boards for knife friendly kitchens
If you like the eco friendly story of bamboo but want to look after your knives, a mixed setup works very well. Many Deer & Oak customers choose:
- Bamboo for volume prep A Bamboo Double Pack for everyday chopping, raw ingredients and general use.
- Acacia for fine blades An acacia board set, such as our acacia chopping board collection, reserved for your best chef's and carving knives.
If you prefer a darker look but still want the benefits of bamboo, our carbonised bamboo board offers a rich tone with the same practical size of 45x35 cm and a weight of 1.9 kg. For more options, including our butcher's block and full board sets, you can browse the complete range on the Deer & Oak chopping board collection.
In short, bamboo chopping boards are slightly bad for knives compared with softer wood boards because of their hardness and silica content, but they are very good for the planet. Choose bamboo when sustainability and durability come first, and add a dedicated acacia board when long term knife sharpness matters most.