Ash cutting boards

[susieq4131]

I'm almost afraid to ask. What does everyone think of ash cutting boards? Is it harder on knives?

I have a bunch of ash wood and would like to make some cutting boards out of it. I'm going to glue them up on the edge grain. I know it's a good foodware wood.

Any opinions on this wood, as a cutting board would be appreciated.

SQ

[Keggers]

I've made several cutting boards using ash along with other woods like purple heart, walnut, hard maple and cherry. Ash works well and is very hard. Mine were all end grain boards.

[ronnie]

I don't know about ash...

I just tried to make my first end grain cutting board about a month ago. It didn't turn out very well.

My problem is I have a hard time getting it smooth.. Its not like I can run it through the planner although that would be a lot easier. Maybe I will do better next time...

As far as ash goes I'm not really sure.. This was my first end grain. You would probably look at it and ask, what is that?

so my question would be, Is ash a soft wood or a hard wood ?

You have to excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes down to the characteristics of various woods.

sorry..............

[minorhero]

I'm almost afraid to ask. What does everyone think of ash cutting boards? Is it harder on knives?

I have a bunch of ash wood and would like to make some cutting boards out of it. I'm going to glue them up on the edge grain. I know it's a good foodware wood.

Any opinions on this wood, as a cutting board would be appreciated.

SQ

I would be hesitant to make an Ash cuttingboard because it is my understanding that the grain on Ash is rather open which means it will make a poor end grain cuttingboard. Any grain that is open will soak in and hold moisture much more effectively then closed grain woods. For furniture this doesn't matter because 1) usually the end grain is not largely exposed, and 2) people don't constantly dump liquids on their furniture. For cuttingboards you really want to avoid the boards absorbing a lot of liquid for obvious reasons. Most cuttingboards are made of either Cherry, Walnut, Hard/Rock Maple, or Mahogany (purple heart being popular only on this site for the most part ). Cherry is about as soft as you want to go and Mahogany is absolutely as hard as you want to go and some folks say it IS too hard.

While a lot of folks will make edge grain cuttingboards, if you love your knives you should really take that extra step and make an end grain cuttingboard. The knives coming down on the end grain is a lot easier on the knife then the same knife coming down on the edge grain. This has to do with the knife being able to part the wood fibers on the end grain and running smack into those same fibers on the edge grain.

All the reasons listed above to explain while ash is not a good wood also apply to oak.

You can make a cutingboard out of ash or oak (in that you can glue the pieces up and it will look and function like a cuttingboard) but it is not a good idea, and there are better woods to accomplish the same goal.

[iSawitFirst]

Mahogany is too hard? I've never heard that one.

[PurpLev]

Ash like Oak has open pores - not very good idea as it can be a bacteria heaven.

Mahogany is one of the softer woods, I would say too soft as a main wood for a cutting board - could work as an accent though.

Cherry is arsenic, and although the general notion is that for cutting boards and bowls it's safe, I became hesitant myself once I read about it (made a cherry cutting board before that has since I read this we stopped using it) I may be over reacting, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, at least in this case.

Walnut could cause an allergic reaction to people allergic to nuts.

I now stick to food safe woods - maple, applewood, pearwood, purpleheart, etc.

just thought I'd chime in.

[susieq4131]

Thanks for all the comments and information. Really appreciate it.

Especially appreciate the information about cherry. Had no clue. Food for thought.

SQ

[dryhter]

I'm almost afraid to ask. What does everyone think of ash cutting boards? Is it harder on knives?

I have a bunch of ash wood and would like to make some cutting boards out of it. I'm going to glue them up on the edge grain. I know it's a good foodware wood.

Any opinions on this wood, as a cutting board would be appreciated.

SQ

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 1999 Food Code (recommended regulations for restaurants and retail food sales in the various states of the U.S.) permit use of cutting boards made of maple or similar close-grained hardwood. They do not specifically authorize acceptable plastic materials, nor do they specify how LINK TO ARTICLE

Wood is a sponge,

[minorhero]

Mahogany is too hard? I've never heard that one.

I guess it depends a lot on what kind of mahogany we are talking about. I am refering to mahogany that rates above 2000 on the janka scale. I would not make a cuttingboard out of anything below 900 on the Janka scale. When you start getting into the 2000 area you really have a wood that is getting too hard for knives. Instead of saving knife edges with a quality end grain cuttingboard you end up dulling them. The sweet spot is between 1000 and about 1800. In that range you have a board tough enough to last and soft enough not to dull knives overly fast.

[susieq4131]

Ok, you guys win. Instead of a cutting board made from ash I made a 12 inch diameter ash bowl.

Bowl is glued together with titebond III FDA approved for food contact. Finish is mineral oil. All boards are glued up on the edge grain.

I decided to try mineral oil after finding this site www.bowlmill.com Seems they only finish with mineral oil.

Keep in mind, my bowls thus far have only been used for fruit bowls or art objects. Seems no one wants to risk damaging or staining them.

SQ

[Lawrence Brown]

Nice. I like the patterns in that.

[susieq4131]

Nice. I like the patterns in that.

Thanks! Appreciate it. Bowl was cut at a 34 degree angle with a scroll saw. Have a 15 inch diameter matching bowl in the works.

SQ

[Beechwood Chip]

Oooh! That's neat. I can see why people treat them with respect.

[TomP]

I love the way it looks fromm the top view. It looks like it steps down the way the pattern is. Great work

[susieq4131]

Oooh! That's neat. I can see why people treat them with respect.

Beechwood Chip,

thanks! I do my best to produce a bowl that is functional. I had one lady that owns one of my walnut bowls tell me she had to rescue the bowl from her husband who was going to toss a salad in it. lol I told her the bowl would have been fine, but she insists it's not to be used for anything. She doesn't even put fruit in this walnut bowl. lol I love hearing these stories. They make me laugh.

SQ

[susieq4131]

I love the way it looks fromm the top view. It looks like it steps down the way the pattern is. Great work

Thanks so much! Discovered this technique while making a striped bowl that didn't want to line up properly.

SQ

[petersb]

Wow Susie,

You are FFFfffaaaaasssst! You already have a bowl made!?!?

Thanks for the info on the blades earlier.

Brett

[PaulMarcel]

Very very nice, Susie! I also immediately noticed the flowing grain from the two levels. Really like it. The finish really brought it out, too. Sometimes ash can look a little boring if the grain isn't coaxed.

[susieq4131]

Wow Susie,

You are FFFfffaaaaasssst! You already have a bowl made!?!?

Thanks for the info on the blades earlier.

Brett

My pleasure. If you need entry holes while using the #9 blade a 1/16th bit works great. For the #11 blade I use the 5/64th drill bit. These are pretty standard sizes.

These bowls go pretty quickly now. The hardest part was trying to get the bottom ring which is attached to the bottom of the bowl to look really round. It took many a botched bowl to figure that one out. lol I have the 15 inch diameter matching bowl glued up and ready to plane and cut this evening, and the 13 1/2 inch diameter matching bowl layed out and ready to be glued. I would recommend NO one try a scrolled bowl. They are seriously addictive.

SQ

[susieq4131]

Very very nice, Susie! I also immediately noticed the flowing grain from the two levels. Really like it. The finish really brought it out, too. Sometimes ash can look a little boring if the grain isn't coaxed.

Thank you! I agree ash can be a bit boring. A simple trick like rotating the rings by 1/4 turn makes a huge difference in the final product.

The finish was so easy. I sanded the bowl down to 600 grit and applied USP grade mineral oil. Will continue to add additional coats of mineral oil until it stops absorbing it. www.bowlmill.com a company that makes turned bowls and other items uses only mineral oil on their finished products. Thought I would give it a try.

SQ

[CJC5151]

Ash like Oak has open pores - not very good idea as it can be a bacteria heaven.

Mahogany is one of the softer woods, I would say too soft as a main wood for a cutting board - could work as an accent though.

Cherry is arsenic, and although the general notion is that for cutting boards and bowls it's safe, I became hesitant myself once I read about it (made a cherry cutting board before that has since I read this we stopped using it) I may be over reacting, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, at least in this case.

Walnut could cause an allergic reaction to people allergic to nuts.

I now stick to food safe woods - maple, applewood, pearwood, purpleheart, etc.

just thought I'd chime in.

not true on the walnut thing. the allergy is to the oil in the nuts, not the wood. But this is why walnut oil is not a good finish. walnut oil made from walnuts are really bad for nut allergies

[CJC5151]

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 1999 Food Code (recommended regulations for restaurants and retail food sales in the various states of the U.S.) permit use of cutting boards made of maple or similar close-grained hardwood. They do not specifically authorize acceptable plastic materials, nor do they specify how LINK TO ARTICLE

Wood is a sponge,

but plastic is worse. glass is the best but you have to buy knew knives after dinner so ill stick to wood

[jab73180]

who can cut on a pile of burnt wood....get it....ash nudge nudge

[cmorgan577]

FYI - I have a large cherry cutting board (side grain) I made several years ago. If there is a problem with cherry I haven't experiened it.

[susieq4131]

I guess it depends a lot on what kind of mahogany we are talking about. I am refering to mahogany that rates above 2000 on the janka scale. I would not make a cuttingboard out of anything below 900 on the Janka scale. When you start getting into the 2000 area you really have a wood that is getting too hard for knives. Instead of saving knife edges with a quality end grain cuttingboard you end up dulling them. The sweet spot is between 1000 and about 1800. In that range you have a board tough enough to last and soft enough not to dull knives overly fast.

Ash (white) wood is 1320 on the janka scale.

SQ