Frequently Asked Questions
From project timelines and product care to custom carvings, I’ve answered common questions to give you a closer look at my process and the craftsmanship behind each unique piece.
* How long for custom projects? For cutting boards/charcuterie boards roughly 2 weeks unless I have a significant amount of orders backed up. For custom projects including carvings, please message me.
* How do I care for my cutting board/charcuterie board? To clean your board simply rinse with hot water and a small bit of soap and dry immediately. Alternatively you can use hot water and vinegar for a more natural cleaning solution (my preference). Never let your board soak in water for extended periods of time and never put it in the dishwasher; it will warp and destroy your board. If you use your cutting board or charcuterie board often, I would recommend reapplying a coat of cutting board oil or wax once a month. If it gets lightly used then reapply a coat every couple months or annually/seasonally. If you think your board needs to be sanded due to heavy use and some raised grain, you can lightly sand it with 220, 320, or 400 grit sandpaper and then apply a cutting board oil/wax of your choice. I use fractionated coconut oil and beeswax.
* What type of finish do you use? The finish on all food grade boards is fractionated coconut oil and beeswax, no mineral oil is used. All other finishes on non food grade projects are hand rubbed with tung oil and renaissance wax.
* What is mineral oil and why do you avoid it? I advise against using mineral oil to treat or condition wooden cutting boards because mineral oil is a petroleum byproduct, in other words a fossil fuel. It is highly advised overall to avoid its contact with surfaces used for food preparation and instead use natural alternatives such as fractionated coconut oil, beeswax, and carnauba wax.
* Do you make end grain cutting boards? No I do not. I believe that while slightly better for knives you end up cutting into the glue that holds those end grain pieces together. These small bits of wood glue will enter your food and will be ingested. I create the boards as solid slabs to not only show off the beautiful figure of wood but to keep food contact as clean possible.
* Do you use glue on your cutting boards? Yes, but wait you just said you do not use glue because of ingesting it? Correct, but I will use a small amount of black epoxy on some of the highly figured woods to fill knots, holes, and small cracks that almost always come with those types of wood. If I can avoid it I will and if I have to use the epoxy I try to make sure that side of the cutting board is the bottom or side where your knife will not hit. For charcuterie boards I will use epoxy on the top because you should not be cutting on it and it is a great way to show knots and wood figures you normally can not use on cutting boards!
* What types of carvings do you do? I do low relief (bas-relief) and sunken relief carvings all done by hand. Mostly woodland scenes, flowers, deer, birds, etc... I have carved on gunstocks, wall hanging plaques, and boxes. I do many names on the sides of cutting boards as gifts for weddings and birthdays. If you would like something carved on an item of yours, please message me and we can go over what you would like!
* What is a relief carving? Relief carving is essentially carving a picture in wood. It is a wood carving technique that involves sculpting three-dimensional designs onto a flat surface, creating texture, depth, and shadow that make the figures appear to stand out.
* What does figured wood mean? Figured wood is an attractive and unique visual pattern on the surface that is significantly different from the straight or regular grain of the wood. These distinguish patterns are caused by natural growth variations, environmental stress, growth stress, fungal activity and insect activity. Types include: Burl, Curly/Tiger, Crotch, Quilted, Birds Eye, Spalted, Ambrosia, and Fiddleback
* How do I know what wood I would like my project to be made from? Most projects I work with are made from Walnut, Cherry, and Maple, each wood type has standard and highly figured variations all of which I use. The highly figured pieces will cost more due to being highly valued and rarer to find. If you have a type of wood in mind just message me, I can see if the local mill shop carries it or if we can custom order it.