A simple wood cutting board really is a thing of beauty.  It’s one of the most basic woodworking pieces, yet provides great satisfaction for both the maker and the user.  Because of the simplicity in construction, a woodworker is able to experiment with design and experience results in relatively short order.  For the gourmet, a wood cutting board not only complements kitchen decor, but also provides a cutting surface that is satisfying to use and extends the life of a knife’s edge.

The making process involves transformation of the raw, natural wood into dimensioned lumber, gluing up in pleasing grain and color patterns, shaping into any of infinite forms, smoothing into silky smooth surfaces, and applying a (food-safe) finish.  The end result is an indispensable kitchen tool that is beautiful and uniquely gratifying for both the craftsman and the culinarian alike.

I only recently started to make cutting boards in 2013, but have produced close to 100 or so over the past year.  Each is uniquely different, even when making multiples of the same design, due to the inherent natural variability of the wood used.  One thing they all have in common:  the way my heart skips a beat when the final finish is applied and the wood’s grain pattern comes alive to enhance the boards’ s overall design!