Here's some facts to help answer some of your questions. If you have other questions, we always welcome them by "Contacting Us".
What woods are used in the boards?
We use hardwoods (black walnut, cherry, hard maple). We also use cardinal wood (red), purpleheart (purple), marblewood (golden brown with a black line), and katalox (darker than black walnut) from South America. Can you imagine cutting down a purple tree? All woods are food safe, sustainable forests and USDA approved.
How are the boards made?
When people ask how long it takes to make a board, we like to answer “years and years”, which refers to how long we’ve been learning and perfecting the steps in making a board we’re proud of and delighted to sell. There are 19 steps between getting the wood from the mills, and putting it on the table to sell. We square off one side, cut to length, plane, rip, glue (food safe glue), clamp for 12-24 hours, plane again, cut to the size needed for each specific board, then sand (drum or belt sander, then final hand sanding with 220 grit) and sand and sand some more for that incredibly smooth finished board.
May I request certain woods in the board I order?
Yes, you can request certain woods. We normally include at least one or two of the woods from South America in each board. If you want more than we would usually include, and because these woods are considerably more expensive, there could be an additional charge. It would be great if you would call and ask for an estimate.
How soon can I expect the board I order?
We like to ship available products within a week. We usually use USPS or Fed Ex to ship because they have the most reasonable rates for weight. If you are ordering a board specifically made for you, it depends on the product, and what part of the year it is (September to December is our busiest show season). We assure you we do our best to get it made and out to you, especially if you give us a date (wedding, etc.) because we know what it feels like to wait for something really cool.
What boards are available?
Please check our “gallery” listing for the standard boards we make. We can also make custom boards. We like to limit the width to 14” due to our equipment, and the cabinet clamps we use when gluing. Longest length is 24”. If you have a special request, we’re kind of old fashioned and like to talk to you by phone about it. We’ll be honest, and tell you if we can realistically make it, or we’ll try to recommend another vendor.
Can I get custom engraving done on ordered boards?
Yes, we charge $8 for one line (example: John’s Board), $5 for additional lines. We request you email us the specific words you want used. We will then contact you to clarify the spelling, font choice, and location on specific board. Mary is amazing when designing specific requests and has a lot of fun doing it. Please allow a bit more time for a board with engraving to be done. We prefer to oil the engraving several times to really make it “pop”.
Can I order boards in large numbers?
Absolutely, we love those orders. We have realtors who give a specially made, engraved board as a thank you for a sale. We have resort owners who have boards in their cabins for client use, and sell the boards in their shops. Several businesses buy boards for holiday gifts for clients. We like to have at least 30 days notice for a large order, and will do our very best to get them to you in a timely manner.
How do I clean my board?
Wipe off with a damp cloth and air dry on counter. If you’ve cut meat, then use warm, soapy water to wash off, rinse it well, and air dry on counter. ***NEVER PUT IN THE DISHWASHER***
Do I need to condition my board?
Yes, wood is like your skin. You put lotion on your skin when you are dry, so you condition the wood when dry. We recommend a combination of food grade mineral oil and natural beeswax be applied to a clean and dry board once monthly, or more often if you’re using it daily. We conditioned it before it was sold. Yes, we do sell the conditioning product at our shows and will ship.
Is wood safe to use as a cutting board?
Yes! We hear this question a few times each show. Wood is naturally antibacterial. When cleaned with warm soapy water, rinsed and allowed to air dry, the fibers actually “squish” possible bacteria and kill them. Also, the beeswax in the conditioner we use and recommend has an antiseptic property, which keeps your boards healthy and prevents penetration. In addition, your knives stay sharp on wood. On other cutting surfaces, the edge on a knife is lost.
Will the boards get marks on them from cutting?
Yes, wood is a fiber and when knives are used, there are small marks left. However, if you continue to use a conditioning product, the wood is more resistant. Several of our customers use one surface for the cutting process, and “show” the opposite side for a serving surface or just sitting beautifully on their counter. Or the customer who said “I’m putting these on my wall as art work, and I’ll use the back side when I need a board”. We are always amazed at the comment “they are just too nice to use” because we make them to be used and love it when years down the road, we still hear how wonderful they look.
What if I break the wire on the cheese slicer?
We sell extra wires for $2. We buy/use Prodyne handles and wires. Here is s link to their wire replacement page. http://www.prodyne.com/index.php/replacement-parts
You can also purchase extra wires on: Cheeseslicing.com.
We use hardwoods (black walnut, cherry, hard maple). We also use cardinal wood (red), purpleheart (purple), marblewood (golden brown with a black line), and katalox (darker than black walnut) from South America. Can you imagine cutting down a purple tree? All woods are food safe, sustainable forests and USDA approved.
How are the boards made?
When people ask how long it takes to make a board, we like to answer “years and years”, which refers to how long we’ve been learning and perfecting the steps in making a board we’re proud of and delighted to sell. There are 19 steps between getting the wood from the mills, and putting it on the table to sell. We square off one side, cut to length, plane, rip, glue (food safe glue), clamp for 12-24 hours, plane again, cut to the size needed for each specific board, then sand (drum or belt sander, then final hand sanding with 220 grit) and sand and sand some more for that incredibly smooth finished board.
May I request certain woods in the board I order?
Yes, you can request certain woods. We normally include at least one or two of the woods from South America in each board. If you want more than we would usually include, and because these woods are considerably more expensive, there could be an additional charge. It would be great if you would call and ask for an estimate.
How soon can I expect the board I order?
We like to ship available products within a week. We usually use USPS or Fed Ex to ship because they have the most reasonable rates for weight. If you are ordering a board specifically made for you, it depends on the product, and what part of the year it is (September to December is our busiest show season). We assure you we do our best to get it made and out to you, especially if you give us a date (wedding, etc.) because we know what it feels like to wait for something really cool.
What boards are available?
Please check our “gallery” listing for the standard boards we make. We can also make custom boards. We like to limit the width to 14” due to our equipment, and the cabinet clamps we use when gluing. Longest length is 24”. If you have a special request, we’re kind of old fashioned and like to talk to you by phone about it. We’ll be honest, and tell you if we can realistically make it, or we’ll try to recommend another vendor.
Can I get custom engraving done on ordered boards?
Yes, we charge $8 for one line (example: John’s Board), $5 for additional lines. We request you email us the specific words you want used. We will then contact you to clarify the spelling, font choice, and location on specific board. Mary is amazing when designing specific requests and has a lot of fun doing it. Please allow a bit more time for a board with engraving to be done. We prefer to oil the engraving several times to really make it “pop”.
Can I order boards in large numbers?
Absolutely, we love those orders. We have realtors who give a specially made, engraved board as a thank you for a sale. We have resort owners who have boards in their cabins for client use, and sell the boards in their shops. Several businesses buy boards for holiday gifts for clients. We like to have at least 30 days notice for a large order, and will do our very best to get them to you in a timely manner.
How do I clean my board?
Wipe off with a damp cloth and air dry on counter. If you’ve cut meat, then use warm, soapy water to wash off, rinse it well, and air dry on counter. ***NEVER PUT IN THE DISHWASHER***
Do I need to condition my board?
Yes, wood is like your skin. You put lotion on your skin when you are dry, so you condition the wood when dry. We recommend a combination of food grade mineral oil and natural beeswax be applied to a clean and dry board once monthly, or more often if you’re using it daily. We conditioned it before it was sold. Yes, we do sell the conditioning product at our shows and will ship.
Is wood safe to use as a cutting board?
Yes! We hear this question a few times each show. Wood is naturally antibacterial. When cleaned with warm soapy water, rinsed and allowed to air dry, the fibers actually “squish” possible bacteria and kill them. Also, the beeswax in the conditioner we use and recommend has an antiseptic property, which keeps your boards healthy and prevents penetration. In addition, your knives stay sharp on wood. On other cutting surfaces, the edge on a knife is lost.
Will the boards get marks on them from cutting?
Yes, wood is a fiber and when knives are used, there are small marks left. However, if you continue to use a conditioning product, the wood is more resistant. Several of our customers use one surface for the cutting process, and “show” the opposite side for a serving surface or just sitting beautifully on their counter. Or the customer who said “I’m putting these on my wall as art work, and I’ll use the back side when I need a board”. We are always amazed at the comment “they are just too nice to use” because we make them to be used and love it when years down the road, we still hear how wonderful they look.
What if I break the wire on the cheese slicer?
We sell extra wires for $2. We buy/use Prodyne handles and wires. Here is s link to their wire replacement page. http://www.prodyne.com/index.php/replacement-parts
You can also purchase extra wires on: Cheeseslicing.com.
