Mahogony for a cutting board???

[Pat Zabrocki]

I've seen a number of really neat cutting boards posted recently and the one in my kitchen just cracked in half so I'm going to make a cutting board or two. I have some 8/4 by 6 inch wide mahogany cuttoffs and some maple of the same dimmension. I know the maple will make a nice cutting board, as Mike Minto has shown, neat stuff Mike. But I was wondering if anyone has made one from mahogany and even if you haven't please share your thoughts as to its suitability. I may glue up the mahogany cutoffs for a bowl blank or two if they aren't suitable for cutting boards.

thanks for you input everyone.
cheers
Pat

[John Thompson]

I've seen a number of really neat cutting boards posted recently and the one in my kitchen just cracked in half so I'm going to make a cutting board or two. I have some 8/4 by 6 inch wide mahogany cuttoffs and some maple of the same dimmension. I know the maple will make a nice cutting board, as Mike Minto has shown, neat stuff Mike. But I was wondering if anyone has made one from mahogany and even if you haven't please share your thoughts as to its suitability. I may glue up the mahogany cutoffs for a bowl blank or two if they aren't suitable for cutting boards.

thanks for you input everyone.
cheers
Pat

Cutting boards are not my forte Pat but.. I am surprised someone has not commented as many have done and posted cutting boards here. With that said.. if it were me making the decision I would use the mahogony for bowl blanks as you mentioned and stick with a tighter end grain wood as the maple you mentioned.

I have seen a few done with mahogany to contrast another wood but... how and how long they hold up under real function I cannot comment on as those I refer to may have been done for show only? Hopefully someone that has used it for cutting board (if there is someone?) can further comment on your question.

Good luck...

[John Czaplicki]

I would say it's not a good choice. It's common to apply filler on mahogany to fill the pores to get a more even color when staining, so based upon that I would say it's not near the top of the list for cutting board material.

It may be possible to do some tpe of hot wax preparation that could increase it's usefulness for cutting boards, but my experience when doing that type of thing alway ends in regret.

[Peter Quinn]

I don't make a lot of cutting boards, but I was a chef for a number of years professionally, I like wooden cutting boards, and mahogany would not be my first choice. Why? Too soft. open grained enough to catch and store bacteria in all its little nooks and crannies, too "aromatic" . I prefer a wood be neutral in terms of its own smell and taste. So if this is a "user" I'd stick to hard, closed grained, neutral smelling wood, and maple has that ID nailed just about perfect. For decorative purposes I'd guess just about anything goes.

[Chris S Anderson]

Ive made a few cutting boards, but only for gifts, so I have no first hand knowledge about how they actually hold up or work. I only got information from other websites and cutting board makers, and have only used: bloodwood, white maple, cocobolo, and bicote. All were chosen based on looks and hardness.

I did a search for mohogany cutting boards, but could not find a single one. If you really wanted to make one, make a small one. I made a very small cutting board as a test out of bloodwood, and it was beautiful and seemed to work well. Later, I interlaced it with some walnut and made a coat hook from it. (see my gallery). :rolleyes: You could do the same, and make a nice coathook, too!

[Pat Zabrocki]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll stick with the maple. I have enough for a couple anyway. I'll leave the mahogany for bowl blanks.
thanks
pat

[Darius Ferlas]

Pat,

This is the first cutting board I bought when I first came to Canada, November of 1991. It is still our most popular cutting board, abused and often neglected (left wet in the sink for hours). No special care, no treatment of any kind in the last 18+ years. I made no attempts to "prettyfy" it for its photo-op.

Except it got a little smaller as the end grain edges and some pieces along the length split from frequent exposure to moisture and drying. You will notice the end grain somewhat reinforced with a strip of walnut - my attempt to breath new life into this board a couple of months ago. It is still the most frequently used piece of wood in the kitchen.

Oh, forgot to mention: other than the walnut strip it's mahogany.

Darius

[Darius Ferlas]

I did a search for mohogany cutting boards, but could not find a single one.
How about this (http://www.theboardsmith.com/catalog.htm).