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Thread: Ipe cutting board

  1. #1
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    Ipe cutting board

    Someone gave me a 1x12x30 piece of Ipe. When I took it out of the truck, I told my wife to feel how heavy it was. She said it would make a nice cutting board. Are there any issues with Ipe that would make this a bad idea. I have never seen an Ipe cutting board.

  2. #2
    It's a tropical hardwood which some folks have allergic reactions to. Envious --- looking forward to hearing what you use it for!

  3. #3
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    Dull knives?
    JR

  4. #4
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    I built a 10 x 20 deck this past summer from Ipe and have a bunch of scrap pieces that I was thinking of doing something similar. There does not appear to be any food safety issues from my research. Personally, I did not have any allergic reactions from the dust but it always pays to be cautious when cutting. Due to the relative weight of the wood, I would keep the cutting board on the small size unless you also want to incorporate it into an exercise routine as well. If you move forward, please post pics of the finished project.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by William Adams View Post
    It's a tropical hardwood which some folks have allergic reactions to. Envious --- looking forward to hearing what you use it for!
    I would not use it in contact with food.
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Von Bickley View Post
    I would not use it in contact with food.
    Please explain why? My research has indicated there is not a problem. The allergic reaction you mention is from the dust associated with the cutting, i.e. sawing, of the wood.

  7. #7
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    I had some shorts left over from a lumber auction or something like that at one point. Instead of throwing them away, i used them as a 1" border around an interior of end grain cherry. Board is about 34" by 20" by 3" thick. The ipe looks excellent, but i wouldnt want to cut on it. I have mostly japanese knives with steep bevel angle that would not play nicely with ipe. Cherry might even be harder than ideal, but it was the softest hardwood i had on hand.

    Interested in substantiated info on why ipe is bad for food contact. Are you saying people could be allergic to the oils in the wood or what? Like John, you definitely dont want to breathe the stuff.

  8. #8
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    I have no idea about the allergy issues but my first thought is it will be a pain to make that many glue joints with Ipe.
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

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  9. #9
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    Thanks for the answers so far. I was thinking of making a simple one piece board about 10x12. Not sure what to do with it.

  10. #10
    Not what I would use near food. Termites won't even eat it. It's smell is vile.

  11. #11
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    We've had one in our kitchen for twenty years, as well as three made from Bubinga. You're not even going to begin to cut it with a kitchen knife, in any way, to worry about dust.
    It does stink to the high heavens when cut, but that goes away in a few days. Coat with a few coats of Salad Bowl finish by General Finishes and have at it.

    PS
    Size it big enough to cover all of the burners on the stove top. Hint, Hint.
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  12. #12
    I love IPE. It’s a great ware resistant wood. I love it’s color. I believe it’s also called Brazilian walnut. I get 2 x 4 x 8’ (1.5” x3.5” x 96”)when they go on sale at my local wood vendor. Usually on sale about $35 each. I’m also first in line trying to get the old boards that were used on the boardwalk locally. I have a city close to me that spent A lot of money on a lake boardwalk made from IPE. It’s one of the best species of wood you can use for the worst weather and high traffic with little to no maintenance.

    I wouldn’t ever think of using it in the kitchen close to food. It’s just not a application I would use it for. It doesn’t have as much natural oil’s in it to to prevent termites as teak... it’s just hard and dense. It has a very high resistance to rot because of its hardness (Janka scale).

    It is very hard on my cutters. I only use carbide or sanders for finishing. If I were to use it for something in the kitchen probably use it for knife block, And insert the knives upside down. Most of the time I use this wood for jigs, fixtures or handles.

    If I had the money, I’d use IPE as a hardwood Flooring throughout my entire home.

    Edit; I do use IPE for sacrificial lips in my tablesaw and sacrificial fences. In my opinion IPE is on par with aluminum with hardness.... i’ve never tested the two. But I would be interested in those who have.
    Last edited by Matt Mattingley; 10-06-2018 at 12:35 AM.

  13. #13
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    I built a deck too and like Peter I wonder what it would do to knives. Many drill bits were trashed during construction. The best thing... After milling 1600 lineal feet of tongue and groove the dust permanently stained my gray bread a pale shade of pink.

  14. #14
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    I wouldn't try to coat the IPE with salad bowl finish or any type of oil. Back when I was working, the company I worked for was trying to develop a wood treatment. We tested some on Ipe and found that the oil didn't penetrate into the wood at all. In our weathering tests we found that the finish only lasted a few days when exposed to rain and then the wood reacted the same as untreated wood. I can't speak for the food allergies, but Ipe is very hard and scratch resistant. I doubt that knives would have much effect.
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  15. #15
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    A beautiful dark wood that is great for design details in small amounts, outdoor projects in large amounts and not near food IMHO. Decorative splines, pegs, pulls, etc.
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