[2024] Cutting board
I am Okudaira, the owner of "Japanese Kitchen Knife TOKU''.
We want to sell knives made in our hometown of Sakai, Osaka, so we purchase and sell knives made in Sakai from a knife manufacturer in Sakai.
We don't just sell knives, we visit a number of blacksmiths and bladesmiths in Sakai to help our customers understand knives, experience the actual work, and hear from the craftsmen. I'm here. In addition to Sakai, we also visit Seki in Gifu, Tsubame-Sanjo in Niigata, Tanegashima in Kagoshima and Katsushika in Tokyo, in an effort to deepen our understanding of the characteristics and commitment of each.
Cutting board
What kind of cutting board do you use?
The ones you often see at hardware stores are white plastic ones.
Recently, there are also things called cutting board sheets.
In the past, cutting boards were mainly made of wood.
In recent years, I think many people are using plastic products because they are perceived to be cheap, hygienic, and long-lasting.
Now, the cutting board is an inseparable part of a knife.
What is the best cutting board for knives?
The best cutting board to match the blade of your knife is one that is neither too hard nor too soft.
There are many different types of wood used for wooden cutting boards, but when it comes to ease of use, cypress cutting boards are often used. Cypress wood has moderate water absorption and antibacterial properties. It is also used as a building material for shrines and temples.
Besides cypress, other well-known materials for wooden cutting boards are ginkgo and Japanese cypress.
Among them, cypress is considered the highest quality, and a cutting board the size used at home costs around 10,000 yen.
Of course, as it is expensive, it is a very good cutting board that you can use for a long time.
Ginkgo nuts are very hard and do not spoil easily, but they have a strong ginkgo smell.
At "Japanese Kitchen Knife TOKU'', we sell cutting boards made from Hinoki cypress from Mino.
This is because it is made from one of the most affordable and easy-to-handle woods available for wooden cutting boards.
Personally, I have been using the sample that was made for me, and the cutting board itself has not warped. I have been using it for two years and it feels absolutely fine.
The other day, I had the opportunity to visit the manufacturer and had them resharpen my cutting board, but they only had to shave off about 1.5 mm.
Cypress cutting board made in Tono, Gifu Prefecture | Sakaitoku Knife (japanknifetoku.com)
Oh, by the way, did you know that we offer a service to resharpen your cutting board?
In the past, carpenters would have had to plane the wood, but nowadays, there are probably no carpenters nearby, so manufacturers offer a re-sharpening service.
Similar to using a plane, this process involves scraping the surface of a cutting board to create a new surface.
Of course, the thickness of the cutting board itself will become thinner, but you can continue to use it by re-sharpening it back to about 15 mm thick.
If the surface of your cutting board is not only damaged but also warped, you can receive a re-sanding service to restore it to a beautiful surface.
When you use a cutting board, the surface can get scraped and dented. Considering this, I think it would be better to use a wooden cutting board, which is safe for your body, since it is used to handle food.
Let's go to a knife store!
If you don't understand it until you see it, go to a knife store and try holding a knife. However, most stores do not allow you to try cutting the knife, so you cannot check the sharpness before purchasing.
"Japanese Kitchen Knife TOKU'' does not have a store, but we set up stalls at events, so please feel free to stop by if we have one in your area.If there is no knife specialty store nearby, it is a good idea to purchase from an online knife specialty store.
"Japanese Kitchen Knife TOKU'' has posted a video showing the actual cutting process, so please use it as reference.