MATERIALS: WOOD Chambers, Spring Trading Post Cutting Boards Competitive Edge

the wood fibers are saturated. In addition, by conditioning the wood, it will not expand and shrink as a board that is left untreated will when it dries out completely and then is exposed to water. This shrinking and expanding effect is the leading cause of warped cutting boards. In addition, on glued cutting boards, it will cause breakage at any of the glue joints, sometimes causing the board to break apart completely.

I always highly recommend that customers use mineral oil or beeswax. There are also several cutting board oils on the market, like Butcher block conditioner or butcher block wax. Those products are outstanding and do work great. The main thing you want your customer to know is that they should not use cooking oils on the board, like vegetable oil or canola oil. Those oils will produce a rancid smell after a while. That smell will not only seep into food, but it will make the kitchen smell as well. So you want customers to use an oil that is stabilized, a finish-like product. And that is where mineral oils come in; for example, the butcher block series uses a mineral oil base and others. Your customers also need to know that even though there is cutting-board soap out there, it’s optional for the boards. They can keep them clean without the extra expense.

An instruction sheet, ‘How to Care for an Engraved Cutting Board,’ is something that I give to each of my customers with their new board. I usually have it printed on a cutting-board-shaped piece of kraft paper. I wrap a string around the board, tie it in a bow, and add the care instructions. If I am in a rush or it’s a bulk order (which I often have), I will sometimes just pop it into the bag along with the board. No matter how it is presented, this is something I feel every customer needs to know so that they can extend the life of their cutting boards. This not only helps reduce the number of questions customers may ask, but it also lets them know that I am committed to their knowing how to take care of their items, that I care about the quality and longevity of the product. (You can get a copy by following the link highlighted above.) This also helps distinguish me from my competitors.

With these tips and tricks, you can make sure that your engraved cutting boards are not only functional but also a work of art.

I’m Misty Chambers and I own Spring Trading Post. I love creating unique items for my customers. My advice: stop thinking inside the box, flip that box over, and stand above the crowd!