Shop / Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

Every board that leaves this shop is hand-finished with mineral oil and beeswax. Good cutting board care keeps it that way for decades — and it takes about five minutes a month. The tin below is the same conditioner I work into every board before it ships. Read the full care guide below ↓ How cutting board care actually works Think of hardwood as a bundle of straws. Mineral oil fills those straws so water can’t move in; beeswax seals the surface and gives the wood its low glow. As a result, a conditioned board sheds water, resists staining, and stays flat. A dry board drinks in moisture unevenly — and that is exactly where warps and cracks begin. So the whole job of cutting board care is really one thing: keep the fibres fed. The routine I give every customer First, the daily part. Wash by hand with warm soapy water, rinse, and stand the board to dry — never soak it, never lean it wet against a wall, and never run it through the dishwasher. Meanwhile, conditioning is monthly for the first season and quarterly after that: spread a thin coat of Board Butter with a cloth or your palm, leave it overnight, and buff off whatever is left in the morning. Five minutes, done. Plain food-grade mineral oil between butterings never hurts either. Board rescue — and the lifetime promise Chalky, pale, or rough to the touch? That is thirst, not damage — two heavy coats a day apart will bring the colour and feel right back. Light knife marks burnish out with use; deeper ones can be sanded back, because solid hardwood is resurfaceable by design. Most importantly, if a board from this shop ever fails under normal kitchen use — split joint, warped face, finish that won’t hold — I’ll repair or replace it. Heirloom means heirloom. For the step-by-step washing and oiling walkthrough, read the full care instructions. Or browse the cutting boards and butcher blocks this care routine is built to protect.