Isaac Wingfield wrote:

> In article >,
> "Bob (this one)" > wrote:
>
> --snippage--
>
>>> * Use a good steel scraper or spatula often when using the board.
>>>Scraping removes 75% of the moisture that builds up on a wooden
>>>cutting board. An occasional sanding will return a wooden board to a
>>>smooth luster. But never scrub a wooden board with a steel brush (a
>>>steel brush will ruff up the finish and should be avoided).
>>
>>That scraping business will tear up the grain on flat side-grain
>>boards and any made from soft woods.
>
> No, it won't.

Try it on a piece of cedar or pine. There are softer parts (the wide
spaces in the grain) that will compress under the pressure of serious
scraping.

> Woodworkers have known for centuries that using a scraper
> will produce a *smoother* finish than sanding, especially on hardwood.

Using a scraper as would a woodworker is different than how a baker
uses one. Bakers usually push scrapers; woodworkers usually pull them.
Softwoods (which are still used for cutting boards) will suffer damage
unless the scraping is done as in a woodshop. Wooden bakers' tables
are edge-grain lengthwise precisely so they can be scraped efficiently.

> I regularly scrape my rock maple cutting board with the *back* edge of
> my chef's knife, especially after the board's gotten wet. You'd be
> amazed at the amount of greasy "gunk" that shows up on the knife. And
> the board is *smooth* and much lighter in color, too.

Of course it would be. You've taken a micro-thin bit of the board with
whatever's down in whatever pits and nicks. You're doing a combination
of scraping and squeegeeing with a tiny bit of refinishing. But a good
waxing would fill most of those little pits and prevent that gunk from
getting down in there to begin with.

> I do the same thing with my plastic cutting sheets, too. The amount of
> gunk is even more amazing, considering that I clean those with hot soapy
> water and a green "scrubber".

Run them through the dish machine or use a commercial dish washing
detergent. Costco's orange-colored dish detergent is as good as
anything you'll find in a restaurant kitchen. Use a brush in swirling
motions. It gets into all the nooks and crannies.

> I have heard that professional butchers scrape their carving blocks.

Chopping blocks, they're called. They do, indeed scrape them. Right
after they run a wire brush hard against the surface. Hot water, most
still use a bit of bleach in it, and a good rinse. If you don't smell
antiseptic in a butcher shop, buy elsewhere.

It's how we dealt with our butchering tables. We didn't chop, we used
band saws to break down carcasses. Then we pulled out the primal cuts
and butchered them from there. trimmings became meatloaf or burgers.
Since we did no chopping, we didn't have any end-grain blocks. We had
several wooden-top tables for cutting all sorts of flesh. We
sterilized with bleach in a 100ppm solution (which is stronger than
mandated by the dept of health) while scouring with stainless steel
scrubbies and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed... Floor drains are
wonderful things. Oiled with fryer oil.

Pastorio