In article .com>,
"Sheldon" > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > "Sheldon" wrote:
> > > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > > > "Sheldon" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Mostly I rub in beeswax. Only occasionally, if I happen to have some
> > > > > oil on my hands, will I oil woodenware, like sppons and knife handles.
> > > > > These days I use plastic cutting boards almost exclusively... I'll use
> > > > > wood for cutting things like cheese, fruit, and sausage, not for
> > > > > anything wet. With plastic just rinse and pop into the dishwasher.
> > > > >
> > > > > Sheldon
> > > >
> > > > Slacker... ;-)
> > > >
> > > > I just really do not like plastic boards.
> > > > For a number of reasons!
> > >
> > > Hmmm, name two.
> > >
> > > Sheldon
> > >
> >
> > Harder to get rid of stains on them (if the board is one of those white
> > plastic ones)
>
> Wood stains more easily... ever gone to the paint store and asked for
> "wood stain", zillions of choices... now ask for "plastic stain", zero
> choices.

You have not seen the plastic cutting board the pathologists at work
use... It's permanently stained several different colors, none of them
pleasant. ;-p

But the stuff they cut up on them isn't exactly edible and they use
different colors of dyes to mark the tops and bottoms of the specimens
so that the orientation is right when microscopic slides are made of
slices of them after they are wax preserved and run thru the microtome.
<G>

I was watching Dr. B. slice up a breast the other day. (It had a big
cancer tumor in it). Looked a lot like Brisket. I commented on that to
her and she said, yeah, that's why she won't eat brisket anymore.

The one specimen I just can NOT handle watching them work on are
amputated limbs. Those things just give me the creeps! Some of my
co-workers think that is funny as hell. <shiver> But then, some of them
are ex-military and have worked as deners.

You may see another angle now why I have an issue with plastic cutting
boards. ;-) It reminds me of work.....

>
> >and you HAVE to use a dishwasher to disinfect it properly!
>
> Nonsense, plastic can be disinfected with bleach. salt, citric acid,
> exactly the same as wood... it's just that the dishwasher is easier and
> plastic can be washed that way with no negative consequences, but wood
> will be destroyed.

I just scrub it off with hot soapy dishwater and a scrubby.
I'm not dead yet.

I don't own a dishwasher.

I bleach it only as necessary.

>
> > Wood has it's own natural disinfectant properties.
>
> Old wives tale... wood has zero disinfectant properties... but plastic
> boards are now manufactured with a permanent disinfectant integral to
> the board. Not that anyone should rely on so-called natural
> disinfectant, because even if it exists it would be too weak and work
> way too slowly to be effective.

It's not an old wives tail.
Culture plates were used in one study and the bacteria count after
washing was higher on plastic boards in the slices made by using sharp
knives on them.

I'm not going to take the time to google it right now, we originally saw
the study on TV.

>
> > And they are not as aesthetic.
>
> Plastic comes in many attractive colors, but my plastic boards are
> embossed with large breasts.

Figures. ;-)

>
> > A nice wood grain is very attractive if maintained properly.
>
> I've seen pictures posted here of wood boards... you gotta be kidding.

Oak is a wonderful wood.....

>
> > My biggest issue with them is that they are SLIPPERY!!!
>
> None of mine are slippery.

If you say so!
You like slippery if I'm not mistaken? <G>

>
> > Wood has better traction so what you are cutting stays put.
>
> No better than plastic.

To each their own!

>
> I will concede that wood can be more attractive, if not used under wet
> conditions. I still use my prized wooden boards/bowls but only as
> serving pieces for dry foods, like bread, cheese, hard sausage... I
> HATE wooden salad bowls, any one serves me salad from a wooden bowl I
> won't eat it... wooden salad bowls STINK!

I use metal, or those glasstic bowls I get from the Oriental market for
salads. I wish it was not so, but glass dishes have a tendency to get
broken in my house. :-(

Even Glasstic will break if dropped often enough but at least it does
not shatter.

>
> The new plastic boards are very much different from those from just a
> couple years back, try again.

<shrugs> Ok...
But my 3 boards (one that I made myself out of a piece of 1" x 12" oak
board) are holding up so well, it'll be a few more years before I feel
the need to replace them!

I want a cheese serving board made from Birds eye maple.
Duplicate THAT in plastic if you can! :-) And have it look real.
I've seen fake plastic try to look like that wood. It just does not
compare.

>
> Sheldon

Cheers!
>
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson