Wood Workers out there?

This is a very old chopping block from our family restaurant from back in the day.





Many a steak was cut on this thing.

It's been sitting up in various places for over 20 years. The restaurant was closed in '97 so realistically that's the last time it was used for cutting meet.

Any suggestions on how to clean it up and make it where it can be used for meat again?

 

I would just give it a good sanding and then apply a few coats of butcher block oil.

 

I cut meet all my life never heard of such. But this block got daily heavy use so I guess it didn't need it.

Thanks, will check into it.

 

It’s basically food-safe mineral oil.

Nice cutting block!

 

I would run it through a planer before sanding it, then add the mineral oil. You'll be forever sanding unless you plane off the first few millimeters first. Make sure to plane the long direction of the block. It will look awesome!

 

Yup....planer and maybe a couple round very fine sandpaper. But you should buy huge sheets of it, adhere them to a flat surface and do the board in long strokes to keep it flat.

Then some Ikea butcher block oil or boos oil and finish with some boos wax or equivelent.

If you have never oiled it, it will soak up a ton. Now that mine is seasoned well and in full use for a few years now, I re-oil and wax once every couple months or when it looks dry

 

Not sure i want to put it in a planner because the board always had a bit of a bow to it. I think the Planner would level it out wouldn't it? Maybe running in the dish machine once in a while didn't help that. Think i'd like to keep that bow, adds a bit of character to it, not sure I want to correct that.

 

Yeah, dishwasher probably isn't the best place for a butcher block or end/edge/side grain cutting board. The deep grooves between your slats add character but also places for bacteria to harvest. It's because your board is dry

Yes, the planer would level it out and remove some of the heft.

A properly oiled and maintained cutting board is similar to cast iron in that it doesn't require deep cleaning or antibacterial scrubbing. The wood and oils naturally keep it safer than plastic.....or so I believe and live by. I still use soap and water on mine but never dishwasher and never soak or leave water on it for long periods of time

 

This thing is older than I am, it was in the restaurant when we got in there. It had daily use cutting beef, we had another for chicken products. Beef loins and juices flowing on it all night long, we'd wipe it down, scrape it down and at the end of the night soap and water and put it back on the counter. Only rarely did we run it though the dish machine.

I'll get some of this oil and sand it down, not sure what i'm going to do with it when it's done, I got nice chopping block in the kitchen now but I don't want to see this deteriorate more.

Thanks for the input!

 

In my opinion would look amazing as is as a wall hanging in your kitchen.

 

Totally agree, especially if you don't want to level it. Lots of character as is.

 

It looks to be separating
probably the safest thing to do it try to break the joints and replane each side making all the strips square again. I’d be scared of that board blowing up in a planer and throwing wood back at me or ruining my blades.
If your ok with losing some size on it turn it into an end grain board. Would likely last a bit longer

 

Think it'll clash with the pine paneling...
But neat idea, we've been talking about remodeling the kitchen and taking the '60s out of it.

It's likely 50 years old at this point.

 

What type of wood would you guys say it is?