Catskill Craftsmen 19-Inch End Grain Chopping Block

Great value for an End Grain Chopping Block.I was prepared to spend a few hundred dollars on a End Grain Chopping Block, but thought I'd search through Amazon as I had a small credit and some Amazon CC rewards to use.I was little skeptical of this board at first, given the price and some of the negative reviews, but I found that Amazon Warehouse was offering a "used - very good condition" option, which made my out of pocket cost almost nothing (after my credit and rewards), so it was a no brainier. I often order from Amazon Warehouse, and have never been disappointed, plus they offer the same return policy as regular Amazon products, so if I didn't like it, or felt it was misrepresented, I'd simply send it back.Needless to say, I was very pleased with the board I received. It's very nice looking, sits nice and flat on both sides, and had no signs of use. It did have two very small chips at the edges, but I had to really look (and feel with my hands), to find them. These chips would not be an issue for me, even if the board was "new" as it's a natural wood board, and minor imperfections like this just add character (IMO).My seasoning regiment is as follows:For the first few days, I applied several heavy coats of mineral oil to all six sides periodically, then a lighter coat daily for one week, weekly for one month, then monthly for one year, then periodically there after (as needed). I also made a cutting board paste using mineral oil and bees wax (4:1 ratio) that I will apply periodically as well.Tip: You can pickup mineral oil at the Walmart Pharmacy for less than $2 per 16 oz bottle.So... why only 4 stars...Well, it's not perfect, and you do sacrifice some for the low price.First, the finish is a little rough to the touch, not terrible, but it could definitively benefit from a little more sanding. This can easily be addressed in a short time with some fine grain sand paper. I choose to leave it as is, but will probably address it in the future if and when I need to recondition the board as it wares from use (cutting marks).Second, it's assembled using very small pieces of wood, which means allot of glue joints. This looks nice, but the glue joints are common points of failure in these boards. If it was done right, this shouldn't be a issue, but based on the effort put into finishing the board (sanding) I'm skeptical, and would have preferred a board with larger pieces of wood and less glue.Lastly, they don't tell you what type of wood they use. I read somewhere that it's birch and maple, but the manufacture only specifies "hardwood". This probably doesn't matter much, but it'd be nice to know, as I'm sure there are some species of wood that are not suited for use as a chopping block.All things considered, I think this board is an great value, and would highly recommend it at the current price ($80 for 19" X 14").

This is a fantastic cutting board for the money. It has a couple minor drawbacks that keep it from 5 stars, but it's a very solid 4+.First, end grain is apparently much better on knives because the fibers don't dull the sharp edge as quickly as long grain or much harder woods. That's what the pro's say, anyway. So this is end grain. Check.Second, this is a hefty piece, but the 19" isn't a piece of furniture. The handles are useful and it can be put away if necessary. It is heavy enough so I keep it on the counter unless I need the extra space, like when rolling dough. If you have to put it away every single time, it would get old fast. So I'd recommend only getting this if you can keep it out.Third- it's super nice looking. You won't mind it being out, looks wise.Items of note:1) This needs to be seasoned. Like, a lot. It was so dry when I got it. I used about 13oz of mineral oil over several days before it was done. The first few passes just soaked up all the oil. Many coats over many days, flipping over and paying attention to all sides. Then I "sealed" it with  CLARK'S Butcher Block Finish - 10oz - Cutting Board Conditioner, Wax Finish & Wood Polish  (which is awesome, btw). In my opinion, it needs the cheap mineral oil base to get it saturated- don't spend $$ on expensive stuff because this board will just drink it in. Get cheap food grade mineral oil for a few bucks at the drugstore, then finish it off with something was based, like the Clarks finish.2) The glued together pieces are a little small. More glued pieces = more places where it can eventually fail. But they are staggered well and there were very very few pieces that came together in a four-corner type configuration. I'm not too worried about this coming apart actually.3) there was an ever so slight dip in the center, which may or may not straighten out over time. I can pass a thick paper under a straight edge on the top. So I just flipped it over and use the other side, which has the opposite bow to it. Again, literally paper thin- so really only an issue when using my longest 10" knife on delicate work.

I was about to give a 5-star review because I've been happily using this board for two years - after spending several days VERY thoroughly oiling it before ever using it because it was pretty dry when it arrived and caring for it well ever since. When I bought it, this board seemed like a crazy bargain for a big 2-inch thick board made in the USA even if the exact hardwood used wasn't specified.Then I examined it closely to take pictures and discovered a number of cracks along the glue lines on one side and was reminded of my initial concerns when it first arrived. A LOT of the glued-together pieces are lined up very closely at their corners - like a pile - rather than staggered for stability like a strong brick wall. One of my photos shows two rows side-by-side with virtually the SAME pieces with ends exactly in line - if they were staggered they would be more resistant to movement. You can also see the very thin, slightly tapered piece that runs along one edge as if a VERY large slab had been built up, then cut up into cutting boards... I was worried that that thin chunk would be the first to start separating but it has held so far. The surface finish was rough, but I didn't expect a fine finish at such a value price and the surface has smoothed out over time.I'll probably fill the cracks with glue or beeswax and hope it holds, but am now more inclined than ever to pay $200 or more for a board crafted by a skilled individual who takes great pride in fine workmanship than go the "value" route again.