Customer Reviews

16" Chinese Chopping Block

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a serious chopping block made of beautiful, raw wood. It does require some prep time though, it is fun to watch the grain of the wood come out as you oil the surface. The company is amazing to, they included a few extra gifts with my purchase. It's big, it's heavy and it is an item you could have for a lifetime.

It's a pleasure to use this tool! Makes chopping easier and lets you arrange the ingredients right there because of its size.
I was rubbing it with oil for 2 weeks and it absorbed about 1 quart of vegetable oil on both sides before it was ready.

16" diameter, 5" thick, this thing is HUGE and heavy (shipping box said 55lbs) and exactly what i was looking for. a couple of issues though:

1) it's very rough cut. straight up blade marks on it, zero finish, and grease pen markings on the side denoting the size (that i have yet to get off). it should be noted that i was expecting (and hoping) for the rough/rustic look/finish though.

2) mine was so fresh that there was still sap/sugar seeping from it and crystallizing for the first 2-3days, your mileage may vary.

3) i've rubbed better than a quart of mineral oil into it over the last 2 weeks (daily) and it's developing some major cracks on both top and bottom. they started at the center, but are now developing near the sides and some are 5"+ long.


i still have high hopes for this block and will continue pouring mineral oil into it nightly for the next 2-3 weeks. it may still get relegated to grill-work only though if the cracks get any worse and soaking it in water overnight doesn't fix the problem.

Of course the 16" would have been better but too heavy for me to handle. So, I ordered the 15" which is 1/2 thinner than this 16".

Unfortunately, I was notified by the Wok Shop that the 15" was no longer available due to the halt for cutting down this near endangered Lignum Vitae tree. However, they still have the 14" available and that's what I ordered. It's still strong and heavy in weight and in duty.

I highly recommend this Chinese Ironwood Chopping Block. It is a 1 piece cut so it remains strong when doing hard and serious chopping. Don't be confused with the John Boos' chopping block which I don't recommend anything that are put together from small pieces.

This is a MUST HAVE for the serious cook and chef and those that do alot of chopping. Don't pass it up before they will no longer be available for sale!

The Wok Shop is very nice people to deal with too!!!

This tree trunk arrived somewhat slow with complimentary chop sticks, oil, and a rice paddle (free of charge). The item cost $30 and shipping was $35. It cost more to ship an item then it's worth, if this was a car, it would arrive to you totalled. The block was damp, had the numbers 16 written in black marker, was not sanded, and was leaking sap. As the block dried over a few days the wood split in 1/4'' marks and continued to leak sap. This wood has not been cured at all and is not designed for cooking. All of your food will smell of sap and the porous wood will absorb all bacteria. This has not been treated in any way and I do not see this suitable for cooking. Additionally, the wood had a white growth on it similar to fungus. In my honest opinion, this is a scam as the item is too heavy to return and most people wont bother. It brought me great pleasure to throw this out in the dumpster a few days later. As I closed the container, I thought hey, at least they took the bark off.