**UPDATED

So here I am on my second one and AGAIN it's just splitting. This makes two of them since Dec. I oiled it, kept it clean... now I am outside the return time and out 100 + splurge on a cutting board.

It's a SHAME because this is very nice to cut on, looks great, and overall is exactly what I wanted.

4/23/16 I just received my new 20"x20"x3" Catskill Craftsman board two days ago, and I have to say I was quite surprised at the obvious build quality from the moment I opened the box. The board is SOLID...mine weighs almost 40lbs. All of the dimensions are spot on as well. The color was very attractive, but not what I wanted (more on that later...I was fully aware I was buying a natural mapleish toned board). The board was nicely smooth (and more importantly, FLAT), and could easily be used as it was after seasoning. For myself, if that had been my intent I still would have given the thing a good sanding from 400 grit to 1000 grit, but that's a matter of my personal preference, and was certainly not necessary to have a beautiful, useful board.

That said, the reason I bought this board was because my old Tree & Co 18x14 MODE board split...AGAIN (it was actually delivered split, and I fixed it...but now it's split again in the same place). I normally season my boards with mineral oil on a daily basis once or twice a day for a few weeks before using, then on a weekly basis with my own board butter formula (2 parts choji oil, one part beeswax, one part coconut oil). So with that said, I was looking to do something different with this board, and since I wanted a darker, more red colored board anyhow (I loved the color of my MODE board)...I went a somewhat controversial direction and used tung oil (WATCO brand salad bowl finish was my base) thinned with equal parts low odor mineral spirits to season it. To this I added Minwax Wood Stain (Red Mahogony 225) until the color was what I wanted. Keep in mind...the idea here is NOT to put a layer of varnish between the wood and the food. It is to put a layer of varnish between each strand of wood and all of the other strands to act as a barrier for moisture that's trying to penetrate the board. The wood surface is still 100% in contact with the food, and so cuts won't ruin any 'seal' the varnish might have made in another type of application, and will still self heal to a large degree. This means it won't trap moisture or food, and can't 'flake' off. This kind of finish is supposed to last YEARS on an end grain board before possibly needing to be reapplied.

My method was simple:
- Sand to 180 grit.
- Mix varnish and mineral spirits in equal parts. Add in stain to suit, remembering that a little goes a long way.
- Using nitrile gloves, apply stain/varnish mixture to the top of the board with a soft cotton cloth, until it is no longer absorbing easily (about 4-5 minutes). Wipe off excess.
- Let cure 8hrs or so.
- Reapply mixture for three coats. After the third coat has cured for 8hrs, begin applying the first of two coats using JUST the clear varnish thinned with mineral spirits. The idea is to use the clear fluid to 'push' the color deeper into the board, providing depth and a protective coat between the pigment and your food surface. SOME people claim the stain is dangerous...I personally think there's things that are worse for you in processed food, once the stain and varnish has cured (the varnish is absolutely food safe, and the rep I talked to at Minwax told me the stain 'technically' is as well...but would not officially go on record of course), and that in this small of a dose, it's not going to be relevant anyhow. Regardless, the layer of clear varnish and the top coat of board butter should be more than enough protection against the infinitesimal bit of stain that might in some way make it to the food.
- After the second coat of clear, wipe THOROUGHLY, and let cure until you can no longer smell ANY trace of the mineral spirits, and then add a couple days on top of that to be safe.
- Sand to your desired finish. I like ultra smooth boards (this helps repel water also), and sand quickly from 400 grit, through 600, 800, and 1000 grits. I then wet the board lightly to pull up whiskers, and sand with the 1000 until the board will no longer whisker. From there you can use as is, or coat with the board conditioner of your choice. As I said I make my own board butter, and intend to use it to provide that 'healthy board' luster, to bring out the color and depth in the grain, and as an added layer of protection against bacteria and moisture.

The pictures below go in order, and since I can't caption them directly, I'll add descriptions here:

1, 2 - The board as delivered, still in the packaging.
3, 4, 5 - With my old split Tree & Co. 18x14 board, as well as a 265mm gyuto (10.5" edge length chef's knife) for scale.. This thing is monstrous.
6 - Materials for sealing.
7, 8, 9 - First coats of the varnish mixture. You can see the color has only changed a tiny bit. You can also see the varnish seeping through the back after just a minute or two of application. After this coat I added a bit more stain to the mixture as I wanted more color.
10, 11 - Second application of varnish/stain mixture.
12 - Third and final application of color mixture. You can see the board is still wet as it's being applied. I also wanted to mention that my process for the back was very simple. Before putting the board up to cure after each coat, I would simply used whatever was left on the cloth to wipe down the back. It was constantly weeping wicked through stain from the front anyhow, as well as rolling down from the sides...so mostly it was just a matter of smoothing out what was there.
13 - After the final two coats of only the clear had been applied, wiped off, and dried to the touch.
14 - In the kitchen under the warm flood lights (my shop uses 5k lighting lol). Keep in mind that the board butter has not been applied yet, so this color will darken a bit as well as gain some depth and 'glow' of its own from the oils and waxes. Pictured for scale are a 150mm (6" edge) petty knife, a 120mm (4.75" edge) petty knife, and a 100mm (4" edge) paring knife. You can see the color is MUCH nicer in regards to matching my kitchen counters and cabinets.

I will be updating this review as time goes on in order to keep you guys informed on the board's durability (or lack of!), as well as the durability of the finish itself. As it sits though, I highly recommend this board!

LOVE THIS BOARD!!!! I've been using this for 6 months now. I spent the first two days rubbing it down with mineral oil, then walnut oil. I applied probably 6 times with walnut out. It's VERY heavy, I think shipping weight was 88 pounds, and I believe it. It has been extremely durable and easy to clean. I keep some white vinegar in a spray bottle to clean raw meat off of the board, and use a damp cloth for general cleaning. It makes a statement in your kitchen too, people see it and instantly know you're a bad mofo. Nobody that sees you cut stuff on this board will dare question your culinary chops. Doesn't matter if all you're cutting is the top off the mac n cheese box. They will bow down to your mad cutting board buying prowess.

Fortunately for me I'm in Orlando and get same day service, which by the way is excellent! As per the product as a home cook and now Raw Dog food maker for 2 dogs this is everything I need to Meat Cleaver Chopping is wonderful. I t came wrapped in plastic sealed and a very well packed shipping box. As a born and raised NY and now live in Florida having a beautiful 3" thick 30# in weight hunk of Catskill Maple Ends was a must for my kitchen granite tops, looks gorgeous . I opened it carefully read the minimal directions for care and maintenance. I used 1 16 oz bottle of Boos Mystery Oil and allowed that to soak into the grain of the wood in 30 minute applications and then the next day I used a very lightly moist Bounty paper towel to clean up residue left over. Then I applied half a tube of the Boos Block board cream by hand its food grade so its ok to rub in intensely into the wood. I let that soak in over night and repeated the same paper towel process of polishing it up and giving it a excellent wax like protection. So far I'm very,very happy with it and its and excellent addition to my kitchen and I will no longer worry about damage to the granite tops. I will review again in 3 months. Thank You Catskill Craftsmen and Women and thanks Amazon.

I own two of these. The first one I bought 1 month ago, which is well made and is just all around fantastic.

The second one, however, is disappointingly awful. The board reeks. I've not even used it and I've tried to clean it and I can't get rid of the stench. I've oiled and waxed it but to no avail. I've contacted Catskill and still not heard back from them. Disappointed with the product and disappointed with the customer service.

The first board I bought is a lovely maple/cherry (can't tell to my eye) while the second one is a much lighter shade of wood. Not sure what it is but it smells awful.

**Update**
I have now had this chopping block for 6 years and have moved it across the country where it is still getting compliments from everyone who sees it in my kitchen. It is as tough and sturdy as ever and getting better looking with age.

I bought this block 3 years ago and have used it almost every day since. It was pretty dry when it arrived by I read the reviews back then and I oiled it repeatedly. I never let fluids stand on it, and I treated it very carefully...for a while. 3 years later I oil it infrequently. If it gets wet I never worry about it. It has kept my knives in great shape. And as an added bonus, it has a darker, much richer golden color. When people walk into my kitchen they always comment on it. Tonight I oiled it again for the first time in months and I thought I should send in this review because it has been a great addition to my kitchen and I highly recommend it.