Our Diamonds series features a technique developed by Ken Goodwin that sets these end grain boards apart from all others. In the typical factory-made end grain board, the blocks of wood are randomly glued together. The beauty of our Diamonds design, in contrast, relies on carefully keeping track of the blocks of wood as they are cut, and gluing them in sequential mirror-image patterns. The result is a fascinating kaleidoscope of diamonds and triangles that dazzles the eye. This unique look is available only at Designer Cutting Boards.

Willow is a medium density American hardwood grown on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is softer and lighter than woods like Cherry and Maple. It will show knife cuts more than our other end grain boards, but the trade-off is that your knife will stay sharper longer. Our Willow Diamonds boards are about a third lighter than our other boards of a comparable size. This difference is more noticeable than you might think, so this board is an excellent choice if you think weight is an issue for you.

Ken Goodwin: "I chose Willow because the quality of its end grain has the greatest contrasts, creating more visual impact than any other wood I know of. As you can see below, there is a wide variation in color and grain pattern in Willow, so each board is as unique as a snowflake. Willow is a bit bland until the oil finish is applied, but then grain pops out dramatically and the true identity of the board is revealed. I have yet to make one I didn’t like."