A finger pocket is carved out of the bottom of each end (see photos) to make it easier to pick up from a flat surface.
Almost all the bark is retained and is firmly attached; any small crevices in the bark are filled and sealed with black epoxy resin.
Any natural stress cracks/checks or holes from insects or soft bark inclusions have been cleaned out and filled with black epoxy resin to improve stability and to prevent food particles from lodging there.
The board is finished with 3 coats of in-the-wood, food-safe polymerized tung oil and is silky smooth.
The wood comes from a yew shrub reclaimed from a local construction site in the Needham, MA, area.