Jacob May
Jacob May is an Oakland, California-based design company founded by woodworker and designer Dave Ball. The company specializes in producing classic American furniture and furnishings that are simple, elegant and built to last for generations.
Each piece from the Jacob May studio is hand-made in Ball's Oakland studio with domestically sourced materials. Jacob May butcher blocks are exceptional because of his close attention to the patterns of the wood. "I take the time to read the grain of the wood and layout the pieces intentionally to create the intricate, flowing patterns. To get the patterns I have to do several extra steps, each of which require great precision, that are not involved in making other cutting boards. Through experience I have developed the ability to predict which strips of wood will have the most consistent details and I know where and in which orientation to place them throughout the board to create the most pleasing effects."