End grain cutting boards are made by bonding small blocks of wood together so that the cut ends of the tree's growth rings and fibers face upward toward the cutting surface. This contributes to why an end grain board is superior when it comes to the longevity of your knife blades, as the knife glides through the grain vs against it. These boards are also considered self-healing” as the fibers part but then come back together. End grain boards do typically require more oiling/conditioning compared to edge grain boards, but these are typically the top choice for most chefs.