Fill for nail holes in reclaimed maple?

[stoppy]

I'm making end grain cutting boards (Woodwhisperer Design) from hard maple reclaimed from old bowling lane approaches.  I can't imagine when I expose the end grain of the wood that I won't expose some of those nail holes.
They were nailed together with black screw nails and there is some black residue left after removing the nails. I'm debating about showing them in the boards or hiding them.  The wood is from a bowling center I used to own and the cutting boards are gifts to our children's families. Would you fill them or leave show. Given the spacing of the nails I don't foresee many showing.  My wife says they will probably display these boards and not use them. I'm on the fence.  Thoughts please. Oh, the second wood for the boards are laminated woods of their college school colors.

[hbmcc]

Don't you have enough wood to cut out the nail stains?

[stoppy]

Don't you have enough wood to cut out the nail stains?

The short answer is no.

[Teak]

I'm making end grain cutting boards (Woodwhisperer Design) from hard maple...

I was big on end grain cutting board too until I saw this episode of America Test Kitchen on cutting boards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPyhS2LX_Co

I suggest you watch it too. Maybe you will decide to revisit your idea and make the cutting board differently...

[John Mihich]

Use a bit of the wood to make pins to put into the holes.  You can use toothpicks if you want.  I have done this with holes and they look like small limb remnants. 

Just hand cut the wood along the grain and sharpen one end, apply glue, then pound them into the hole.

[stoppy]

I was big on end grain cutting board too until I saw this episode of America Test Kitchen on cutting boards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPyhS2LX_Co

I suggest you watch it too. Maybe you will decide to revisit your idea and make the cutting board differently...

I've done them both ways.  The multi colored laminated wood needs to be end grain in this particular design. I seriously doubt they will be used as cutting boards.  I see them being used (if at all) as trays for cheese and sausage at tailgate parties.

[Bill Wilson]

Under normal circumstances, I'd be inclined to fill them.  I like John's suggested method.

However, given that they will be more decorative than utilitarian, I kinda like the idea of leaving the nail holes & stains show.  There's a story there and it will add character to the board.  Something to consider.

[stoppy]

Under normal circumstances, I'd be inclined to fill them.  I like John's suggested method.

However, given that they will be more decorative than utilitarian, I kinda like the idea of leaving the nail holes & stains show.  There's a story there and it will add character to the board.  Something to consider.

You and my wife must be talking. She said almost the exact same thing. Said the kids wouldn’t use them and most of the wood is from the approach in front of the pro shop, where son practiced a lot.

[Willyou]

For the iron stain, try oxalic acid. To fill the holes, I would plug them as mentioned above.

[Bibliophile 13]

The color stain isn't a problem. I'd leave that alone, as it reminds the recipients of where the wood came from. But I would definitely fill the holes because, well, if it does get used around food, the holes will get filled with something eventually anyway....

Small plugs glued in work well, especially since it sounds like all these holes are the same diameter. You could also go for something more decorative, such as crushed stone stabilized with superglue. I've used malachite (crushed green stone) to pretty good effect, for example. It's not hard to do. Fill the hole with the fill (the finer the better) and mound it up a bit over the hole. Flood with regular superglue. Scrape/sand flush after it dries. It really couldn't be easier.