Hi Chem,
There are lots of different cheeses–and very different knives. In fact, some of the hardest cheeses are grated (like parmesan). Soft cheeses (like Philadelphia cream cheese) are spooned and spread. Some cheeses are cut by a single wire in a hacksaw type arrangement, or planed with a special device. Knives intended only for cheese are not very sharp–sometimes they have a little fork at the end:
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/search/cheese-knives
But . . .regular knives and cleavers can be used.
So, if one is using knives or other tools designed for cheeses, a stone foundation might assure an odor free easy to clean workplace that wouldn’t harm the tools. If one is using regular knives, only a wood cutting board would keep the knives sharp.
Ray
