I was given a cutting board of this design in 1985 and have used it for carving ever since. The slanted face allows the knife to reach all the way down to the surface without a wall/edge interfering with the stroke. The juices flow to the down side for easy collection. Being reversible makes it lightweight, and means it lasts twice as long because both faces can be used for carving. Form meets function - the best design I've ever seen for the purpose.