About The Owner

Chappell Bakke is the founder, owner, and artisan of Chap's Choppin' Tops. She began Chap's Choppin' Tops at Texas A&M University in 2019 with a couple slabs of mesquite, a mallet, and some chisels. Her grandfather taught her everything she knows about woodworking, and he is the reason she fell in love with the craft. Chappell began making cutting boards because she loved the art of hand chiseling, she was enamored with creating products with her hands and she had a passion for entrepreneurship. She would like to thank her grandpa, Tom Egbert, for passing along his spirit for craftsmanship. She owes a 'thank you' to her family for being her right-hand men during the busy season and supportive year-round. Another 'thank you' to her A&M entrepreneurship professors for instilling their faith in the company. Lastly, to her husband for the support in the midst of constant business trials and for helping her see and execute the big picture of the business.

Chap's Choppin' Tops began with a purpose of carrying on a craft from Chappell's grandpa, Big Papa. He had been a dentist for decades, constantly working with his hands and he was the epitome of a Jack of all Trades. He can make fine jewelry, beautiful mesquite furniture and anything with intricate precision. In 2019, Chappell was a Junior at Texas A&M when she asked her grandpa to teach her how to chisel. They began working on a scrap slab of mesquite that was propped up on a fish cleaning station in Port Aransas, Tx. She had moved down to the coast for the summer with the intent to work, fish and make things with her hands. It had hit July and after many failed attempts of trying her hand at leatherworking, she thought woodworking would be a better calling. Big Papa brought her four chisels and a mallet hours after she had made the call for help in his arena. They spent the entire July hammering, chiseling, and working on the propped-up slab. Once she had engraved multiple names and brands into the board, he looked at her and said she was a natural. For the next two years in school, she would travel back and forth from College Station to their family ranch in Fredericksburg, picking up wood, picking up talent and finally distributing cutting boards to friends and family. She became obsessed with the craft and soon after obsessed with entrepreneurship. She wanted to share his craft and showcase the ability to make beautiful, natural, handmade products. The venture has become an ideal way to spend time with her grandpa; working, learning, and creating something people truly enjoy.

The custom hand chiseling is exceptionally unique to every board. Chappell can hand chisel anything the customer desires, the options are endless. From wedding crests to initials, to a family dog, childhood home and so on, she can draw and replicate your wildest creation. 

Chap's Choppin' Tops harvests 200-year-old bull mesquite trees throughout the Hill Country and South Texas. When scouting out the perfect trunk to use; we look at the weather patterns in that area, mistletoe growth in the tree, a life sustained with high winds, the acidity in the soil and so on. All of these factors affect the color, grain design and structural integrity of the wood. We then mill the trunks out and begin the stickering and drying process which will last up to a year.  After the slabs have been naturally dried for one year, they are kiln dried at 200 degrees for about 6 hours to kill and cure anything inside of the wood. The boards then go to a contractor who works magic with a sander and takes off the bark and excess unwanted wood. David, our sander, spends about 4-5 hours with each board, sanding, shaping and creating a work of art. He passes the board back to Chappell, and she begins the customizations and fulfillment of orders. The board is sanded again with a 1,000 fine grit sandpaper and then taken to the finishing table. We heat up a cutting board conditioner and apply the finish multiple times. Finally, we clean the boards, touch up with mineral oil, write 'thank you' notes, leave to dry, ship, and deliver!