# Cutting board finish



## Adillo303 (Dec 20, 2010)

I am makng a board for my brother in law. It is a long grain board. Mahogany center flanked by white maple, then purpleheart then cherry.

I have always oiled the boards or used salad bowl finish. If I used tung oil to bring out the woods a little better and put salad bowl finish over that, would it be food safe?

TIA


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

depends on the tung oil. if the can is marked 100% tung oil, then yes it is food safe. if it is a can that just says tung oil its not. most of them dont have any tung oil in them. the ones that do, its a very little amount.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Another choice that you may want to try, is 1 part paraffin wax to 10 parts mineral oil. Basically, it works out to be 2 light tablespoons of wax to 1 cup of oil. Heat the oil and wax in a pot until the wax has melted completely. Stir the mixture up and you can either apply it hot, or let it cool at which point it will turn kind of like a paste. I've found it works really well and lasts a little longer.
Sorry that i don't have an answer for your tung oil question.


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## PurpleHeartJarHead (Jul 17, 2011)

Kenbo said:


> Another choice that you may want to try, is 1 part paraffin wax to 10 parts mineral oil. Basically, it works out to be 2 light tablespoons of wax to 1 cup of oil. Heat the oil and wax in a pot until the wax has melted completely. Stir the mixture up and you can either apply it hot, or let it cool at which point it will turn kind of like a paste. I've found it works really well and lasts a little longer.
> Sorry that i don't have an answer for your tung oil question.


This a tried and true method that works really well. My shop teacher showed us this way back in 8th grade. It is still my favorite finish for cutting boards and other wood kitchen implements.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Keno, I am just completing a couple of cutting boards. The mineral oil finish looks good on the straight grain boards but is very dull on the end grain boards. In fact the end grain boards look better with no finish. Will your finish help this? Also, which way is the best to apply for a shinny finish; hot or cooled? I am not trying to hijack this thread as I am sure the originator would like to know also.
Thanks, Tom


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

I used the formula of coat the board once a day for a week, once a week for a month and once a month forever. The wax and oil finish does leave a bit of a sheen on the board. After it has soaked in over night, I rub the finish into the board with a clean rag. Hot or cold doesn't matter. If you put if on cold, the friction of rubbing it into the board melts it anyway.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I use just room temperature mineral oil. I apply liberally, and let sit for 20-30 minutes and wipe off. I do that every day or so until the wood doesn't take any more oil. After that it's a periodic thing, and if it looks like it needs oil, I waited too long.












 







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## Adillo303 (Dec 20, 2010)

I have two boards to finish before Thursday night. We are going to Canada for 10 days and these are wedding presents. I started out using Salad bowl Finish. I am not fond of it for cutting boards as the finish comes off surface that you cut on very quickly. I have used the mineral oil and generally like it. I have read about the parafin / mineral oil and wanted to try it, I was retting about where I would get paraffin easily. Then I came across this article.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=26893

While reading that, I read about using Bees Wax instead of Paraffin. Bingo!! My wife is a soaper and has a big bag of beeswax. I have mineral oil and can easily get more. I think that I will try this out.

For "my" board, I oil it about once a month and am very happy with the result.


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## Adillo303 (Dec 20, 2010)

Kenbo said:


> Another choice that you may want to try, is 1 part paraffin wax to 10 parts mineral oil. Basically, it works out to be 2 light tablespoons of wax to 1 cup of oil. Heat the oil and wax in a pot until the wax has melted completely. Stir the mixture up and you can either apply it hot, or let it cool at which point it will turn kind of like a paste. I've found it works really well and lasts a little longer.
> Sorry that i don't have an answer for your tung oil question.



Well, Kenbo. My wife made me up some of this today. I had a really late day at work today and got no shop time. Long night tomorrow and Hopefully I get this on some boards. 

Thank You

Andy


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## Jordan (May 22, 2011)

boiled linseed oil is the standard for chopping block counter tops etc. for many years.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Doesn't the use of metallic dryers make boiled linseed oil inedible , as in not food safe ?
I use mineral oil .


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Manuka Jock said:


> Doesn't the use of metallic dryers make boiled linseed oil inedible , as in not food safe ?


Yes, that is correct.












 







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## Jordan (May 22, 2011)

did not know that, why then was it used for many years?


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Jordan

When you say boiled linseed oil are you meaning raw linseed oil that the wood worker boils in a pot and then wipes on the wood or dips the wood in the hot oil .
or 
are you referring to the off the store bought oil that is labeled 'Boiled Linseed Oil' , has chemical dryers added and is applied cold ? 

Jock


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

> The mineral oil finish looks good on the straight grain boards but is very dull on the end grain boards. In fact the end grain boards look better with no finish.


The trick to getting it to work is to wet sand the finish into the wood for the first 2 or 3 coats. I use 320 wet or dry paper for the first coat 400 for the second and 600 for the third. From that point you can just wipe the oil on and off periodically.


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## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

Manuka Jock said:


> Jordan
> 
> When you say boiled linseed oil are you meaning raw linseed oil that the wood worker boils in a pot and then wipes on the wood or dips the wood in the hot oil .
> or
> ...


Store bought BLO has caustic salts added to improve dry time. I see caustic, I keep it away from food.

As for boiling linseed oil, I wouldn't, the stuff likes to burn.

Raw linseed oil is food safe, but dries slow.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Brink said:


> Store bought BLO has caustic salts added to improve dry time. I see caustic, I keep it away from food.
> 
> As for boiling linseed oil, I wouldn't, the stuff likes to burn.
> 
> Raw linseed oil is food safe, but dries slow.


 You had best tell Jordan , he is the one who brought it up
As I said above , I use mineral oil .


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## Adillo303 (Dec 20, 2010)

Well, I am in Canada at the wedding I made the boards for. The beeswax, mineral oil finish looks terrific, Thank you Kenbo.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

You're welcome. Enjoy Canada. Where in Canada are you?


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## UncleSnail (Jul 25, 2011)

*board finish*

I have made a few cutting boards for gifts and it has been my experience that very few if any of the recipients actually used them as such. Most don't. The boards do, however, make great heating pads and food servers. I include a bottle of butcher block oil with the gift. Uncle Snail


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## Adillo303 (Dec 20, 2010)

Hi Kenbo,

I am in Victoria, British Columbia and it sure is beautiful.

Uncle Snall - I made two end grains for X-Mas one in in daily use, one has never seen a countertop. I made one for a gift this spring. The recipient wants to make it a wall hanging. I have three this trip. I also made the laminated bread knives of matching wood. Actually, I should try to get a pix post. I will work on that. One in in use already the other two are for the wedding, We'll see.


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## UncleSnail (Jul 25, 2011)

*Board finish*

Hi Adillo, Yes, the cutting boards are usually too beautiful to use as such. I adorn my table with a couple. But I guess the point to the original post was the assumption that the boards would be used so....

Anyway, I am glad you get joy from them as I do. :yes:


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