# cutting board finish



## buckets (Aug 26, 2006)

I am making cutting boards out of walnut and cherry, cut into an apple shape. I want a clear finnish that is food safe. Thanks, Buckets


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Buckets

I recommend Pure Vegetable Oil that you can get from any grocery store 

It's clean and you can use it many times to get that new look over and over, I use it on ALL the cutting boards I make it's safe and you will like the look of it.

I put on one GOOD coat (pour it on and use your fingers to rub/work it in) and then let it sit for a hour or two then one more good coat and your done. 
Wipe it down a bit with a clean rag after a hour or so , to a nice buff and then hand one over to your boss and say hey babe here's a new cutting board  

Small Note**** For a nice touch get some apple extract from the grocery store at the same time you get the vegetable oil, you will find it in the candy/cake making items in your store ,put a drop or two with the last coat of oil on your board and your board will smell like apples for a long time. 
It will be in a very small bottle. 

Bj


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## jerrymayfield (Sep 25, 2004)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Buckets
> 
> I recommend Pure Vegetable Oil that you can get from any grocery store
> 
> ...


Vegetable oil is not a good choice for cutting boards,it becomes rancid after a while. By far the most commonly used finish for cutting boards is mineral oil or mineral oil with parrafin wax melted in.It is safe to use but must be renewed periodically when the board appears dry.
Regards
Jerry


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

THANKS Jerry

The next time I make a cutting board I will give it a try 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_board

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil

"Mineral oil with added fragrance is marketed as 'baby oil' in the US and UK"

Bj


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## fibertech (May 7, 2005)

I bought Cutting Board Oil at Rockler. I'm sure that the large Home Improvement stores would also have it. -Derek


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## jerrymayfield (Sep 25, 2004)

The cutting board oil you bought is mineral oil,it is also sold as laxative at Drugstores.

Regards

Jerry


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## fibertech (May 7, 2005)

At my age, I don't need a laxative. It's comforting to know that if I do, my local Rockler is open on Sunday.  -Derek


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## buckets (Aug 26, 2006)

I have mineral oil on the shelf, thanks for the help. Buckets


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## Billy Boy (Mar 4, 2012)

I recommend hemp seed oil as the best food safe finish for cutting boards. It has no petroleum distillate as does mineral oil, no nut allergy, and will not go rancid as will vegetable oil and many other oils. I have pictures of my cutting boards finished with hemp seed oil and natural beeswax at Bill Major You can buy wold wide from Hempola, Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Check out their web site. Billy Boy


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## 01stairguy (Apr 18, 2010)

i was told to use mineral oil, and i did. looks good and protects the board as well. i made to boards one hard maple and walnut and the other one brazilian cherry and hard maple they turn out real nice


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## abergguitars (Jul 16, 2012)

Olive oil works great. It doesn't go bad and smelly as other food grade oils tend to do.
Paraffin oil works fine to.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I was told to use Grape Seed Oil, from Italy.

Seem to work well for me.


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## Palo Verde (Jul 12, 2012)

*Try this mix*



buckets said:


> I am making cutting boards out of walnut and cherry, cut into an apple shape. I want a clear finnish that is food safe. Thanks, Buckets


Try mixing blond shellac, walnut oil/linseed oil, and grain alchol (ever clear) in equal amounts with a table spoon of carnuba wax. Apply buff dry repeat several times until you achieve the desired sheen. You can buff dry with a power buffer.


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## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Steve, veg oils do not dissolve in alcohol, and the result has to be "dishwashing fluid resistant" - because we as woodworkers are happy to cherish the cutting board with a soft brush and TLC, but housewives will dip it in the sink and wash it thoroughly so all oil coating will be gone - and, with a sparkle in their eyes, they will tell you "but you are an amateur dear, what did you think you could make?" - Have you used this mixture before? Have you had feedback?

Last Christmas I gave away about 20 - 25 cheeseboards, (see rel. thread - a very interesting discussion came out of this)
http://www.routerforums.com/project...ss-cheese-boards-gone-christmas-presents.html
Several of my friends noticed that a regular wash with dishwashing fluid finally removed all olive oil I had used, and I had been radical: a roasting pan was half filled with 3 - 4 cups olive oil and the cheese boards spent 24hrs swimming in there, then they were wiped dried in the shade and given away.

Now i am thinking of a mixture of turpentine, olive oil, beeswax ,carnauba wax and mastic - any ideas?

A very good friend of mine down under is still waiting for his board - I did not have enough time to make a good one for him and then I fell ill in February and just came back in action.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

D


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## 57759 (Apr 8, 2011)

As an experiment when I built the deck 5 or 6 years ago I applied hot paraffin canning wax to a couple of the deck boards. Although the deck lumber has never been washed with a detergent of any kind, it has been in the elements from -20°F to + 113 not including the elevated sun temperatures. As can be seen the lower board readily absorbs water while the upper board still repels water very well.

According to this non-scientific experiment, I believe any cutting boards I make will get paraffin. This is a non-submerging household.:dance3:


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## The Warthog (Nov 29, 2010)

Another late vote for mineral oil. You can always take a swig if you're a little irregular. I don't think you should do that with hemp oil. 

When I give the cutting boards away, I tell them to wipe it down with mineral oil if it gets dry.


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## Palo Verde (Jul 12, 2012)

01stairguy said:


> i was told to use mineral oil, and i did. looks good and protects the board as well. i made to boards one hard maple and walnut and the other one brazilian cherry and hard maple they turn out real nice


I like to use a home brew mix. I mix equal amounts of shellac, grain alchol, flax seed (raw linseed) oil and carnuba wax. Doing about a quater cup of each it will only take about 1 Tbl spoon of wax. The alchol acts as a carrier for the shellac, oil, and the wax. This is a home made friction polish. Apply about 3 applications buffing between each and a final coat of pure wax.


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## Palo Verde (Jul 12, 2012)

*home made friction polish*



Dimitri M said:


> Steve, veg oils do not dissolve in alcohol, and the result has to be "dishwashing fluid resistant" - because we as woodworkers are happy to cherish the cutting board with a soft brush and TLC, but housewives will dip it in the sink and wash it thoroughly so all oil coating will be gone - and, with a sparkle in their eyes, they will tell you "but you are an amateur dear, what did you think you could make?" - Have you used this mixture before? Have you had feedback?
> 
> Last Christmas I gave away about 20 - 25 cheeseboards, (see rel. thread - a very interesting discussion came out of this)
> 
> ...


I use flax seed oil, that is the raw version of boiled linseed oil. I don't use an emulsifier so it seperates fairly quickly, shake it often. The alchol acts as a carrier for the oil and helps it to penatrate the wood fibers, as it dries it seems to catalixe the wood fibers, and of course the wax acts as a sealer and it will have to be reapplied. I apply three coats buffing dry between each application. After the third coat I allow the finish to cool and then repeat three more times then apply the final coat of wax and just hand buff with a shoe brush. Minwax and Johnsons floor wax work well. I am sorry that I was not as understandable as I should have been I have also reposted this.


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## Palo Verde (Jul 12, 2012)

you grow your own?


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## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Steve. thank you for your time and effort to explain all your procedure to me. From what I read, I take it is a total of 6 hands of finish, plus a final waxing, with intemediate buffings and final shoe-brush care. I bet it looks good, it had better be - after all this elbow grease !!!.

As for me, although I admire all well polished wood, the mere idea of having to work with brushes and cloths etc gets me bored - dead bored, unfortunately - so, I will do my best for one or two hands of whatever - and it must be satisfying. On the othert hand, I like making concoctions - and get very easily disappointed.

Back to the stuff you make: Are you sure it is safe enough to use on a cheese board?? Cheese that stands on it for 2 - 3 hours will exude fat and it will attract various things from the wood that nay even show as stains on the cheese !!!

And two more questions: Any experience with animal fats ??? Are 2-compound varnishes (epoxies) safe for food ???

Thanks 

D


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## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

You asked if I grow my own? Referring to cypresses? olivetrees for olive oil? Please clarify so I can answer.

with thanks

D


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## Palo Verde (Jul 12, 2012)

Dimitri M said:


> You asked if I grow my own? Referring to cypresses? olivetrees for olive oil? Please clarify so I can answer.
> 
> with thanks
> 
> D


That was a mis post, sorry I was refering to hemp oil.


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