I recently retired my everyday salad bowl. It was one of the first bowls that I ever made, and feeling that it didn’t turn out spectacularly, I decided to keep it for myself to see how it would age with heavy use.
I finished this bowl with a coat of walnut oil that turned out to not be enough for everyday use. It now has a faint smell of rancid olive oil that is fully absorbed in the wood. The other problem is a small crack in the rim that opens a bit when I wash it. So now, this bowl is used only for dry foods and countertop fruit.
I’ve learned a lot about finishes since I made this. I’ve done a lot of reading and consulting with fellow woodturners about the best options for food-safe finishes. There are a few choices available, and some are better than others depending on the quality of the wood and its grain.
Curing finishes such as tung oil or a urethane are good choices because they are hard and seal the wood against moisture and food oils. They can provide rigidity to a softer wood, a glossy finish and can fill open grain. The downside is that full curing can take a month and requires oxygen from air circulation.
Another product that I like to use is a relatively new formulation called “oil wax.” A few different companies make it and it has the beauty of oil with the sealing qualities of a curing finish. It is not as yellowing as polyurethane and cures in 48 hours.
I have also recently started working with shellac. For this bowl, I used hemp oil and a few coats of shellac that I mixed from flakes with grain alcohol. This combination holds up for cold wet foods, but not as much with hot ones.
What’s nice about all of these finishes is that they play nicely with each other. Meaning, I can use hemp oil or oil wax underneath a urethane or shellac. Then I can add a wax finish that is a mix of beeswax and carnauba.
The only finish that I never use is mineral oil, usually sold as “butcher block oil.” Although it is considered food-safe, it is my least favorite because it’s a petroleum derivative, it can leave an oily feel and it eventually fully evaporates and needs to be reapplied.
I seldom use walnut oil anymore, and only on walnut wood. It doesn’t mix well with the other finishes and I’m concerned about customers who may have an allergy.
I’m always looking into and trying new products to increase the life of my wooden bowls and spoons. An ultimate test product I plan on exploring next year is an end grain cup for hot drinks.
Until then, I’ll be working on ornaments and other things for the holiday markets. I’ll be in Peekskill, NY on December 10 and at The Good Witch coffee shop in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY on December 17. Reach out if you need a special gift to give this season!
Great issue!