Finish for Cutting Board
#5
I've got an end grain cutting board and a corresponding serving tray that I'm looking for suggestions for a finish.  Both objects are made from a combintion of cherry, walnut and maple.  From what i've found so far a combination of mineral oil and beeswax is the most popular method.  I'm looking for ideas for other options as well as applix=cation methods.

Thabks for any thoughts youmay have

Rick
Rick

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#6
(09-29-2017, 07:16 AM)Rick_B Wrote: I've got an end grain cutting board and a corresponding serving tray that I'm looking for suggestions for a finish.  Both objects are made from a combintion of cherry, walnut and maple.  From what i've found so far a combination of mineral oil and beeswax is the most popular method.  I'm looking for ideas for other options as well as applix=cation methods.

Thabks for any thoughts youmay have

Rick

Mineral oil (get it from the pharmacy where they keep the laxatives, cheaper).  Just saturate the board with that until it starts to wick all the way through.  Then after a few days (keep wiping) hit it with the beeswax solution.

To make up the beeswax and M.O. (sometimes you see people selling this as "board butter" or "spoon butter" if they sell carved spoons), get a double boiler to gently heat a cup to a pint of the M.O.  Best if you can do this without an open flame but if not, just be careful.  

Then melt in enough wax to be a 5 part M.O. to 1 part wax but really, it isn't a critical ratio.  More wax, thicker.  Less wax, thinner.

Keep it in a shallow jar.  Applies with a soft cloth when cool. Smells nice.

I've done both.  For my boards at home, I just use the M.O.  For boards I've given as a gift, I include a jar of the "butter".  Seems fancier that way.
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things. -- G. Carlin
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#7
(09-29-2017, 09:02 AM)Rob Young Wrote: Mineral oil (get it from the pharmacy where they keep the laxatives, cheaper).  Just saturate the board with that until it starts to wick all the way through.  Then after a few days (keep wiping) hit it with the beeswax solution.

To make up the beeswax and M.O. (sometimes you see people selling this as "board butter" or "spoon butter" if they sell carved spoons), get a double boiler to gently heat a cup to a pint of the M.O.  Best if you can do this without an open flame but if not, just be careful.  

Then melt in enough wax to be a 5 part M.O. to 1 part wax but really, it isn't a critical ratio.  More wax, thicker.  Less wax, thinner.

Keep it in a shallow jar.  Applies with a soft cloth when cool. Smells nice.

I've done both.  For my boards at home, I just use the M.O.  For boards I've given as a gift, I include a jar of the "butter".  Seems fancier that way.

I have used paraffin, (the 5:1 ratio is about spot on), I may lose out a little on the aromatic side, but seems to work well. I have successfully microwaved the paraffin to liquefy, as well as going the double boiler route.
There is a large variation in the cost of MO. Even in the same geographic area, ranges from $1.49 (supermarket) to $4.99 (most pharmacies, and many supermarkets) a pint. 
Good luck
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#8
I use lemon oil wax. Easy to apply and reapply.
Cellulose runs through my veins!
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