Replies

1. 
   Gretchen | Jul 03, 2008 04:14pm | #1

   Not those oils. They will go rancid. I suggest no finish at all. It will "weather" to a "finish" from use.  If you want to use anything use mineral oil.

   Gretchen
2. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 03, 2008 04:55pm | #2

   An excellent treatment for cutting boards and butcher blocks is a mixture of mineral oil and either paraffin or beeswax. This is what is used on many commercial wood surfaces. It will last longer and be more protective than just mineral oil. Mineral oil can be found in most supermarkets in the pharmacy section or in a true pharmacy. Paraffin is found in the canning section of the store or in a hardware store.

   Heat the oil in a double boiler and shave in some wax. The exact proportions are not critical--a 5-6 parts of oil to one part of wax will work fine. Stir the mixture until all the wax is liquified. Apply the mixture heavily and let it set 10-12 hours or overnight. Next day do it again and continue until the wood will no long absorb the finish. Let it set for 10-12 hours and then lightly scrape off any excess. Then buff it with a rag.

   Reapply whenever the wood begins to look dry.

   Never put a wood board in the dishwasher and don't soak it in dishwater for long periods.

   Howie.........
1. 
   Rich14 | Jul 04, 2008 04:31pm | #3

   Howard,While this finishing method will impart a lovely glow to the wood, I respectfully recommend against it for a board that will be more than just for "show" and against your advice not to put the cutting board in the dishwasher or to soak it in dishwater. (well, I can't really argue against putting it in the dishwasher!)I second Gretchen's advice not to finish the board at all, or to occasionally, simply use a little mineral oil if desired, purely for aesthetic reasons.The board will harbor bacteria and it is a good idea to wash it well at least every few uses. Some tests have shown that, surprisingly, (some) wood boards harbor less bacteria than plastic boards which were erroneously thought to be the "answer" to the cleanliness problem, but they need to be cleaned, none-the-less.Rich

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 05, 2008 12:58am | #8

   Rich, I do not advocate not washing or cleaning a cutting board. They should be thoroughly cleaned every time they are used. However, they should never be soaked long term in dishwater or put in a dishwasher to clean. Instead, they should be wiped with hot water and soap then rinsed off with water.I do advocate a mineral oil/paraffin treatment that will impede the absorption of juices making cleaning easier.Yes, I am aware of the studies of many years ago at UC Davis that seemed to indicate that certain woods actually killed bacteria. However, I have never seen that endorsed or supported by the FDA. The FDA advocates aggressive cleaning and disinfecting of ANY cutting board. The benefit to plastic boards is that they CAN be put into dishwashers which will do a good job of cleaning and disinfecting particularly in commercial dish cleaning machines.Howie.........

2. 
   Gretchen | Jul 05, 2008 04:34pm | #9

   we also might want to inquire of the OP if this is just a "bread" board--cutting bread only, not an all around cutting board.  I still say no organic oils. Howard's finish with paraffin would be fine, or just mineral oil.

   It should be a moot point about any kind of soaking in water, let alone a dishwasher.

   And cutting boards can be cleaned with bleach if and when needed.Gretchen

3. 
   saschafer | Jul 04, 2008 05:26pm | #4

   I've used two coats of 100% pure tung oil (non-polymerized). It takes a long time to dry (but not nearly as long as walnut or peanut oils), so I use the following schedule:

   1. Apply a generous coat of oil. Allow to soak in for 15 minutes.
   2. Replenish any dry spots. Allow to soak in for another 15 minutes.
   3. Wipe off all oil. Check again after an hour or so and wipe off any additional oil that bleeds out.
   4. Wait a week.
   5. Repeat. The board won't absorb nearly as much oil this second time around.

   Wait until the finish is fully dry before using. (I recommend at least two weeks after the last application of oil; a month is even better.) The finish is reasonably water and stain resistant, but you do need to wipe up spills and not let them sit for hours. Water will eventually raise the grain and roughen the surface. When that happens, just sand lightly. If while sanding you take off enough wood that the water repellency is gone, just reapply the finish using the same schedule.

   With any drying oil, whatever you do, DO NOT use the "If a little oil is good, a lot of oil must be better" philosophy. If you apply too much oil, the oil on the surface dries first, and the oil underneath takes months or years to dry, during which time the board continues to smell strongly of tung oil, which isn't a particularly pleasant smell.

   -Steve

    

1. 
   rog | Jul 04, 2008 05:50pm | #5

   Thanks for all the advice. I have decided to go with the tung oil. I have it in the shop and will apply slowly

   Thanks

   Roger

1. 
   zolton | Jul 04, 2008 09:22pm | #6

   I just did some research on this for a newspaper column I wrote on the subject. Along the way I ran into a reference at the Forest Products Laboratory website that details a very safe, easy, quick finish for cutting boards. http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/finlines/knaeb98c.pdf

   Essentially, they recommend melting regular paraffin wax (the kind used in home canning) in a double boiler and brushing onto the surface. The excess wax, when cool, can be scraped away with a putty knife. Or, you can apply some heat to the surface in order to get the wax to absorb more fully into the wood.

   I used Behlen's Salad Bowl finish on some wooden spoons I made a few years ago, and was very surprised that I was able to discern a sharp metallic taste a month after they were supposed to be dry. It tainted a batch of scrambled eggs (the bachelor's staple) that I had made when my wife was out of town, and I had to throw them (the scrambled eggs) away. Very shortly later, I also threw the spoons out.

   The wax could be applied in a few minutes and the board used the same day. And it's non-toxic and cheap as well...

   Zolton  If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 05, 2008 12:44am | #7

   >> Essentially, they recommend melting regular paraffin wax (the kind used in home canning) in a double boiler and brushing onto the surface.Yes, that will work. Mineral oil is the liquid form of paraffin. Mixing the two by heating them together will give a more viscous solution. Being more viscous it will be absorbed deeper into the wood providing a greater barrier to moisture and juices and lasting a longer time between re-applications.I do not recommend a non-treated cutting board if it is used for meats or vegetables. It's OK for cutting dry goods like bread. Commercial cutting boards and chopping blocks typically use the mineral oil and paraffin treatment.Howie.........

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 05, 2008 05:11pm | #10

   I meant to mention that I do not like using either linseed oil or tung oil for a cutting board. Both have a long term odor that will be picked up by the things being cut. Bread quickly picks up odors as will many other items. Mineral oil is odorless.Howie.........

4. 
   cherryjohn | Jul 06, 2008 03:28pm | #11

   Heck. I just whipe mine with olive oil evey once is a blue moon.  Ive kept olive oil for a darn long time and never saw it go rancid.

   Id trust a hard maple cutting board any time over a soft plastic one when it comes to the subject of harboring germs.  Unless you really whang at it with a big knife, sugar maple is hard to cut into very deeply

   With all the things that modern people seem to be concerned with these days it makes you wonder how folks lived past the age of 30 200 years ago

   Wicked Decent Woodworks

   (oldest woodworking shop in NH)

   Rochester NH

   " If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 06, 2008 05:55pm | #12

   >> Ive kept olive oil for a darn long time and never saw it go rancid.All I can say is that my Italian mother-in-law used her "breadboard" for preparing all sorts of stuff, much of which had olive oil. Eventually, it did go rancid and she couldn't figure out what was smelling up her kitchen. She thought is was a dead mouse. Turned out it was her breadboard. I tried cleaning it but the odor would come back almost immediately. I ended up making her a new breadboard, coated it with a mineral oil/paraffin treatment and she was back in business.I suspect that olive oil in the bottle will last a long time. But, once it is exposed to oxygen, it does go bad.Howie.........

   Edited 7/7/2008 3:07 pm ET by HowardAcheson

2. 
   Rich14 | Jul 06, 2008 06:42pm | #13

   cherryjohn,"With all the things that modern people seem to be concerned with these days it makes you wonder how folks lived past the age of 30 200 years ago"Not having much to do with anything in this thread, but as a matter of fact, not a lot of people DID live a whole lot longer than that, then.Rich

1. 
   cherryjohn | Jul 06, 2008 08:58pm | #14

   Rich.being an avid cemetary looker it is clear that people died very young.........under 5  ........women died in childbirth in child bearing years..and suprisingly a lot of folks lived well into their 70's and 80's if the gravestones are to believed.  My house is 230 years old and the origional owner died at 94 in 1817.his mom died at 91 in 1781.....but i bet he didnt use olive oilWicked Decent Woodworks

   (oldest woodworking shop in NH)

   Rochester NH

   " If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"