first spoon

[-Switch-]

Dave/tommy (?),

Linseed oil is very good for protecting your wood and is often used on the wooden parts of hand tools, as I'm sure you know. Not sure if it can be used on eating utensils though??
Sesame oil is a good one for spoons and gives off a pleasant aroma too. Although some would strongly disagree the aroma could be described as 'pleasant'
Be careful to choose an oil with a smell that you like though, as taste is very strongly linked to our sense of smell, and a certain amount of taste from the oil will sometimes impart onto your food, depending on what you're using the spoon for and especially after it's been recently oiled.

 

[tommy the cat]

Ta Switch dunno if I will actually be using this one so linseed oil will prob be ok.
Whats all this boiled /raw all about? Think I got ordinary linseed oil in the shed?
Just out of interest gota really nice garden fork handle I want to help protect? Would'nt linseed oil be sticky? Ta D

 

[-Switch-]

Not too sure on the differences between boiled and raw - some people swear by boiled, others say it doesn't really matter. Personally I use raw and it works fine.

As for your fork handle...
A good soak in linseed oil will give good protection and won't be sticky at all once it's dry. I recently took all the varnish ( ) off an axe handle and soaked it in linseed oil instead. The reason I did this was to eliminate the stickiness of the varnish and give a good smooth finish that won't stick to the hand (and give blisters) when used. So far it's been very good.

Make sure the handle is good clean wood - no varnish/ paint/ stains etc. Sand it down a little to be sure if you like. Then get some kitchen paper/ kitchen towel (whatever you call it) and apply plenty of oil to the paper so it soaks right in. Next wrap the paper around the handle and repeat untill the whole handle is covered with oily paper. Then wrap the whole lot in cling film, nice and tight so you don't get any leakage.
Leave it out of the way for a few days to soak right in then unwrap and leave to dry.

This is the process I used for my axe handle and it worked very well. Just needs a light rub-down with oil every now and then to top it up. I shouldn't think your fork handle will be much different, only bigger, so may need longer to soak in/ dry off.



Oh, and remember to soak your old oily paper/rags with water before throwing away or take them into the garden and burn them off. Linseed oil soaked rags have been known to spontaneously combust, especially in warm dry environments like a rubbish bin

 

[tommy the cat]

Thanks switch will try that.... I've heard about linseed oil self combusting.....maybe a new way to light a fire! D

 

[SOAR]

I use edible Flax seed oil which is linseed oil from a health food shop ,the boiled linseed oil is parafin based so its not realy for food safe items, you can actually buy food safe oil from Axminster or you can use chestnut oil which you can buy from sainsburys. But i,ve found edible flax seed oil to be fine, never had any problems.