Alternative to oil wanted!

[Hammock Hamster]

Hi all, I have just about finished off a small fruit bowl as a Christmas gift/peace offering to my mother in law and want to give it protective finish.

I usually use oil (tung or tapeseed) for food related items but want something that gives it the most natural look possible.

I quite like the plain finish as is but past experience with birch tells me it will pick up stains from any liquid or moisture that will ruin it over time.

Anyone got any suggestions on what would work well to protect and still leave a natural look?

Cheers, Hamster




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[John Fenna]

Boil it in full fat milk or pour boiling full fat milk over it. The milk proteins seal the wood and give it a rich glow without over darkening it.

 

[Harvestman]

You could rub it over with beeswax, usually after applying some sort of sealant such as a cellulose sanding sealer. For added protection a rub with a block of carnauba wax gives a more resistant finish.

The other approach is a lacquer, such as is used on wooden children's toys. I coated a kuksa recently with a melamine lacquer to protect it from hot liquids as the wood was heavily spalted and I wanted to ensure it was thoroughly sealed. This will give it a shiny look though.

 

[Monikieman]

I thought the boiling in milk could be any kind not just FF (I stand to be correted)

I made up beeswax and walnut oil about 50/50 ish I think, but I think anything will darken the finish.

 

[Toddy]

It's the lipids in the milk that seals the wood (it works on porous clay too). Since they're in the fat, I can see why FF might be more effective.
They have astonishing longevity; a wooden dish with holes in the bottom, was found on the excavation on the crannog at Fearnan on Loch Tay. It dated back to c500bce, and it still had the lipids on it. They reckoned it was for draining butter.

M

 

[Robson Valley]

Charles' Law in gas physics is what I have used for 70 spoons and 30 forks, all hand carved in birch.
Preheat your kitchen oven to 300F, no more than 325F.
Really slop up the piece (most admirably, your bow,l is well carved if I do say so) with the oil of your choice.
Now, on a wire rack over a sheet pan, into the oven for 3 minutes by the clock. NO LONGER.
Out of the oven, you will see air bubbling out of the wood. More oil, slop it on, let it cool.

What happened:
Charles' Law predicts that hot air expands.
Out of the oven, Charles' Law predicts that cold air contracts.
So, as the bowl cools, the wood air contracts and the oil finish gets sucked down into the surface wood
far beyond what can be done at room temp with any treatment short of a vacuum pack.

OK. now, wipe the piece off with paper towel, etc for a warm, soft, satin oil finish which will last for decades in service.

 

[Two Socks]

As I understand it it is the casein proteins in milk that seal the wood. Fat percentage does not matter much. Make sure you boil the milk for a while to denature all the protein, because it is the denaturation and subsequent misfolding and aggregation of the casein layer that seals the wood.

 

[Toddy]

Interesting
I'm off for a read

M

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Thanks all, I think I am going to have a play with some off cuts and boiling milk to see what it looks like and may do the same with some beeswax. I have a couple of weeks to decide and worst case I don't like any and leave it au natural and just hope it doesn't get ruined too quickly!


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[British Red]

Have you considered a natural, home made varnish? Wasy enough to make your own based on pine resin etc. It will seal the wood fairly effectively.

 

[Robson Valley]

Denatured or not, the milk proteins are still biodegradable.

The oven baked oil finish is still far above the usual kitchen cooking temp of boiling (soup, etc).
Food residue does not stick well to the oil finish, hot water rinse, scrub, done.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Have you considered a natural, home made varnish? Wasy enough to make your own based on pine resin etc. It will seal the wood fairly effectively.

Hi red,

I hadn't thought of a varnish to be honest as I usually avoid them but like the idea of making my own.

I was also wondering about a pale/clear beeswax paste.
I think Lintons do one specifically for unsealed wood but not sure how it would work with birch.


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[British Red]

Again, make your own - you can thin the beeswax with natural (real) turpentine to make it penetrate better.

 

[Robson Valley]

Beeswax I can believe but I'd pass on turpentine on food utensils.

I've always liked the fact that the oven baked finish is completely done in 3 minutes.
Food safe and nothing more to do for several years.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Cheers guys, does anyone have a good homemade beeswax recipe and the method to make it! I have found a few on t'interweb but most involve the use of thinners like turps which as has been said I would like to avoid for my food related items.
Cheers, Hamster


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[Robson Valley]

Suppose you had a blunt stick of beeswax. Suppose you scribbled the stuff all over the bowl.
Suppose you buffed that with a cotton wheel running at a good speed. Biological waxes,
even carnauba palm wax, melt no higher than 60C/140F. Friction is your friend.

 

[twyforge]

Turpentine is from pine resin no? Wouldn't that make it food safe? I believe its even mildly antiseptic

 

[Monikieman]

Walnut oil (food safe) in a jar. Throw in some beeswax (food safe). heat in microwave on low power until it melts.

It doesn't need a lot of beeswax. I like it fairly soft/pastey. It smells better than BLO.

 

[mrcharly]

Turpentine is from pine resin no? Wouldn't that make it food safe? I believe its even mildly antiseptic

Natural doesn't mean food safe. Turpentine is toxic.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Natural doesn't mean food safe. Turpentine is toxic.

That was my understanding, fine for decorative stuff but not on things intended for food use.

I think I will go the oil and beeswax route but cant decide which to use. I tend to use lighter oils to keep the wood looking as natural as possible. I have been reading that mineral oil can be used as it is food safe but I usually buy this for tools and not sure if it is the same stuff/grade?