Interesting Theory

[IntrepidStu]

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this article.
i.e ITS VALIDITY !
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/finish3.html

Intrepid.

 

[MSkiba]

I like the font used.

 

[IntrepidStu]

suppose that IS a thought.

I like the font used.

 

[forestwalker]

I still prefer "none" for e.g. heavy metals in my utensils. Lets say the metalic drier is fully immobilized. What heppens when the surfacr gets scratched as you eat? Slowly worn away, at least partly into your food, that is what. When there is choices where the answer is "none", I will pick those.

 

[pastymuncher]

Personally I don't worry about it, we eat from metal containers, use metal utensils, plastics are used everywhere in packaging and all sorts of chemicals etc are used in ceramics. I'm pretty sure that many chemicals cause problems at low levels that we get exposed to, but you would need to lock your self in sealed room of inert materials to avoid exposure. There is a great deal of evidence that the lead replacement in petrol is highly carcinogenic, but it's "green" so it's O.K.
I've worked in many different manufacturing industries and I expect you would seriously think twice about using many everyday products if you knew what went in to producing them.

 

[Toddy]

I suspect that it's the paradox of a natural wooden bowl/ plate/ utensil covered in preservatives that in themselves are created by industrial processes.
Dressed up with a fancy finish just for show isn't terribly practical in the long run.

A bit of beeswax polishes up a fruit bowl fine.....so does carnuba but it doesn't grow here. Linseed does, but the slow drying puts many off, and let's be honest it doesn't taste good, great on a knife or axe handle though, especially if used in our damp climate.
Oil a kuksa and it floats on top of your tea

I think it's horses for courses.
I scrub my cutting boards, I don't ever oil them, I don't see the point of shiny boards and if they're scrubbed regularly hygiene's not an issue.
Wooden bowls get beeswax polished; wooden handles get the linseed oil treatment and some patience while they dry off someplace just warm, and spoons and kuksa's just don't get oiled or waxed.

Lot easier than fretting over the ingredients in commercial finishing lacquers

cheers,
Toddy

 

[MSkiba]

I know IKEA sell some sort of a magic mineral oil for use on their chopping boards, but what it contains is a mistery. I use this on spoons I carve.

 

[Toddy]

It's basically runny vaseline

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil

cheers,
M

 

[Ian S]

Hmmm interesting article.

I'm still going to use pure Tung oil until I finish the tin, then pure Walnut oil until I finish the bottle, then raw linseed oil.

 

[brancho]

Oil a kuksa and it floats on top of your tea

I think it's horses for courses.
I scrub my cutting boards, I don't ever oil them, I don't see the point of shiny boards and if they're scrubbed regularly hygiene's not an issue.
Wooden bowls get beeswax polished; wooden handles get the linseed oil treatment and some patience while they dry off someplace just warm, and spoons and kuksa's just don't get oiled or waxed.

I agree with this but have not bothered to read the article in question