Kuksa with colour.

[quietone]

Hey all.
Made another gift for pal. This time, I tried a rather different finish on the outside. I saw some amazing kuksa's made by a chap that were otherworldly. I contacted him on the process involved and he kindly told me. This one is pretty much done apart from some more sanding. My first with this type of finish, using a small burl with not much room for maneuver.

 

[SaraR]

Hey all.
Made another gift for pal. This time, I tried a rather different finish on the outside. I saw some amazing kuksa's made by a chap that were otherworldly. I contacted him on the process involved and he kindly told me. This one is pretty much done apart from some more sanding. My first with this type of finish, using a small burl with not much room for maneuver.

Oh wow, that is very different! What a lovely thing to make for someone.

 

[Mesquite]

Wow, that's lovely

 

[quietone]

All done.

 

[bobnewboy]

Looks great! Is it a dye under a foodsafe varnish?

 

[Woody girl]

That's simply gorgeous! Love it.

 

[quietone]

Looks great! Is it a dye under a foodsafe varnish?

Aye. Green dye, the brown is the natural colour, along with the normal birch colour of the burl. Also food safe mineral oil on the inside. Outer edges also has fresh mineral oil on it, hence the glossy sheen. I'll likely add a number of more coats to that. Apparently, 'birch tree tru oil' is used on the outer edge by the pro's. Gun stock oil I gather. Giving a permanent seal and gloss. Not sure on its food safe qualities though, which is why I opted to use the mineral oil.

 

[bobnewboy]

Aye. Green dye, the brown is the natural colour, along with the normal birch colour of the burl. Also food safe mineral oil on the inside. Outer edges also has fresh mineral oil on it, hence the glossy sheen. I'll likely add a number of more coats to that. Apparently, 'birch tree tru oil' is used on the outer edge by the pro's. Gun stock oil I gather. Giving a permanent seal and gloss. Not sure on its food safe qualities though, which is why I opted to use the mineral oil.

Ah right - Birchwood Casey Tru Oil. Never tried it myself but it’s popular with bowyers in the States, and particularly on Osage orange wood. Cheers.

 

[BigScott]

Ah right - Birchwood Casey Tru Oil. Never tried it myself but it’s popular with bowyers in the States, and particularly on Osage orange wood. Cheers.

Tru Oil is basically oil-based varnish, boiled linseed oil and thinners, so not food safe. You can actually make your own using a 1:1:1 mix of those ingredients if you are after something similar for knife handles etc. Walnut oil is food safe although I'm not sure about nut allergies .I have just made up some wax using beeswax and walnut oil. Walnut oil is supposed to be a drying oil of sorts. Of course the wax can be used for many purposes.

 

[Herman30]

Oh no! No oils or waxes are to be used on a kuksa other than the natural oils of coffee grinds.
Take fresh moist grinds and rub it inside the kuksa to get the grease to soak into the kuksa. Rinse out the grinds and let dry in an open place. And after drinking coffee never ever wash the kuksa, just let dry.

 

[BigScott]

Oh no! No oils or waxes are to be used on a kuksa other than the natural oils of coffee grinds.
Take fresh moist grinds and rub it inside the kuksa to get the grease to soak into the kuksa. Rinse out the grinds and let dry in an open place. And after drinking coffee never ever wash the kuksa, just let dry.

My comment was regarding the use of Tru Oil that you mentioned for the outside not the sealing of the inside although you mention using mineral oil for that. The Kuksa Shop instructions give the details of the coffee process and using linseed oil for the outside. Walnut oil was only offered as, probably, a better option.

 

[quietone]

My comment was regarding the use of Tru Oil that you mentioned for the outside not the sealing of the inside although you mention using mineral oil for that. The Kuksa Shop instructions give the details of the coffee process and using linseed oil for the outside. Walnut oil was only offered as, probably, a better option.

Yes, I've used food safe walnut oil before on other cups. I guess it's down to a question of what you're used to, and what you're trying to achieve. I personally wouldnt use anything that was not food safe. The very glossy affect of the tru oil is striking yes, but is it safe to guzzle hot coffee from, even on the outside? I wont use it.
Regarding coffee, used that method on ones I use, but some of the ones I've made dont drink coffee, I know, very odd eh.. so using the mineral oil is suitable in those cases.