What, other than just mineral oil would be a good Food Safe finish for a cutting board / Chopping Block?
Also, are there any glues that are rated as food safe? I think titebond is but have not checked. I am getting ready to start making some boards for xmas gifts.
For mineral oil, would soaking the board for an hour and then removing and letting dry work? Would I need more than 1 dunk?
1 – measure the board twice, 2 – cut it once, 3 – measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 – get a new board and go back to step 1
Edited 5/31/2005 3:06 pm ET by Rick
Replies
Are you using the cutting board for cutting? If so either use nothing or use mineral oil or mineral oil and paraffin. Anything else will be marred.
I am making a 1 1/2" thick 14" x 24" hard maple cutting board and also a 3" thick 12"x12" chopping block.
For the mineral oil & paraffin do they mixed, if so how? by heating?
If not mixed do you apply mineral oil and then wax down with the paraffin?
I have never done this type of finish so am not real sure on the process.
1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
You can dissolve/melt paraffin in mineral oil using a double boiler.
DO NOT USE DIRECT HEAT!!
You might also consider using flax seed oil -- available from health food stores -- this is a food-grade linseed oil. Fair warning, if it dries at all, it will dry very slowly.
You may be able to get it to polymerize by heating it in a double boiler, I don't know. Again, do not use direct heat.
My sycamore cutting board was assembled with yellow carpenters glue. It's over ten years old and so far nobody's died or gotten sick.
Leon Jester
First, why use any finish at all on a cutting board or chopping block? Mine are bare wood.
Second, all finishes are food-safe when cured, so put that idea out of your head and concentrate on what material would best do the job you want done.
In the case of a cutting board, you obviously don't want a film finish, so that eliminates a lot of things. If you are looking for maximum protection of the wood, use penetrating epoxy. If you just want something to make it slightly water-resistant and easy to clean, use paraffin wax (somebody else posted instructions for this) and re-apply frequently.
I can't figure out what good mineral oil would do, but a lot of people seem to like it, so obviously I'm missing something.
Glue toxicity is even less of a concern - there will be so little of it present in the product, even if the customer ate the entire board he wouldn't get poisoned by the glue. (Maybe by the wood, depending on species.) Of more concern is durability; you don't want the board falling apart in a few months, as the cheap ones in import stores do. Others here can probably give you better advice about that.
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
It seems I left out a SMALL point. If these are received well and hold up with no issues, I am looking into the possibility of starting them as a business. As such, the finish will most likely need to be an FDA approved finish and possibly the glue as well.
In all of my reading, to keep the wood from drying out and to help make it easier to clean, I have been seeing mineral oil as the recommended finish (which is FDA approved), with monthly applications. I was wonering about the mineral oil/parrafin mix as I had seen that and what any other possibilities are.
I know that once cured all finishes (non lead based of course) are food safe. However, I am concerned with manufacturing requirements and appropriate labeling.
While making these first few up, I am reseaching the market, working out a business plan and looking into zoning and licenseing issues. I am also going to start working with the SBA and get info from them and take some of their seminars.
I plan to start this as a part time endeavor and if all goes well and I find I can clear what I make now at my day job (33K) I will likely go ahead and try the transition to full time. I may be part time for a couple of years or so to see what it looks like over time. The only thing that would hasten the process to full time would be if I started getting swamped with orders.
I am looking at a somewhat limited line with options for custom sizes and maybe even shapes. There is a possibility of expanding the offerings using some of the cutoffs for kitchen utencils, napkin rings...
Thanks all for any help and input to an aspiring business person
1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Edited 5/31/2005 3:07 pm ET by Rick
Regarding mineral oil. About four years ago we bought an old maple butcher block right out of the meat market. The old guy there said he had scrubbed it countless times each day and always took the time to give it a quick spray of mineral oil and rubbed it in with a dry cloth at the close of business. It must do something, this thing is over a hundred years old. Except for the legs needing to be cut off as they were starting to rot from standing in water and the slight rounding of the top from the cutting, this thing still looks good, the joints have held, etc. So I keep spritzing on mineral oil once a week or so...For what it's worth...
I get concerned about wood and meat borne disease. (In most states it is illegal to use wooden handled knives in resturant kitchens because they "store" germs...)How do you clean the cuttingboard after use? What did the butcher use?Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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I'm not concerned about the disease thing personally as I have seen just as much research about the dangers of the bits of plastic in your body, etc. as I have harboring disease. Personally, I have one wooden cutting board for meat and only meat. It hangs on the wall and gets bleached everytime I use it. I have another for breads, and yet another for veggies.
The former owner of the meat market told me that he would first hose it off, then sprinkle corn meal and salt on it (of all things), scrub with a kitchen brush, hose that off, then rinse it with a bleach solution he allowed to sit on it for a couple minutes, rinse that off, then towel dry it and liberally apply mineral oil. This was a shop that never scored less than nearly perfect on every inspection, so the guy must have been on to something. Who knows?!? I know I'm not giving it up! Have a great day!
Bleach is awesome for killing germs. That's the way to go. I like your idea of dedicated cutting boards. I have three but they are all plastic. We throw them in the dishwasher after each use...Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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The former owner of the meat market told me that he would first hose it off, then sprinkle corn meal and salt on it (of all things),
OR sprinkle with salt and use the cut side of a lemon to scrub.Gretchen
How do you clean the cuttingboard after use? What did the butcher use?
Can't answer about the butcher but for my built in cutting board I do not use any oil, wash it constantly, and then bleach it. Have had it for 30 years with one removal for sanding down and reinstallation.Gretchen
Food safe finish and glue?
RICE GLUE and Mineral spirits?
For mineral spirits, would soaking the board for an hour and then removing and letting dry work? Would I need more than 1 dunk?
NO!
Just wipe till it looks good... When you need new finish just re-wipe and buff out a bit!
I like using Waterlox's it is food safe after it cures. Apply about 4-6 coats the 1st three soak in to the wood and the next lay on top. Also you can just clean with soapy water.
Use Titebond II water-resistant glue. On the bottle it says that it is FDA approved!
here is an example of the finish on a board.
I contacted waterlox and their response is "we are NOT FDA certified", however they also add "Waterlox is non-toxic when dry. For 88 years people have used Waterlox for finishing wood projects such as salad bowls, chopsticks, knife handles, counter tops and cutting boards." They also recommend waiting for 2-3 weeks after final application for it to fully cure.
So I am up in the air on using it. It may be fine if you are using it for personal use, but would there be issues if you were using it in a commercial use?
I may just go with straight mineral oil. Simpler, no FDA issues and less expensive. The last is only incidental, if it would make a better product, I would use it. 1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
If you are going to actually cut or chop on your board, you do not want to use a film type finish like Waterlox or any other varnish. You will cut through the finish which will allow water and germs to migrate under the remaining finish which will cause the finish to peel and will harbor germs Cutting boards/chopping blocks should only be treated with a non-toxic oil and/or wax. The traditional and preferred treatment is a mixture of mineral oil and paraffin. This treatment is not damaged by cutting and chopping and is easily renewed when it dries out.Howie.........
take a look at this link http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Cutboard.html
Edited 6/1/2005 6:34 pm ET by 3fingers
A wipe down with a water/clorine bleach solution (1tsp bleach per gal of water) is even more effective than the vinegar solution, and is recommended once a week, followed by an application of mineral oil or mineral oil/paraffin mix. from my other readings Thanks though, I had not heard of vinegar in this regard. I wonder if it makes a differance between white and cider vinegar?1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Walnut oil, available in your supermarket, is food safe and makes an excellent, if somewhat pricey, finish
Walnut oil, available in your supermarket, is food safe and makes an excellent, if somewhat pricey, finish
And will go rancid.
Gretchen
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