Food Safe Finish

**rough_cut** · 05-30-2005, 10:52 AM

Hey all,

I am just finishing up a maple salad bowl and was wondering what was best for a finish that is food safe.

Shawn

**Keystone** · 05-30-2005, 12:36 PM

Mineral Oil.

Find it in the RX section of most stores. It's sold as a laxative. No taste, and does not go rancid. Flood it on the surface and let it soak in. Wipe it off after 10 minutes. Do this once a month or so.

**dkulze** · 05-30-2005, 12:44 PM

Pretty much any eurythane or polymerized oil finish is food safe once you let it dry sufficiently. Becomes inert once the volitiles are gone. Walnut oil hardens nicely also and, if pasturized, will contain minimal proteins to set off nut allergies. Finally, there is a eurythane finish called (big surprise) salad bowl finish, that is certified food safe.

Only problem with mineral oil is you get a matte finish and the grain of the wood is still open to food and bacteria.

Dietrich

**rough_cut** · 05-30-2005, 12:57 PM

I have a polyeurythane that I use for most "art" bowls. Would this be ok? Or am I about to kill off my family? :)

Shawn

**ASLNROX** · 05-30-2005, 01:20 PM

Shawn,

Most finishing experts will tell you that ALL finishes are safe as long as thet are allowed to cure. For most this takes over 30 days.

Poly is about 30 something days if memory serves.

Blessings,

--Mark

[link:garageshop.org/ | Mark's Garage Shop]

**rough_cut** · 05-30-2005, 01:27 PM

Thanks for the great replies every. I wanted to touch base befire I killed off the loved ones :)

Shawn

**rough_cut** · 06-20-2005, 08:01 AM

Just an update.

I bought a bottle of Raw Linseed Oil to finish some bowls and I have been really impressed with it so far. I have used it for a maple fruit bowl and a yellow pine segmented bowl, (segmented as in I cut 4 - 9"x10" pieces from 1x12 stock laying around the shop and glued them up).

In both it gave a nice low luster finish that is food safe right away.

**Tom D** · 06-23-2005, 09:50 PM

General Finishes carried by Rockler, has a salad bowl finish. It is a wipe on finish, usually needing 3 coats and is food safe in 72 hours. I have used it and it leaves a very nice finish.