I've never been happy with using just block oil on my cutting boards. I think it's too thin. I started making my own a while back. Instead of buying more expensive block finishes, all you need is some mineral oil, a block of bee's wax, and a jar.
(oh yeah...as an added bonus, it smells really good too!)
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| Some mineral oil (General Finishes in this case), a mustard jar, and a block of bee's wax. |
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| Shave off some of the wax. It can be hard to cut, even with a good sharp knife. About 1/3 to 1/2 the volume of the oil you are using. |
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| Oil and wax in the jar. |
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| Place the jar in a sauce pan with water. You'll want the water about to the level of oil in the jar. |
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| Boil. |
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| Fresh out of the pan. Right now this stuff is hot and super thin. Don't freaking burn yourself. |
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| After it cools. Now, at this point it may not be the perfect thickness that you desire. If it is too thin, add a few more wax flakes and warm it back up. If it is too thick, add some oil and warm it up. I usually have to make an adjustment. One of these days I'll measure how much of each that I use so I can repeat it with out the extra adjustments. At any rate, you'll be able to change the consistency to match your tastes...something you can't do with the store bought pre-made stuff. |
Why didn't you just use linseed oil? NOT boiled linseed oil, which is harmful to humans, but plan linseed oil? It is an approved food additive and you can pick it up for cheap at many online food/vitamin vendors. It's called Flaxseed Oil, because linseed comes from the flax plant. I usually get a special such as "5 pint bottles for the price of 2!" And the cost is around $15. Works great on all food prep surfaces. ☺
ReplyDeleteSometime ago when I was searching for a good block finish I tried a few different oils. Flaxseed oil is just one that I didn't try. I have four or five different finishes in the cabinet, and didn't want to buy more. I may try it when I run out of mineral oil, though. One oil that did work well was walnut oil...though it may not be good if someone in the family is allergic to nuts (thankfully that's not a problem for me).
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