# Food Safe Finish - mineral oil ....



## Tusses (2 Jun 2008)

Some help for those who need a readily available food safe finish....


after lots of googling I found that mineral oil is available from the 'drug store' for use as a laxative. After blank expresions in our 'chemists' I google some more for the american / english tranlation !

Liquid Paraffin was the only reference I could find , so off to the chemist, and sure enough they have liquid paraffin and it its a mild laxative. 

£1.20 for a small bottle 125ml

I'll let you all know how it goes


----------



## woodbutcher (2 Jun 2008)

that will get you going! 


sorry could not resist! 

hat coat door!


woodbutcher.


----------



## Chris Knight (2 Jun 2008)

As someone who worked in the oil industry for more than a few years, it's great to see a distillate of crude oil being hyped as a food safe finish! It's food safe alright but I am not sure I'd class it as a finish really, certainly no more than a nice multigrade..


----------



## CHJ (2 Jun 2008)

Tusses":1v3cq90d said:


> .....
> Liquid Paraffin was the only reference I could find , so off to the chemist, and sure enough they have liquid paraffin and it its a mild laxative.
> ....



The main difference being that the British Pharmacopeia version sold by the chemist is a higher viscosity and will take longer to penetrate into the wood and subsequently dry off than the version sold as 'Food safe finish' which is BP Light Grade.

IKEA sell a middle of the viscosity stakes version that is between the two.

*Chris*, it may not be a 'Finish' by your definition but it certainly increases the water resistance of wooden utensils.


----------



## Tusses (2 Jun 2008)

ok - made a quick chopping board from ash and tried the liquid paraffin ....







seems ok


----------



## PowerTool (3 Jun 2008)

Tusses":1m7htgv7 said:


> seems ok



And looks very nice as well - an excellent addition to the kitchen  

Andrew


----------



## Tusses (3 Jun 2008)

oh - the other thing I found out that was mineral oil , is baby oil ! but they do add a perfume to it - but I guess its non toxic for toys n stuff if you are allowed to dip your baby in it :lol:


----------



## Racers (3 Jun 2008)

Hi,

Baby oil doesn't come from babys? 

:lol: 
Pete


----------



## lurker (3 Jun 2008)

I buy Liquid parafin BP from one of those country stores that sell stuff for horses. Its about £4 for 500ml

Works a treat so long as you are not in a rush over drying times between coats.

I've been advised to get the IKEA stuff but life is too short to visit that place.


----------



## lurker (3 Jun 2008)

Pete,

I'm fairly sure that no, it does not come from babies. Otherwise Esso would be buying up all the maternity units.


----------



## jerryc (7 Jun 2008)

To think of a food safe finish one has to think of what you are finishing first and why you are finishing it. I suspect the reason is appearance only.

One food safe finish that springs to mind immediately is shellac. It is, or was used to coat and polish pills. It can be used on babies toys with absolute safety. Of course it won't stand up to frequent dishwasher action.

If you intend to use a finish on a cutting board, my reaction is --why bother? I looked into the safety of cutting boards because I sail my yacht up the QlD coast each winter and keeping a cutting board in a hygienic state was a problem. Wood has it's own defence against pathogens. Bacteria does not survive for long in contact with wood so you are probably safer not using a finish. I haven't looked at this area, but I feel that oiled finishes might hold bacteria and cause problems. At home our cutting boards have no finish and are tossed into the dishwasher after use without any problems.

Jerry


War does not decide who is right. War only decides who is left.


----------



## woodbloke (12 Jun 2008)

The only stuff I put on treen is olive oil...has to be Extra Virgin tho'  Just a thin wipe brings out the colour and I suspect it's probably food safe as well - Rob


----------

