Wood in contact with food

[Stamper]

Want to make some kitchen utensils. Am concerned about which wood to use. Am thinking either hard maple or beech. All coments greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Woodworm!]

Want to make some kitchen utensils. Am concerned about which wood to use. Am thinking either hard maple or beech. All coments greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I would look at close grained woods like cherry, walnut, birch, hickory, and maple.

[Admiral]

Want to make some kitchen utensils. Am concerned about which wood to use. Am thinking either hard maple or beech. All coments greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I've made spoons and such out of maple and cherry which are fairly traditional choices and are pretty much benign.  With the overseas-mass produced versions you quite never know what the species is.

[AHill]

I'm not sure where you're located, but any trimmings off fruit trees will work.  Apple, cherry, pear, plum, etc.  All good choices.  Also, if you're in California, nut tree trimmings also work:  walnut, pecan, almond.  Almond is pretty sappy, though.  Needs to dry out before I'd recommend working it.  Olive tree firewood is super common in California, and it's a marvelous wood for utensils.  It's also dirt cheap compared to the olivewood sold at woodworking outlets.  Carves and shapes wonderfully.

[TomFromStLouis]

Not sure I would characterize hickory or walnut as “close grained woods”, or “diffuse porous” as Hoadley calls it (as opposed to “ring porous”).

[Steve N]

Going with Maple and Cherry here, both easily accessible either from a local source, or online shipped to your door. As Allan said the fruit is pretty good too, it is just easier to fine larger stock in Maple and Cherry, sometimes branch trimmings just aren't big enough, even for a spoon.

A lot of folks use Mineral Oil, and canning wax melted into the oil as a finish, and just saturate it, allow it to dry, and dunk it again to force in as much as the wood will hold. Reapplications are easy if the pieces start looking dry, and just a quick sudsy dunk to wash, never a dish washer. That finish as well as several others are entirely food safe.

[WoodCzech]

Beech is pretty popular in Europe for making wooden utensils.