Butcher block oil wax treatment removal?

[stoppy]

I’ve used Howard’s butcher block mineral oil and wax treatment successfully on many items. I’m making a Christmas gift end grain cutting board out of laminated wood. The wood was so darkened I can’t tell the colors anymore. What’s the best way to remove an oil and wax finish?

[Cooler]

A wax finish is a surface finish.  A non-drying oil penetrates the wood.  I've never seen any data saying how deeply it will penetrate the wood, but to remove all the oil I would imagine would require removing the wood to the depth of the penetration.

I guess it will vary by the species of wood being used.  Balsa will absorb more deeply than say maple. 

Since the color of the wood changes with the oil finish, I would guess you will be able to see when you've removed enough wood to eliminate the finish.

There might be some chemical or solvent method to do this, but If you are going to use if for food prep, it might not be a good idea to use volatile cleaners, or caustics.

Try sending an inquiry:

Howard Products, Inc.
560 Linne Road
Paso Robles, CA. 93446
Call Us (M-F 7:30am – 4:30pm PST): 805-227-1000
For Product Help Email Tech Support: techhelp@howardproducts.com

[joe1086]

The Howard he is referring to is Howard Acheson.

My maple-walnut-cherry end grain boards are for show. The colors muddle after time; maple and cherry darken, walnut lightens. 

To restore them I just sand them with 120 before reapplying more wax/oil. They brightened right up, but in my case there was a bit of time between applications.

[stoppy]

This happened with the first application. Rather than doing the usual two or three more applications I’ll leave it at this one. The gift is for the wife, she graduated from one state school and our money went to the other for our kids. She has a great divide shirt so I’m doing a cutting board in laminates of the school colors blue and “gold” and green and “white”. We’ll use it in the kitchen until the finish lightens then I’m sure she’ll make a wall hanging out of it. I don’t want to sand it that much to remove the oil.

[Gary G™]

You could take a fine scraper to it.

[mstens]

You could take a fine scraper to it.

Yep, a #80 would make fast work of it.

[gMike]

I've tried to remove Howard's with mineral spirits with minimal success.  I scrubbed it with mineral spirits and it lightened a little bit but it takes sanding or scraping to get below the level the oil component has reached.  It's a mess to sand so I would recommend scraping.  Let us know what you do.

[stoppy]

For the moment leaving it as it is.  Will see if it lightens with use. If it doesn’t I’ll address the issue then. Right now she loves it the way it is.

[mstens]

For the moment leaving it as it is.  Will see if it lightens with use. If it doesn’t I’ll address the issue then. Right now she loves it the way it is.

Well, that's the best possible outcome! 

[Jim Waldron]

For the moment leaving it as it is.  Will see if it lightens with use. If it doesn’t I’ll address the issue then. Right now she loves it the way it is.

Good and generous woman. Take good care of her.

Not too likely to lighten with use. Don't get her hopes up. Plane off the surface to get below the discoloration or live with it as is.

If I were you, I'd get into the shop and make another for her display plan.