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Hi everyone, a friend of mine lost her husband to cancer a few years ago and is in the process of moving/downsizing. She was going to get rid of the kitchen table but the children (all adults) were upset about losing something that reminds them of the good times sitting around the table with their Dad. She has asked me to cut the top and make it into cutting boards that she will give to the kids as Christmas presents. The table is one of those generic "farm house," rubberwood (I think) tops with the white painted legs.
Sorry for the long back story.
She wants to keep all the character of the table...dings and scratches and I'd like to keep my interactions with the pieces to a minimum as well.
My questions are:
1. Is the finish on those tables food safe? I would think so, but I don't know finishes that well.
2. What would be the best way to remove the finish but still retain the dings and scratches? Formby's?
Any ideas or thoughts would be most helpful. Thanks.
Ken
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08-28-2021, 01:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-28-2021, 02:16 PM by fredhargis.)
Well, if you plan to remove the finish, it doesn't matter but the first question is easy...Yes! Finishes, once fully cured, are food safe. For the second question I don't have a suggestion. Seems to me that anything you do to remove the finish is going to change the character of the wood. Even if you don't damage it during the work process, surely being used as a cutting board would mar it up.
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Cured finishes are said to be food safe but cutting on it will put scratches in it and it will chip off. I think your better option is strip off the finish and then finish the cutting boards with mineral oil and/or wax. You can use most any stripper you want that does the job. Once the finish is off and you neutralize the stripper it will be food safe. Stripper won't affect the dings and dents either.
John
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(08-28-2021, 01:38 PM)fredhargis Wrote: Well, if you plan to remove the finish, it doesn't matter but the first question is easy...Yes! Finishes, once fully cured, are food safe. For the second question I don't have a suggestion. Seems to me that anything you do to remove the finish is going to change the character of the wood. Even if you don't damage it during the work process, surely being used as a cutting board would mar it up.
Thanks Fred, good points.
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(08-28-2021, 02:20 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Cured finishes are said to be food safe but cutting on it will put scratches in it and it will chip off. I think your better option is strip off the finish and then finish the cutting boards with mineral oil and/or wax. You can use most any stripper you want that does the job. Once the finish is off and you neutralize the stripper it will be food safe. Stripper won't affect the dings and dents either.
John
Thank you John!
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I have not used it, but have heard good things about "Tried and True" oil/beeswax treatment from Stumac (a luthier materials supplier). Rockler sells it too, but Stumac is a little cheaper.
![[Image: MS-TTOWF_A_big.jpg]](https://toolsforworkingwood.com/prodimg/ms/big/MS-TTOWF_A_big.jpg)
Watco also makes a version. It is readily available. I've had good results with Watco products, but I have not tried this one. Home Depot sells this.
![[Image: clear-watco-wood-oils-66051h-64_1000.jpg]](https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/4da81f01-91ea-4b11-ad8c-33b4f3caa6a8/svn/clear-watco-wood-oils-66051h-64_1000.jpg)
But always test on an inconspicuous spot to verify compatibility.
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I suspect these boards will be admired more than used.
Carolyn
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Thanks for the additional recommendations. I was never really impressed with T & T. It was ok and I only used it once or twice but for whatever reason, I always went back to the Danish oil.
For these, I think I'll just stick with mineral oil and wax.
And as MsNomer said, they may not even be used as cutting boards.
