Howdy. I'm looking for advice on cleaning and preserving a bowl Bob Stackhouse turned from a single piece of Thailand teak. Backstory: we recently inherited some kitchenware and cookbooks from an aunt, including what looked like a salad bowl made from what appeared to be walnut. I was amazed when I found Stackhouse's signature on the bottom. My aunt evidently used it regularly as a salad bowl. The inside has darkened and the inner and outer surfaces feel gummy and sticky to the touch, so I assume she rubbed it occasionally with olive oil or canola. Can anyone suggest how I should clean it and what would be a good finish to apply afterward? Thanks!
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Cleaning/care of a Stackhouse bowl
- Thread starter Charles King
- Start date
I'm just guessing, but I think you mean a bowl made by Bob Stocksdale. That's probably a very valuable bowl, a collectable. As woodturners, most of us would probably use a solvent of some kind to clean up the bowl and then apply a good oil finish. But from a collectors viewpoint that could greatly diminish the value of the bowl. I would suggest you talk to someone that collects wood art and see what they say.
Talk to the Collectos of Wood Art, they would probably know. They changed their website, so rabbit-holing is needed here. Start with CWA.org
Never heard of Mr. Stackhouse. The bowl is just worth the sentimental value that you feel for it. I usually reapply Danish oil every other year to my kitchen bowls, or when they look like they need it.
My answer for most things is WD40! It’s a mild solvent that removes goop without harming the underlying surface, in my experience.
Best, Spike
Best, Spike
If it's a Bob Stocksdale, as Curt has suggested, you do want to be careful with it. It is valuable to wood art collectors, and probably a nice thing just on its own. Some mild soap and water may be all you need.
I retract my suggestion for WD40, and agree with soap and water as a first approach. Can Stockdales preferred finish be ascertained? That would suggest the best approach, I would think.
Best, Spike
Best, Spike
Well, I have almost no experience with teak, mostly because it is so rare. It is a very oily wood, and I guess similar to Ipe. Hard to get any finish to stick to it or penetrate. For cleaning it, I would go with Dawn dish soap and a plastic scrubby pad and see what that does. I have taken bowls that had that gummy residue on the walls and used the restaurant grade steel pads, soap, and elbow grease.
robo hippy
robo hippy
I was just reading a bit about Stocksdale and ran across this:
”Stocksdale:
Oh, it's a very simple process. I just wash the old finish off with lacquer thinner, and it scrubs right off. Then I put another coat of finish on it. Three coats, actually.”
Unfortunately he didn’t mention just what that finish was, an oil of some sort I would guess.
Best, Spike
”Stocksdale:
Oh, it's a very simple process. I just wash the old finish off with lacquer thinner, and it scrubs right off. Then I put another coat of finish on it. Three coats, actually.”
Unfortunately he didn’t mention just what that finish was, an oil of some sort I would guess.
Best, Spike
Appreciate everyone's advice & suggestions. First, apologies for messing up the turner's name--should have been Bob Stocksdale. Not sure where Stackhouse came from...
Anyway, I ran across a long interview (link below) with Stocksdale recorded by UC-Berkeley's Bancroft Library in 1997. He talks extensively about his life, work and some of his techniques. Early in his career (1950s-1970s) he made utilitarian items, including salad bowls and sets that were sold through Gump's, a high end department store in San Francisco. Expect that was where my aunt bought her bowl since she lived in San Francisco for decades.
In the interview, Stocksdale says that the Gump's items were finished with mineral oil while his later decorative pieces were finished with three coats of lacquer. He also talks about refinishing salad bowls for old customers by (as Spike noted) washing off the old finish with lacquer thinner. He then re-sanded the bowls on the lathe and applied a new coat of mineral oil.
https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/rohoia/ucb/pdftext/pioneerwoodlathe00stocrich.txt
Best regards, Charles
Anyway, I ran across a long interview (link below) with Stocksdale recorded by UC-Berkeley's Bancroft Library in 1997. He talks extensively about his life, work and some of his techniques. Early in his career (1950s-1970s) he made utilitarian items, including salad bowls and sets that were sold through Gump's, a high end department store in San Francisco. Expect that was where my aunt bought her bowl since she lived in San Francisco for decades.
In the interview, Stocksdale says that the Gump's items were finished with mineral oil while his later decorative pieces were finished with three coats of lacquer. He also talks about refinishing salad bowls for old customers by (as Spike noted) washing off the old finish with lacquer thinner. He then re-sanded the bowls on the lathe and applied a new coat of mineral oil.
https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/rohoia/ucb/pdftext/pioneerwoodlathe00stocrich.txt
Best regards, Charles
Whatever you do be very careful in the signed area.
Stu
Stu