Food safe bowl finish

[Terry McDowell]

I've turned a few small bowls and used linseed oil or shellac to finish. I was wondering if there are better finishes for bowls that are food safe?
















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[BobCoates]

I use Tried & True Traditional Danish Oil from Lee Valley. It takes awhile to completely cure but I have been happy with results. You will get lots of other options.

 

[Dean Center]

There are two schools of thought on this topic. You might want to do a search on the topic to get more of the viewpoints.

1. Officially, nearly any finish, when cured should be inert and food safe.
2. I hear that, but I still don't like the idea of _________ in contact with my food. (fill in the blank with chemicals, plastic, potentially allergenic oils, heavy metals, etc)

As with everything in woodturning, there are a variety of opinions and you get to have your own. All finishes have pros and cons. For example, linseed oil is criticized for taking a very long time to cure or having chemicals in the mix to speed the curing, but praised for being environmentally friendly, relatively inexpensive and readily available. Shellac is criticized for being soft and not resistant to alcohol, but praised for being a natural product and fast to apply.

 

[Terry McDowell]

I used shellac on these cedar bowls and liked the result. I’m just not familiar with other finishes be sides varnish and polyurethane.

 

[Brian Gustin]

For smaller projects like mortar & pestle sets, smaller "finger bowls" or Mise en place sets I find it very quick and efficient and nearly instant super-smooth almost glossy finish with Ack's paste & polish so it has become my go-to finish for smaller projects where I used to rely on Tried & True original (linseed/Beeswax) I have also had beautiful results just using plain old stick of beeswax rubbed in at high rpms (to generate friction/heat to melt wax) but the Ack's paste vastly reduces the sanding I need to do for a nice beeswax finish (and Ack's finishes with a much more durable carnauba wax)

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

For smaller projects like mortar & pestle sets, smaller "finger bowls" or Mise en place sets I find it very quick and efficient and nearly instant super-smooth almost glossy finish with Ack's paste & polish so it has become my go-to finish for smaller projects where I used to rely on Tried & True original (linseed/Beeswax) I have also had beautiful results just using plain old stick of beeswax rubbed in at high rpms (to generate friction/heat to melt wax) but the Ack's paste vastly reduces the sanding I need to do for a nice beeswax finish (and Ack's finishes with a much more durable carnauba wax)

I have used the Ack's products as well. For no particular reason, I have lately been using Yorkshire grit (probably virtually identical to Ack's polishing paste) followed by Myland's friction polish.

 

[Lou Currier]

I use General Finishes Wood Bowl Finish or commonly referred to as "Salad Bowl Finish." I moved to the finish when a customer brought me a salad bowl where the acid in the tomatoes ate through the finish. This goes on easy like wipe-on poly and has a relatively quick drying time.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

I have used the Ack's products as well. For no particular reason, I have lately been using Yorkshire grit (probably virtually identical to Ack's polishing paste) followed by Myland's friction polish.

I think they are practical the same thing. I've been looking at this recently and there seems to be lots of people selling a similar product and you can even make your own. Lots of recipes for that, several of them are listed here on the forums.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

I like to use walnut oil and beeswax as part of my finish on food safe items but I only use it for items I make for my family since some people are sensitive to walnut.

 

[Lou Currier]

I like to use walnut oil and beeswax as part of my finish on food safe items but I only use it for items I make for my family since some people are sensitive to walnut.

Good point!

 

[Terry McDowell]

Thanks for all your input. I’ll definitely be trying some of these suggestions.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

I like polyurethane over cured PTO. Nothing is perfect.