Stop Using Mineral Oil for Cutting Boards and Utensils!

Who is Marc Spagnuolo? Watch Behind the Scenes with a KZbin veteran and find out!
• Behind the Scenes with... -~-
Think you know the best food safe finish? Think again! I tested a few of the most common food safe finishes and you might be surprised at the results.
Hope's 100% Tung Oil: amzn.to/3Q3NTiR
Food Grade Citrus Solvent: amzn.to/3OH50pM
Tried & True Varnish Oil - amzn.to/3JbVhGO
Food Grade Mineral Oil - amzn.to/3OQuYas
Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil - amzn.to/3Bu4jwT
Don’t feel like mixing your own Tung Oil/Citrus Solvent mixture? Try Half & Half from Real Milk Paint Company: amzn.to/3zFcftS
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[@a-q197]

Do the new owners of the house know you keep coming back to record a youtube show?

[@bobbg9041]

I'll bet they are surprised waking up at 5am to a table saw running, and ill bet that planers not very quiet either.

[@Oscar4u69]

shh they don't know yet 🤫

[@ta1ntv1lle39]

hahahahahaha!!

[@randyowens264]

They probably have a very good sense of humor and do not mind him cutting up in the garage! ;)

[@AM-es4mp]

🤣🤣

[@jasonthorpe3470]

I made a bunch of those checkerboard cutting boards inspired by one of your first videos, and gave most of them to my friends as wedding gifts. 15 years later, I can tell you they have now featured prominently in more than a few divorce proceedings. I'm just saying, people's love of those cutting boards outlasted more than a few marriages. And for the record, the Salad bowl finish has also lasted the test of time

[@je4777]

So what is your go-to finish for cutting boards? 50/50 mineral oil/beeswax?

[@jasonthorpe3470]

@@barryomahony4983 another surprising way these can get ruined is by excessive drying rather than excessive water exposure. I found this out when I was moving, and placed one upright next to a floor vent for a few days while packing up the kitchen. Turns out excessive drying and excessive water will both cause warping in end grain cutting boards to the extent of cracking...

[@jasonthorpe3470]

@@je4777 I used the "General finishes" brand salad bowl finish (which I'm guessing is equivalent to just about any other poly urethane), and touch them up every couple of years with either beeswax or mineral oil depending on what I have handy

[@human1513]

😅😅😅 Out lasting some marriages.

[@Ppw1982]

Just to be clear, tung oil has to be mixed with something else? Or can I use it straight from bottle?

[@ramachandran8666]

You have presented a very good and practical approach backed by sound scientific reasoning Mark. As a retired material scientist working for specialty chemicals, the endless quest to make any household goods "FOOD SAFE" still is a tough balancing act. However, a very crude and practical consideration to remember is what we used to share with most of our customers and even employees "It is the DOSE that makes anything a POISON (well, toxic)". Even FDA uses this as one of the criteria for approval of ingredients and product labeling

[@sopastar]

There are many "poisons" that build up in the body over time, so a "safe" dose can be harmful if you keep ingesting it. There are also things like uranium that's poisonous at any dose

[@Papadoc1000]

​@sopastar Well yes, you are of course, correct. But back to wood finishing. I haven't seen much of that uranium wood finishing oil around lately. Prolly took it off the market, right? 😅

[@sopastar]

@@Papadoc1000 Yeah, those were the days! Hard to get a hold of arsenic and lead paint too... At least we can still buy old uranium glassware

[@1970rsc]

Tung oil has nuts, so even a small amount can be deadly to nut sensitive folks. Not sure why it’s being recommended for food cutting boards. Doesn’t seem right.

[@uncleralph9067]

A little bit of research is telling me that it doesn't appear that a true natural tung oil will cause issues in a person with a nut allergy. Not sure it's worth testing that out on someone with a severe allergy, but I see it as something that could use more investigation, rather than assuming that it will cause a death@@1970rsc

[@WoodInn]

I've been using pure tung for years, but have never tortured it the way you did. I am so glad your results did not make me regret my choices. Well done.

[@scottkludgedorsey4805]

If you want a polymerizing "drying" oil that is food-safe, consider black sesame oil. It takes a good long time to set, but it does set hard, makes your kitchen smell nice, and requires about the same maintenance as tung or linseed. It's delicious for stir-frying greens too. I do still prefer mineral oil which really isn't a finish per-se because it's not drying.... mineral oil definitely is the highest-maintenance of all the options (as you point out) and does require occasional reapplication but my experience with cutting boards is that the boards last longer than with drying oils.

[@robertkingsley5446]

The best finish on a wood product depends entirely on the use to which it will be put. Tung oil is great, I have used it for years. When applied properly and allowed enough time to completely polymerize, it produces a really hard durable finish. That's why it has been used on boats and floors for years. But it is a really poor choice for end-grain cutting boards precisely because of the hard surface it produces. End-grain cutting boards are known for their 'self-healing' property and the fact that they are easy on the edge of sharp knives. To get those properties you need a finish that does NOT harden - e.g. mineral oil. A hard finish like Tung oil will quickly dull knives, and the cutting board will become nicked and checked with use simply because the 'self-healing' properties are lost when a polymerizing finish firmly binds the wood fibers together. There is no 'best' finish. Think about what you want the finish to accomplish, then make an informed choice.

[@Algardraug]

After finishing a cutting board with tung oil and using it for a while myself, I must agree with this. The finish is truly amazing and I love the feel and the water resistance of it, but the cutting marks and scratches are far more visible than on any other cutting board I've owned. The wood gets more brittle and the scratches on the "film" finish are easy to spot. I also wonder what happens to the antibacterial attributes of wood if the microbes can't penetrate into the wood and die.

[@luc8254]

what would you say using a mixture of wax and mineral oil for cutting boards?

[@prashastvats5072]

Bro summarised the entire video in one comment😂

[@TheRedWon]

Thanks for pointing out the "tung oil finish" issue. I was about to use some of that for a project, and I'm glad I watched this video first.

[@ritaweygint4038]

Thanks so much! I restored an old teak patio set using tung oil, and it truly is amazing!

[@jeffeverde1]

Tung oil is good for utensils and *decorative* cutting boards. But a film finish on a functional cutting board doesn't make sense. Through oxidation, tung oil (and other drying oils) cross-link to form a polymer film. Expose that film to a knife and you have a minced film finish. For a working cutting board / butcher block, mineral oil penetrates, which hydrates the wood to avoid cracking/checking and helps to avoid absorption of what you're cutting. The addition of beeswax has a twofold benefit - it seals the wood grain to further prevent drying, and it creates pliable *self-healing* film that resist moisture penetration from what you're cutting.

[@chrisst.pierre5638]

50 years later, I could not put that any better!

[@White000Crow]

I used 50/50 tung and orange oil on a countertop last year. It took weeks of application before it would no longer soak in.

[@stefanfyhn4668]

Oils are penetrative and can't be classified as film finish. The tung oil is inside the wood, just like in your story about mineral oil. The tung oil stays inside after curing, stabilizing the wood and making it less susceptible to moisture due to sealing of the pores. You're talking about cutting up oil inside the wood, which makes no sense.

[@stefanfyhn4668]

​@@White000Crowbut you're not supposed to keep soaking it 😄

[@White000Crow]

@@stefanfyhn4668 that’s what the instruction told me to do.

[@jamestongas3554]

Great information. Love the picture of Mayor Goldie Wilson in the background for those back to the Future enthusiasts.

[@bobkoure]

@@jamestongas3554 I caught that one, too. :-)

[@cassandraaeh]

This is such a useful video. My mom is allergic to bees and everything to do with them (including beeswax) and we've never loved mineral oil on boards and finishes, so it's nice to know that other food-safe finishes are more available, and it's useful to know what sorts of things to request from craftsmen if/when we have things made. Thank you!

[@chrisnurczyk8239]

Wow. Actual application of the scientific method & analysis of data on KZbin. As a semi-retired Earth science teacher & adjunct Horticulture instructor, your channel is a breath of fresh air. I've been trying to figure out how to best finish off our wooden cooking implements in the kitchen, and appreciate the information. Thanks for reasoned & cogent answer.

[@op3129]

really? do you only use wood utensils in WATER?

[@chrisnurczyk8239]

@@op3129 Don't understand this comment - didn't address this at all.

[@op3129]

@@chrisnurczyk8239 water is not NEARLY the usual environment for a "food safe" wood finish. boiling acid (aka simmering tomato sauce) is MUCH worse. you want "scientific method"? START with "fails in just water" - *_which is ABSOLUTELY a legit way to knock out 'first round'_* yeah sure, anything that fails just water should be mocked/shunned/rejected. THEN proceed to submerging various finishes in boiling acid (simmering tomato sauce). bc "scientific" needs to include reality.

[@stefanfyhn4668]

​@@op3129boiling water is the ideal torture test, so what's your point?

[@fordhouse8b]

@@stefanfyhn4668 Not for a cutting board. When testing a cutting board, you should not only test the effect of the finish has the board, but primarily test how it affects your knives. Which finish takes longer to dull your knives? This test fail completely to address that issue, and without doing so, recommending any finish for a cutting board is completely useless advice.

[@loganroberts3329]

Top quality video and exactly the knowledge I was looking for. Wonderful work! Thank you for making this!!

[@woodwhisperer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johndees967]

Bud!!! BEST 20 minutes i spent on youtube in AGES!! Fantastic content and outstanding presentation skills. I work in television.. behind the equipment!! and i appreciate presenters with talent. I listened and watched you for 20 minutes and was not bored or wanted to click out. Well DONE!

[@darkseidjoe]

Tung oil is great, it also helps prevent staining in my maple utensils with spaghetti sauce, gravies, and soups. I cook a lot and I'm really only reapplying tung every 6mo with heavily used items and annually with my cutting boards. Great experiment, it helped satisfy a lot of my own curiosities.

[@jeromechoquet2075]

Linseed oil is even better if 100% natural and food safe obviously

[@kensmith5694]

@@jeromechoquet2075 Yes, linseed oil is really good stuff but beware "Boiled" often means things were added rather than it actually being boiled. Raw linseed oil is really good on wooden parts of garden tools. You can put a lot on and leave the tool out in the hot sun for a while. Since linseed oil is good for the skin, a little rubbing off on your hands is really a good thing.

[@jeromechoquet2075]

@@kensmith5694 I only use Livos bc I know it’s 100% natural, even the pigments

[@tttm99]

Yeap. Making sure there are no petroleum or non food safe drying agents is always the pest. Recently found tung oil supplier changed formula on their product. Have to check every time. Linseed oil can do stellar finishes raw too, but can take more time most than most normal human beings would consider to properly cure 🤣... loves airflow and lots of O2...

[@kensmith5694]

@@tttm99 Also beware of "boiled linseed" a lot of it has drying agents added. You can find the real boiled stuff some places.

[@sethdrake7551]

3:05 something interesting and important about linseed oil: if left unpolymerized, it can actually spontaneously polymerize and undergo a cross-linking oxidation reaction if left exposed for a while which creates a lot of heat, meaning that anything with high surface area, like for example any rags used to apply it can actually self-ignite and burn down whatever building they're in.

[@riba2233]

Not if you ask AvE

[@jeffa847]

I think that is mostly a problem with those other "Danish oils" that put all kinds of chemical dryers in them - but yeah - I'm still super careful. Note that 'flax seed oil' which is culinary grade raw linseed oil doesn't have any warnings about not putting oil soaked rags in the trash can. I suspect that it is because it dries way too slow to combust. It will dry because I have used it on wood and it makes a nice hard finish in time......a LOT of time. haha

[@ruraloregon2347]

Yes! I saw a good experimental video on this (YT?) Where they had piles of rags on a concrete slab. They were soaked in various solutions, linseed oil being one of them. Sure enough, a few of the piles got hot enough to catch fire. The linseed oil rags were one of the samples that combusted.

[@gregbuser4690]

I used 100% tng oil on a fishing gaff that I turned 20 years ago, and the finish has held up well against sun, saltwater, and fish blood.

[@markluxton3402]

I have been using boiled linseed oil on most of my tool handles, landscaping and hand tools. I have to reapply every couple years to some. After watching your boil test, I see that pure tung oil is more durable and does not require additives to assist with polymerization. When I used boiled linseed oil, I generally added a thinner to saturate the wood deeply. Besides the citrus oils, what else would you use as a thinner with tung oil? 99% alcohol? Another question; what would work well as stain colors added to tung oil? Just getting back into some woodworking after decades of other things. My shop is mainly being setup for metal working, but I just rebuilt/repaired an old Rockwell contractors saw/jointer combo, and learned how to align everything. I was building a wheel barrel that has a removable top to become a flat deck for moving big things. I kept looking at the table saw, still dissembled, and decided I could do a way better job with it, rather than a circular saw. I was also trying to build with what scraps I had that was already sized correctly...or close. Easier with the table saw and jointer. I am also making renovations to my grandfathers(RIP) old shop. Extending the main workbench, adding shelves/storage, ventilation, etc.. The wheel barrel I needed weeks ago is almost complete, and now the table saw/jointer is fully functional and aligned. I also just learned to clean and properly repack wheel bearings, and who makes good ones, best grease and how much, where to get a decent price, etc.. My grandfather left a bunch of bearings in a big drawer that I washed in gas and oil to start with. I watched several videos of people restoring the same and similar table saws, where they replaced the saw arbor bearings, and others that replaced the motor bearings. Turned out that I had several perfect condition bearings of the exact correct type and these are from North America and Japan. There wasn't much trade with China back then. I fully cleaned and repacked the bearings with proper grease. Needed 4 the same, have 5 at the ready. Soon as I shit out another me, I will fully restore the saw and motor. Motor slows too quickly; table saw vibrates. Both are old enough that the grease in the original bearings is near useless, even if the bearings were not yet worn out. One of the bearings that I unsealed and repacked appeared to me to have never been used. All 5 are in excellent condition, but the new one had a white grease that had become lumpy and stiff after decades. Now I want to make an out feed table, fix my old B&D router, and mount it to the saw table. LOL My best tips for anyone wanting to replace bearings in their table saws and motors: Don't just look at the standard industry code, 6203 in my case, and think this is all you need to know. There are variations in design and intended applications. Some are greased for cold climates, some for heavy loads, some for high speeds, etc.. If you order from Amazon you may not be getting a bearing designed for your use, and likely getting a low quality bearing. The price on Amazon around 5-10 dollars each. The price to order an OEM bearing from a parts supplier, is about 45 to 55 dollars. If you go to a bearing manufacturers web site, you can find the absolutely correct bearings, and their retailers, and guess what.....better prices than the ones from China on Amazon. I am going to use the quality bearings that I repacked, but I suggest that anyone going through the work of replacing bearings, purchase quality and carefully, so you don't ever have to do it again. Another issue with purchasing from unknown low quality manufactures, AND sometimes with the better brands, is bearings assembled with too little or too much grease. If you get new bearings and do not know the quality control rep of the manufacturer, I suggest unsealing the new bearing and having a look. FYI

[@lwj2]

I've used tung for decades, the citrus thinner is a great idea, thanks!

[@anartificer]

For those wondering, polymerized linseed oil is just heat treated linseed oil. It's another word for linseed stand oil. The heating process modifies the oil's fats to reduce drying time. It also creates a slightly different coating that yellows a little less than raw oil. Tung oil is usually sold in the same state. It's basically boiled linseed oil. By that I mean the medieval definition of boiled linseed oil in that it's actually heated up. Linseed oil was originally mixed with litharge (lead) to produce a harder finish and boiled to reduce drying time. This very dangerous process resulted in a product called boiled linseed. This was replicated later by using harsh chemicals so that it didn't need the lead additive or to be heated since raw linseed oil's boiling point is just above it's flash point. This VOC emitting product is modern boiled linseed oil. Later, they made a process to polymerize linseed (and other) oils by heating them in a vacuum. This avoids spontaneous combustion and results in a new "boiled linseed oil" that doesn't have VOCs or lead.

[@fritzkabeano1969]

Tung oil isn't made from linseed oil

[@anartificer]

True.

[@unable1234]

@@fritzkabeano1969 no one ever said it was.

[@fritzkabeano1969]

@@unable1234 "Tung oil is usually sold in the same state. It's basically boiled linseed oil."

[@itsmederek1]

@@fritzkabeano1969 You are making yourself look stupid lol

[@thefeet]

been using tung oil for years...but not for food-safe applications... but cabinets and just about anything! I just love the way it applies and FEELS like it is made for finishing wood....it makes the grain "pop" like just about any other finish will... but there's something about when you apply it, thin layers...yeah...great video! NOT JUST FOR FOOD SAFE STUFF FOLKS! Tung oil rocks imo.

[@tomroeder7348]

I owe the KZbin algorithm a beer. This was perfect timing as I am going to make a couple of cutting boards and was researching finishes, I think you've made up my mind, thanks for the video!

[@orange-micro-fiber9740]

4:00 Polymerization might be partial. Polymer chains can be short, medium, long, etc. Shorter usually means more liquid. I think of polymers as legos. The individual molecule is a brick and you can squish bricks together to make more chains. The shorter, the easier they move around each other. The longer, the more stuck/hard they get.

[@twobluestripes]

I assume with Tried & True and similar brands, it’s intended to help the linseed oil cure faster than it would without a treatment, they same as “boiling” the linseed oil can. Lots of “BLO” on the market actually just has heavy metal driers or some other ingredient to speed curing, so not food safe, but Tried & True of course doesn’t have any driers. I use Tried & True original, which has just the linseed oil and beeswax, on my kitchen items, and I find that it actually does cure faster than another oil I have for kitchens from IKEA (picture of a wood countertop on the cab), which is a blend of only linseed oil and tung oil, no driers and not labeled as being processed in any way for pre-polymerization. I found a great website where the author was experimenting with making their own basic traditional finishes, and they actually heated their own pure linseed oil to “boil” it themselves and I found it really interesting.

[@Ritalie]

Eating Polymerized oils is also what causes health issues. Look at the statistics, before the promotion and sale of Crisco. I heard it was originally utilized as a submarine lubricant. Around the year 1910 there was nearly zero problems related to cholesterol. With the advent of high temperature machine oils (Margarine, Soybean Oil, Shortening) that replaced saturated animal fats, there was an exponential rise in problems of health. I'm intentionally being vague.

[@neruneri]

@@Ritalie If you're drinking your cutting board's finish, you have bigger problems than the long-term health effects of polymerized oils.

[@OGSumo]

@@Ritalie I believe what you’re thinking of is _hydrogenated_ oils, not _polymerized_ oils.

[@Garblegox]

Caramel is a polymer. It can be gooey, or hard as glass.

[@RySu-i3v]

Tung oil contains Eleostearic acid which is toxic. It is generally considered safe when fully cured. However, if you're planning to use it for maintenance, I rather recommend food-grade mineral oil or food-grade drying oil such as walnut, linseed, or perilla oil as these are safe to digest when it's not fully cured.

[@Hockeytown19]

Mineral oil is petroleum based, and is no longer considered safe for consumption by many studies.

[@StopTryingSoHard]

Ugh, alpha-eleostearic acid is not toxic. There was a single rat test using diluted bitter gourd oil (which also contains lots of alpha-eleostearic acid) that it accelerated apoptosis (fat cellular death). This same process stopped HL60 cells - these are lab grade test leukemia cells that are used for cancer fighting compounds. So what this actually showed was that it stopped cancer. Alpha-eleostearic acid has been shown to stop a bunch of lipid types of cancer, but it's not like from using it as a food. Most importantly, tung oil dries in hours. Walnut and perilla oil both suffer from rancidity issues, so you need to be extra careful with the storage of them (most likely they should be kept in an opaque bottle and in the fridge when you aren't actively using them.) It's not an issue for the applied finish though, but walnut especially is one of the least safe oils when rancid unfortunately.

[@RySu-i3v]

​@@StopTryingSoHard Hello. Thank you for your thoughtful response. While research highlights its anticancer potential-particularly its ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells-it’s important to note that the same mechanism can pose risks to healthy cells. Studies, including those using synthetic α-eleostearic acid, have demonstrated its neurotoxic effects, particularly on oligodendrocytes, which play a critical role in maintaining the central nervous system. This underscores the need for caution when using tung oil in its uncured form, as it contains α-eleostearic acid and other compounds that are toxic when ingested. Additionally, while tung oil can dry to the touch within hours, it’s important to distinguish between drying and curing. Drying refers to the surface becoming touch-dry, but curing is the chemical process in which the oil polymerizes to form a hard, stable, and safe finish. This curing process can take anywhere from 5 to 30 days, depending on factors like environmental conditions and the thickness of the application. For food-safe use, tung oil must be fully cured, as uncured oil can still release harmful compounds. In comparison, food-grade oils like walnut and linseed are safe to use even when not fully cured, though they can go rancid without proper storage. Rancidity affects taste and quality but is not toxic unless consumed in excess over time. For cutting boards, tung oil is a good option if fully cured, but walnut, linseed or mineral oils offer simplicity and safety, especially for who prefer food-safe maintenance solutions straight out of the bottle. Each option has its merits, but understanding the science behind them helps make a more informed decision.

[@Dan-kl2rw]

@@RySu-i3v This is the most ChatGPT generated response I've seen in awhile... For anyone reading, avoid using oils with fat-content because it oxidizes and goes rancid which smells bad, introduces bad tastes, and can generate toxic byproducts (Like others have said here). To not scare anyone, the poison is in the dose, time of exposure, and how often you are exposed. The amount produced is usually very small, you aren't exposed long, and your body is naturally capable of dealing with these toxicants (malondialdehyde for example) its just not desirable. Consider other options depending on the use case. Good luck.

[@redrockcrf4663]

I can comment on Cherry. I made a cutting board of padouk and amercian cherry pver 40 year ago, finished with Mineral Oil. It nevers gets submerged in the sink, just wiped off with clean or sometimes soapy water depending, and other than a few knife marks, I have to say that it has served me exceptionally well. These days, I would put bees wax on it to prevent it from being easily washed off by dish detergent as another commenter below has mentioned.

[@richtomlinson7090]

Mineral oil offers the absolute least amount of protection, and it isn't any more food safe than a better finish. A finish that penetrates, and goes through polymerization, would be the best protection, especially for end grain patterns.

[@an.20.24]

​@@richtomlinson7090 What's the safest oil to use, in your opinion? I mean health wise.

[@richtomlinson7090]

@@an.20.24 From what I have read, all finishes are considered food-safe, once cured. There are exceptions, like paint for boat hulls, that actually keep things from living. I've used pure Tung oil, and I've used Walnut oil, or Beeswax blends. You just don't leave a surface layer of finish, to flake off in the food. Mineral oil is used because it's cheap, and considered safe, but it prevents any future change in finish choice. Also mineral oil doesn't offer much protection.

[@an.20.24]

@@richtomlinson7090 What about fractioned coconut oil?

[@an.20.24]

@@richtomlinson7090 thanks for the Info anyway

[@piotrekgulczynski]

This video encouraged me to put some pure tung oil on my new bamboo cutting board and wooden knife handles. Then I googled some information about tung oil's drying and curing time and now I'm not sure if I made the right decision as some people mention 45-day curing time... How long should I wait until I use my utensils?

[@budlloyd3127]

I love tung oil, glad to see I picked correctly! I was actually surprised at that result too! I'd love to see a long term follow up for something like this! or even natural finishes on outdoor projects!

[@johnlee7085]

There is a video on outdoor finishes. Short answer - penetrating oils.

[@frankielee4502]

I just bought a cutting board of raw wood; I bought some mineral oil and applied it to the wood and THEN i found you on KZbin and your information on Tung oil. Very good information and I will be looking for Tung oil to have on hand to re-season it. Thank you very much!

[@4jeg]

Buy organic flaxseed oil, keep in the fridge. Apply & bake in the oven at 215F. Repeat 2-3x. It will not even come off in the dishwasher.

[@ak6143]

@@4jeg this works the best for cast iron too. Flaxseed oil cant be touched for cast iron. Americas test kitchen did a great tutorial on it

[@larryborshard7824]

Great stuff, thanks!! My observation: Don't leave my cutting board in boiling water! I question whether that's an accurate method for an accelerated life test. It seems likely to exaggerate heat and humidity variables that could cause abnormal reactions and behaviors in the test samples, and skew conclusions. But as a raw, SOP (seat of the pants) test, it's definitely creative. Great job and great info. Thanks again!

[@glenmcarroll]

I’ve been using hemp oil with a hemp oil bees wax top coat. It’s Time to get some tung oil. Great information, thanks so much.

[@pgfollett]

I have done the same as you with good results. Time for me too to do a tung oil comparison.

[@shereeglasson22]

I prefer the sound of hemp seed oil because it is edible. I would NOT put any oil on my chopping board that I could not eat. Otherwise, it is toxic. Hemps seeds are edible therefore not toxic. Tung oil is not edible so why would we put it on a chopping board? That is my view.

[@Silversprite]

What about a bamboo cutting board? Is it any different than a wood cutting board? Is tung oil still best?

[@glenmcarroll]

@@Silversprite its no difference mineral oil is my go to with bees wax

[@jerryglazener8129]

Thanks!

[@woodwhisperer]

Thank you Jerry!

[@davehart10]

THANK YOU FOR THIS!! I have been using Tung oil and citrus solvent for years with all my food contact projects and an awful lot of my regular furniture as well. EVERY cutting board video I see ends with mineral oil and I will never understand why. I think people fear the reapply factor. If you are selling these things it is easier to tell the clients to just reapply mineral oil or an oil board wax from time to time. I think it's an opportunity to sell them some Tung/citrus blend to reapply every year or two rather than every month.

[@ABaumstumpf]

Cause you are not supposed to COOK your darn cutting-board - unless you are a maniac.

[@johnlee7085]

Or conducting a scientific experiment in which case you need to create extreme conditions to remove the time factor from the analysis

[@yetanotherjohn]

Great info! I'm an artist, all oil paint is made with linseed oil, it is the original drying oil, and I love the stuff.

[@Dave-ct1jk]

Mark, first off 4:42 - nicely done. Second of all, your results confirmed my suspicions. I have been using mineral oil on the boards I've given away and been testing different finishes on pieces for myself. I purchased a small can of T&T varnish and did a water test and was severely let down. I did a massive cheese board for my mom all finished in pure tung oil but she hasn't let me know how it is washing it with water. However this shows me I think I'm good to go! Thanks Mark.

[@cameronfrye5514]

Glad I saw this, thanks for sharing. My father swore by Tung Oil, and I've used it for more furniture or tool oriented items, but I never would have thought to use it on items that touch food. I use a mixture of mineral oil and beeswax on cutting boards and the like, but the one I use most needs refinishing every few months. I'll have to give Tung Oil a shot on my next one.

[@treyaldridge1757]

5:55 by law, companies are required to publish a material safety data sheet. By looking up the name of the finish + "msds" you can usually find multiple documents that won't contain every ingredient, but will contain every ingredient that's known to be dangerous to humans in any regard. For example, osmo polyx contains aliphatic hydrocarbons which is most likely either mineral spirits or naphtha.

[@creativecraving]

I love how you used the control sample as a foundation on which to build your narrative, rather than as some sort of authenticity token. ❤

[@danervin2530]

Man, the tessellation pattern on that cutting board is mind blowing. Excellent video.

[@genellesmay1878]

Hi ! Great video, just in time for my new cutting board. I want one of those beautiful cutting boards! Tell me who I contact to buy one please! Thanks, Genelle Smay

[@ThatOneGuitarGuy123]

The pattern is called tumbling block

[@AM-es4mp]

Thanx! i didnt know the term for what Id call a 3d effect :)

[@Ritalie]

How the heck can you make a pattern like that? It looks like a printed graphic or something. I am so confused. You can do that with gluing wood together?

[@kosarchuk]

@@genellesmay1878 how would you switch finishes on a cutting board that’s been treated with mineral oil? What prep would be recommended if switching to tung oil or tung oil+orange solvent?

[@yarnexpress]

I hope you'll put up with me & my question. I'm not a woodworker but a fairly serious home cook. About 20 years ago, I bought a 30" x 60" maple butcher block that my husband mounted on an old table. Since then, it's been in constant use both for breakfast/lunch and as a cooking work surface. It gets washed all or in part a couple of times a day. Even disinfect it on occasion although I never use if for meat. It sees a lot of scrubbing with a scrubby sponge & board scraper. Never had an issue with raised grain. When I feel ambitious, I'll really scrub it then apply a heavy coat of a refined salad oil usually peanut. Let it sit for a while then thoroughly wipe off excess oil--until a paper towel shows no signs of oil. Recently, I read I'm doing it all wrong that cooking oil should never be used. because it will become rancid which I've never detected. Who's right?

[@HildaCorners]

I'm more cook than woodworker, though I do both. If your peanut oil treatment doesn't go bad, stick with it! You're not applying much, and it sinks in, then gets worn off in use and cleaning. If you think about it, you don't have a lot of old, oxidized oil on the wood. Two cautions though: - even a tiny trace of peanut oil can be deadly to someone with a peanut allergy. Be sure to warn people. - if you move to a warmer climate, or can't clean the board the same way, think about changing the oil. Mineral oil *can't* go rancid and doesn't trigger allergies, so it's a safe recommendation if you're on KZbin suggesting products to total strangers. I use mineral oil on my boards out of habit. I might try tung oil. By the way, I envy your butcher block and your kitchen that's large enough to hold it. :)

[@mpmfr]

Saving the good stuff for a “rainy” day I see! Literally, all that crazy rain we had in Missouri! Great video Marc! Thanks for the effort as always! 😊

[@cpamfly6858]

Wow. I love your approach. I love your science, your mind, and your concern about what we eat when we don't know what it is. You excel at being human. Thanks for sharing, I subscribed.

[@inspiringbuilds]

100% Tung Oil has always been my go to and has the best long term protection from my experience. 👍

[@Bravo21]

Have been making my own for 50yrs and it works great for cutting boards, counter tops and wood utensils. Its Beeswax and Walnut Oil, 50/50. Simply put them together in a pan and heat until the wax melts. Works great.

[@peetsnort]

Would you eat what you put in the wood.? I just use salt and olive oil

[@Shiva108]

@@peetsnort the problem with vegetable oils like olive oil is that they go rancid...does the salt solve this issue?

[@peetsnort]

@@Shiva108 olive oil is the last oil to go rancid. The salt will kill the bacteria. It stops fungal growth.

[@peetsnort]

@@Shiva108 I suspect the olive oil just stops the wood from drying out.

[@Shiva108]

@@peetsnort yes, that's what oils do..but olive oil goes rancid after a while..I was just wondering if the salt counteracts this issue..

[@drsnooz8112]

Thank you for cluing me in to these food safe finishes! I'll point out that the Walrus Oil is a cutting board oil, and a cutting board will rarely ever be boiled. For a cutting board, you want a non-drying finish because a drying finish will never hold up on a high-wear surface like that.

[@richardhuffman5742]

Damn, this video is coming full circle for me; way back when you were first getting started with your youtube channel, you made a cutting board that my dad saw and we decided to try to make out own. We enjoyed it so much that we started experimenting and designing our own and ended up creating a bit of a business. Ten years later we've sold several hundred of our high-end end-grain chop boards. It's amazing that you are all in on Jatoba; because figured out early on that it was the PERFECT wood for cutting boards (but sanding the end grain is insane! We've always been just using mineral oil / parrafin mix, but mabye we will do some experimenting after watching this vid.

[@91thewatcher23]

I primarily use linseed oil for my utensils & cutting board. Since I don't cook with my board I still like linseed for the cost and utility, but you may have convinced me to switch to tung for the spoons & spatulas!

[@joeerich9229]

Great job, Marc! I've been waiting on this video since you first teased it before the big move. It did not disappoint. Thanks for all that you do to make woodworking better.

[@Mindy56743]

I am planning on making some board butter for my cutting board and spoons. Most of my research has said linseed oil for a more natural product. This will be something that I will use for myself and possibly more often than something that I would make and sell. Would you still recommend the tong oil? I am only planning to make a small batch.

[@HildaCorners]

Watch out with linseed oil. "Boiled" linseed oil isn't really boiled, it has a ton of drying and other additives, some of which are definitely not food safe. 100% pure linseed oil and 100% pure tung oil are equally natural. If you want to make sure you're being safe, get the material safety data sheets (MDSS). Most companies have them available on their websites, though they might be buried. The data sheets list all ingredients in a product*. You can then read up on each ingredient to see if it matches your idea of safe and natural. - - - - - * All ingredients must be listed by law. However, they don't have to list exact amounts of each. Giving a range lets companies keep their secret formulas secret. For example, if you know a product has only beeswax and mineral oil ... a 95% wax 5% oil product will be very different than a 95% oil 5% wax.

[@Mindy56743]

Thank you!

[@joerandazzo6262]

Since tung oil is made from the nut of the tung tree, is there a risk of triggering a nut allergy reaction when used on items like cutting boards?

[@evelynkessinger4714]

Very good question!

[@richmewes5686]

Straight from the label ALLERGIES: Tung oil is a tree nut product. If you are going to use tung I would strongly suggest you let anyone you might give a board to, know ahead of time, that you have done so. Tree nut allergies are often anaphylactic (life threatening) in nature and should be taken very seriously. Whether or not the actual wood of a nut tree can cause the same reaction a nut would, I can’t speak to (but having had to give someone having an anaphylactic reaction an epi-pen injection into their thigh in the middle of a restaurant , it’s not something I personally would ever risk)

[@leeroyexcavator9149]

Nice video and comparison my son made me a wooden spoon for my birthday as a beginner project turned out pretty good and was a nice surprise. Didn't know what to treat it with till now. He used coconut oil at first but will try this tung oil now thanks!!

[@jerrybrown1446]

Great info. Definitely going to try the tung oil. I tried the “tung oil finish” once and it went on like polyurethane and was a bit of a disappointment.

[@Alf_4]

Would ethanol or a non toxic alcohol be a suitable solvent for a cutting board/utensil application?

[@abydosianchulac2]

Awesome test, thanks for the results! I wondered if you'd come across the process of heating up your wood pieces in the oven before applying mineral oils or the like? The concept as I've heard it is that the air in the woods expands due to the higher temperatures, so that when the pores are covered over with your oil it's sucked in deeper and more securely into the piece as the wood cools. Supposedly this leads to the finish being more durable as you have air pressure and suction keeping the finish in place until the piece is reheated again. I say supposedly because I haven't had time to try many pieces, but I did it with one wooden spoon and not only does that spoon clean up faster, it stays pretty hydrophobic even in boiling liquids. The only time the oil/wax combo I used came off was when I was stir frying at much higher temps than I used to impregnate the finish into the spoon.

[@Bob_Adkins]

It will absolutely thin the oil down a little and suck it into the wood *just a little* as it cools . Don't heat the wood over about 170F, it could warp, weaken, or embrittle it. Some people use vacuum pots, which *seriously* draw oil or stabilizer into the wood!

[@aaronbredon2948]

​@Bob_Adkins if the oil is flaxseed/linseed, the heat will help start the curing process.

[@nokieng6502]

I’ve used hopes 100% pure tung oil myself on wooden bowls. Provides a really nice satin finish. Only drawback is thesmell. The smell will stay there for months on in. You really have to like the smell to like the product. I’m smelling my bowls now. Think I applied it over 8 months ago. You can still smell it if you put your nose up to it. But it certainly does protect.

[@charlescarlson1290]

Hi Marc, That was a very helpful video. I’m a beekeeper and sometimes woodworker, and I’ve wondered about finishes and in fact in the process of figuring out the best choice for a current project. You basically answered every question I have. And I’m sticking with tung oil and beeswax. It has been a very durable finish and is easy to apply and seems to hardness up just as “advertised.” I like the fact that you also use Citrusol solvent answered another question I’d been considering. Thanks!!!

[@marvistawoodworks7624]

What ratio of tung oil to beeswax do you use?

[@stephenlines9431]

I've been watching your stuff for quite a while, so I'm confident I've got to the 'trust you' point. I love your objective BS-free approach to this food-safe wood finishing comparison. Thanks. Respect. Liked and subscribed. Keep it coming please. :)

[@Adam-ee9lm]

Hi WW: You didn't talk about how to thin tung oil .. what type of ratio do you use with the citrus solvent ?

[@davidcleveland4575]

5 steps, #1 75 % citrus solvent to 25% tung oil #2. 50/50 #3. 25% cs to 75% tung oil #4. 100% tung oil #5. 100% tung oil Let dry a day or two between coats. Recoat with 100%tung oil cooking utensils every three months, cutting boards once a year. Hope that helps, atb!

[@ahodamahingan1698]

@@davidcleveland4575 thanks for sharing this. Sounds like a great process. Those first coats with more solvent probably penetrate little deeper and dry faster.

[@leezardo9324]

What a helpful video! Thank you. Totally explains why mineral oil has never lasted long on any of my cutting boards.

[@Sembazuru]

What proportion of tung oil to the orange solvent would you suggest? Is it a full 50/50? 75/25? Or closer to 90/10? (larger number is tung oil, smaller is solvent)

[@NIGHTRIDER364]

I'm not sure if you every went through with using the Tung oil but in the video (though he never mentions proportions) he shows him mixing the oils in what appears as a 50/50 mix (starting at 17:04 and ending at 17:10).

[@kevinsorensen367]

Thank you for the comparison! It's extremely helpful! I'm not calling you wrong, but I pronounce polymerization very different and I couldn't stop laughing to myself. And you said it a lot 😅. Keep up a great channel!!

[@thesender6793]

I pronounce it differently too. His pronunciation bugged me so much that I had to research the matter. Turns out his and my pronunciation (and maybe yours too) are both considered correct.

[@alexanderkupke920]

One addition to those hard oils like Osmo being marked as "food safe". They are not necessarily intended to be used for items used with food, like cutting boards. "food safe" in this case is just a term that is used for things that are not toxic or hazardous when cured. This is for example a requirement when used for wooden toys which small children may put into their mouth. That orange oil is great stuff. It also works nice as a degreaser or put into water with a drop of dawn for cleaning in general. It is also great to loosen and remove stickers and labels you cannot simply get peeled of.

[@Tibbytoobs]

You are correct. Adding a polymerizing finish to a cutting board makes it more like a plastic one. A breeding ground for bacteria.

[@browncrcb]

So are you saying “it shouldn’t be used in cutting boards?

[@alexanderkupke920]

@@browncrcb Yes, they may be a good option for some toys (those less likely to be put in the mouth) or tables etc. and out of experiences they are great finishes. But no, they are not suitable for cutting boards.

[@Ritalie]

@@alexanderkupke920 This comment completely contradicts what he just said in this video, that the polymerized hardening oils are the best for wood surfaces and cutting boards, because they don't leave an oily residue. Is there any research you can point to, to illustrate why a dry oil would be worse and cause bacteria?

[@alexanderkupke920]

@@Ritalie Not exactly. I used that Osmo stuff before myself, and at least the can I had said it was not suitable for cutting board or items used with food, despite being food safe. There sems to be a difference if this is for example used on a toy a child may put into the mouth, which already qualifies as food safe or something like a salad bowl that may be exposed to oil or acidic substances over time. I think food safe means not leeching out potentialy harmful substances. For a cutting board, I would not bet on any specific antibacterial or whatever properties from those oils anyways. For one, most wood, if it has a chance to dry properly, has already antibacterial properties (through tanins etc contained in the wood), also, how deep do you think any oil will penetrate into the wood actually? If you don´t let it soeak in in a vacuum chamber, not as dep as you might think. So the oil protects the surface, but as soon as you get a heavy scratch or cut in the wood, you will be through the oil coating anyways. those groves are actually what may support bacterial growth, if you don´t get all residue cleaned out and you may create a moist environment. plastic boards in theory are safer, but it was found, that those cuts and grooves likely close up immediately afterwards, encapsulating residue. So I generally agree with what Marc found, I just made a comment about something I found in the past as a restriction by one specific brand. Almost all of those oils will polymerize over time. Best example is linseed oil, which for that reason traditionally was used for paint and stuf as well. The stuf like Osmo and some other products just have additives that speed up polymerization by a lot. Which is a considerable factor, as a traditional oil paint out of linseed oil and for example white pigments used to paint old wooden window frames, or with sawdust and stuff was used as glasing putty, takes weeks to fully cure and harden. That is also why today mostly an oil varnish is used, not actual oil paint. No one has time for that any more.

[@msscamp100]

Very interesting video! I hate oiling my cutting boards, and I have to do it fairly frequently. I will be checking out tung oil. Thanks!

[@ra1der5]

Thank you! Always interested in different ideas for maintaining wood used in the kitchen. I think you had a great test for using harder finishes on wooden utensils, but I’m not sold on using it for cutting boards. I’m more interested in keeping a cutting board from drying out and cracking. Every time we run a knife across the board, it pierces through the finish and exposes raw grain. So regardless of what is used, there is going to be some transfer of oil or micro shards of finish transferred to the food. All of the finishes are food safe, so I’m less concerned about that. I sanitize my cutting boards after every use with bleach water (about a tablespoon of bleach per quart). About once a month I apply a food safe mineral oil to keep it from drying out. I imagine if I did this with a harder finish like the tung oil, it might cake up around the edges where the knife isn’t hitting it. There would probably be some discoloration and a more glossy appearance around the edges and a dull, lighter color in the middle.

[@winrawrisyou]

"I’m more interested in keeping a cutting board from drying out and cracking." It's totally a misconception in the cooking world. The wood in cutting boards is dry. It SHOULD be dry. If it was moist it would warp like hell as it dried down to equilibrium with your house. It is just the moisture absorbed on a surface that causes expansion where those fibers absorbed water, and enough warping especially from becoming unevenly wet can cause cracking (doubly so if it was poorly glued, which is surprisingly common for mass-produced boards). Oil prevents cracking by slowing down that absorption of moisture. Actually oil is totally unnecessary if you take decent care of a well-made board-when washing, wet both sides, and make sure both sides dry evenly-but oiling will still help reduce the odors absorbed.

[@oldNavyJZ]

I have been using tung oil more and mineral oil/beeswax less over the past few months. One of the main reasons is the seepage I get with mineral oil when there's a temperature change - like going from my temperature controlled shop to an outdoor market. I did not consider using a foodsafe solvent. I'm going to give that a try to see if I can get a little better penetration with the Tung oil without having to put it on thick. Thanks for sharing another great video!

[@SgtPUSMC]

My favorite finish for almost everything I make is Tung Oil and Beeswax. It's a rare case when I want a shiny finish, I love the soft glow and luster of Tung Oil with a wax finish.

[@charlesdeshler202]

How do you mix the wax and oil? What ratio do you like?

[@jcast25]

I too would like to know your mix ratios, if you don't mind sharing.

[@SgtPUSMC]

@@charlesdeshler202 I start by applying Tung Oil diluted with mineral spirits (about 50/50). Apply liberally and let soak in for about an hour. Then wipe off excess and let dry for several days. I repeat this process 3 - 5 times with a light sanding between. When this is done, I apply beeswax by rubbing a block of beeswax with a clean rag that is wet with mineral spirits, it helps lubricate and soften the wax for easy coverage. The polish.

[@justnoted2995]

@@SgtPUSMC thanks, if you use this on wooden window frames at the coast, do you have to lightly sand it down before renewing /re-applying a tung oil /mineral spirit coat (for maintenance purposes)

[@jaboi9900]

Thank you Wood whisperer! I had two black walnut /maple cutting slit apart over time by using a mineral oil soak. I have since built three more using your tung oil method and it worked fantastic!! That was two years ago and they only require a wax coating once in a while.

[@linsen8890]

Great video, but a couple of observations. First, cutting boards aren't typically exposed to boiling water, so in my opinion, that test isn't really representative of how they are used. It's a great test for utensils, though. I'd like to see a test that looks at how resistant the different finishes are to cuts and scratches and how good they are at filling/repairing knife cuts and scratches when reapplied. I think the mineral oil + wax finishes (like Walrus Oil and others) might perform better on that kind of test. Second, I make my own mineral oil/lemon oil/beeswax finish, and I've finished many cutting and charcuterie boards with it (and some other things). I've never had any trouble with oil leaching out of the boards. You just have to spend some time thoroughly wiping and polishing the boards after they've been finished. In my opinion, mineral oil leaching out of cutting boards is just not nearly as big a problem as you said here.

[@BobBob-eh5sb]

I agree with what you said. Nobody boils their cutting board. Obviously the tung oil held up better, but there are a lot of variables involved. And if you actually use the cutting board, what finish would you rather eat little chunks of. Idk, may give it a try. As far as Odies and the others, once they have fully cured they’re all safe.

[@linsen8890]

@@BobBob-eh5sb James Hamilton at Stumpy Nubs Woodworking Journal maintains that most all finishes are "food safe" once they are cured. I think he is most likely correct, as he is knowledgeable and researches what he says before he says it. I'm not very concerned about tung oil being toxic once it is cured, or even before it is cured; however, the tung tree (leaves, seeds, etc.) are toxic, so that does make some people think twice about using for things that will come in contact with food. Just from a "better safe than sorry" standpoint, I will stick with mineral oil or fractionated coconut oil as the base for "food safe" finishes that I make; although I might experiment with using tung oil for finishes for furniture and other non-food-contact things.

[@BobBob-eh5sb]

@@linsen8890 Yeah, Stumpy is who I heard it from. The Tung oil looked good after the test, but that also made me wonder how thick of a coat it was to stay looking that way. Thinking it would tend to come off in chunks after repeated cutting. Probably wouldn't kill you, but might not taste good. Would consider it more for charcuterie boards.

[@KerryBenton]

I know I'm late to the party, but this was my feeling as well. For a cutting board, especially an end-grain one (which is all i use) I think keeping the wood fibers supple is much more important than maximal resistance to water / heat, because I think this will factor into the longevity of the board and it's ability to 'heal' knife marks. I have a thick block I bought from a Williams-Sonoma outlet store over 20 years ago that's been used almost every single day, and there's barely a visible mark on it. It's totally unscientific and anecdotal, to be sure, but I attribute a lot of that to having used only mineral oil-based products on it. These have evolved a bit from just pure mineral oil in the old days, to the home-made blend of mineral oil, beeswax and a bit of carnauba wax (

[@coppulor6500]

Read an article about 20 years ago where they investigated wood, bamboo, and plastic cutting boards to determine cleanliness/microbial activity. No contest. Wood cutting boards were absolutely crawling with bacteria compared a teeny tiny fraction on plastic. Due to porosity and deep "canyons" from cuts (canyons from bacteria's perspective) that were difficult to clean. Hard plastic only from that forward. Unless its something super acidic like pineapple in which case its cut on a plate. We avoid plastic as much as possible but I wouldn't use anything else for a cutting board.

[@jeexley9129]

Hi there, awesome info. Have a question. What's the ratio for tung oil/ citrus solvent for cutting boards? How much to dilute the tung oil with citrus orange oil? Thanks for making this video. I really like this finish

[@davidcleveland4575]

The ratio is: 75% cs to 25% t- oil, 50/50, 25 cs to 75 t- oil, Then two coats of 100%tung oil. Dry time, one to two days between coats. Hope that helps, atb!

[@jeexley9129]

@@davidcleveland4575 thanks very much for your time and info,yes it helps

[@MR-vg7yn]

I realize that would be hard to test, but for cutting boards, it would make a lot more sense to see how the finish fares against knives. I don't know about your, but I've never cooked my cutting boards. Yeah, tung oil cures, but will that matter against a sharp knife? Honestly, for me, the biggest issue with a finish on a cutting board is that it will be destroyed by the knife cuts and will have to be reapplied regularly because of that, not because the finish dissolves in some way or another. If you have to reapply the finish regularly anyway, I like mineral oil exactly because it doesn't cure, since that means I don't have to _wait_ for it to cure. I can apply the oil, wait a few minutes, wipe off all excess and the board's ready to go again if need be.

[@marvistawoodworks7624]

Several years ago I helped a friend make an end-grain cutting board form maple. We coated it with a bees wax/mineral oil mixture (approx. 1 to 4). He uses it every day and the finish has held up to his, very sharp, knives without a recoat. I agree with your assertion that holding up to knives is the key to judging a finish.

[@ThatJediKnight]

Came here for an oil lesson. I got that and found a fellow BTTF fan!! Thanks!

[@alantittle299]

A prime issue to me is the glue used in bonded cutting boards and utensils. Maybe you have a video on that too. There are some suggestions to browse for better glues and what chemical components to avoid. There are some beautiful bamboo boards and utensils but I refuse to buy them for fear of the toxic glues. Thanks for the great suggestions.

[@GrantHendrick]

Bamboo is very hard and not the best choice for cutting boards.

[@slicedtoad]

@@GrantHendrick Why is hardness bad?

[@GrantHendrick]

@@slicedtoad I dulls the knife edge.

[@winrawrisyou]

There is also the option of using wide boards for cutting boards. It's kinda the opposite of all the trendy cutting boards people make with multiple different woods and 50 glue joints, to just use 2, 3, or 4 boards that are 6"/15 cm wide. Get your glue joints really tight and there'll be hardly any glue to eat. :) At that point, I wouldn't worry because inhaling brake dust walking next to a busy road will definitely have 100x the impact on your health anyway. I've seen some people fear increased warping with wide boards. If your cutting board is flat when dry then it'll be fine. Warping in cutting boards frequently is due to either only 1 face getting washed, or only 1 face getting dried, not because your boards are wide or flatsawn.

[@eegarim]

Interesting, informative video. Since my cutting boards and wooden spoons have been going naked for years, perhaps I should buy some Tung oil to brighten everybody up.

[@UnkleAL1962]

I'm going to try this! I've always used mineral oil on my maple and if you start to get a slight split mineral oil always brings it back to normal. But now I have to try Tung oil on it . If it can withstand boiling water it can withstand my cleaning procedure under running hot water. Immediately dry though, as water/standing moisture is the true enemy of wooden cutting boards. The Tung oil kept the grain beautiful can't wait to try this.

[@RocktCityTim]

This also demonstrates why luthiers have sworn by Tung Oil for guitar finishing for decades. Beautiful presentation of the woods used with long term stability while being played over time. While it feels obvious now, Tung Oil is going to become our new treatment for our wooden cutting boards, handles. and utensils. Thanks for a great comparison.

[@wolfetom10]

Thanks so much for this. I love the tip about diluting tung oil with the citrus product. I've applied a tung oil finish to furniture before, and the end result is stunning, but the oil is really tacky and requires a LOT of elbow grease to buff it out to a smooth finish. I wouldn't want to put that effort into a wooden spoon or cutting board.

[@eternalfizzer]

Thank you for conducting a well-designed experiment and reporting on it with the caveats that explain the limitations of what you learned. You are my new woodworking guru!

[@johnblaney8055]

Hi .I'm john and enjoyed your test of oils.the result concure with my thinking however question is can a water base lacquer solve the food safe maintenence issue after 120 hr cure time.moisture repelling being the need for longest lasting food safe results.

[@Dasplitz]

Greetings from Greece! This is a video of excellent quality and above average insight on the topic! Thanks for this! I have a question: Is there any point in combining tung oil + beeswax + citrus solvent for both higher penetration but also better water resistance? Rookie woodworker here, apologies in advance if my question is technically wrong!

[@tutacat]

For testing you could use anweak acod like tomato or vinegar. Did you re-sand the plain wood after damp standing? Technically that's cooked outer wood than raw now.

[@robertborberg6427]

You know I really have to thank you for doing this video… My wife is a candy maker and primarily she uses copper pots in the old tradition and wooden spoons to stir most of these products get well in excess of 240° depending on the type of year even higher in some different applications I have made her some paddles and I’ve always been hesitant about what to finish them with I’ve made some out of maple and I’ve made some out of Brazilian cherry if you would like I have absolutely no problem sending you photos

[@somewhatinformed1208]

for candy making naked is best. the finishes do come off and flavor candy.

[@JohanLarssonKiruna]

I say the same thing - don't put finish of any kind on those spoons and tools.

[@theoriginalquinnpiper]

Very helpful, thanks! I'm going to try cutting tung oil with citrus solvent, which is a method I'd never heard of before your video.

[@rellikpd]

TUNG OIL: Would you suggest doing a two-coat process... ie; An absorbing coat by cutting it to real thin liquid using the orange solvent, then after it's good an penetrated doing a no-cut, or less-cut application of pure (or nearly pure) tung oil? (I ask because I've used mineral oil for coating lots of things, it's usually my go-to when doing "naked" wood type projects... but the tung oil performed so well in this video that I'm thinking about trying to use it)

[@farklek]

I'm looking through the comments trying to figure out what his tung oil to orange solvent ratio is. Do you have a suggestion on where to start?

[@joerodriguez9906]

@@farklek It looks like he did 1:1 for this video. Not sure if that's the optimal ratio or not, though.

[@TimAlanis-w5e]

I was given a 50/50 mix of Tung oil and citrus solvent by a woodworker friend. He learned it from this video. I just used it yesterday and it looks and feels amazing! My question is, do I do another coat today? I usually use Tung and mineral spirits for the first coat. Then pure tung the second coat (after 24 hours) What’s your take? Also, this video was great and helpful. Thank you!

[@ReidLangford]

Great information, Marc. It didn’t come as a surprise me that the tung oil ended up doing so well since it is a polymerizing oil meaning that it actually hardens when it cures. I was a little disappointed that you didn’t include walnut oil in your test though. Like tung oil it is also a polymerizing oil which I think would give very similar results to what you got with the tung oil. I also like that walnut oil does not darken the wood nearly as much as tung oil.

[@teguh.hofstee]

@@ReidLangford just so you know, that's a common KZbin scam and not Marc replying.

[@ReidLangford]

@@teguh.hofstee yeah I figured that out. I PM’d Marc on here and he told me it was a scam. Thanks for the reply and advice!

[@confetticraft]

I'm also wondering how walnut oil would compare to tung oil. Does anyone have links to any relevant evidence or tests?

[@mipstudio1]

Great information. I just subscribed! I have an entire butcher table as my island countertop. 1.What should I do to strip or remove the old mineral oil before using the tung oil!?. 2. There are stains too, from soy sauce. Should I just sand it out? How would I remove them before the strip and retreatment? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[@justalurkr]

The older I get, the clearer it becomes that I shouldn't have dropped high school chemistry.

[@bobkoure]

It's easier to learn now, not as much memorization. When I was in HS, it was all memorizing how things worked but nothing about why. Now there's a lot more 'why'.

[@rushodai929]

@@bobkoureit’s a lot more interesting now, watching these types of vids. Chemistry in high school was soooo boring, back in the 80s.

[@bobkoure]

@@rushodai929 Same here, but for me it was back in the 60s.

[@CranialExtractor]

Really enjoy your channel as finishing is one of my favourite parts of woodworking. It is true that you should look at all ingredients going into your body. Earned some of my respect around the 6 minute mark.

[@dirtlips7688]

Man, thanks for making this video. I always use mineral oil and my cutting boards look great, but after a few washes, they start to look dull and feel rough. I was thinking of switching to using only telephone poles and railroad ties from now on, but maybe I’ll give that tung oil a try. Thanks Marc!

[@Sembazuru]

Go for the telephone pole and railroad ties. That creosote adds just the right tang to your foods. 🤣

[@ttb1513]

@@jscott9384It’s tough to find the comment I’ve seen you keep referring to. KZbin comments on a tablet do not allow searching. Bummer. Maybe I’ll find it eventually?

[@privateuploads-geo2625]

Nice experiment.... I used Tung oil on a cedar box 50 years ago, and the finish is still in decent shape. Also stopped water rings from forming.

[@AlexRicketson]

How long do you need to wait for tung oil to cure before it is food safe? Some websites say 30-45 days, but that seems like a really long time for your cutting board to be out of commission, especially since you reapply tung oil once or twice every year.

[@vulcanville]

I made a large charcuterie set for a wedding gift and finished it with tung oil. Unfortanately I heard back months later that the set was being kept in the garage because of a bad oder. I think thinning it might have helped because it would take less of the tung to create a finish, but still I was perplexed. I haven't used it since, but I may try again now.

[@quix66hiya22]

They might be chemically sensitive. I am, and have to be very careful. but some products might not bother everyone.

[@jimbecker5675]

T&T doesn't have metallic driers which is why they chose the polymerization process to allow it to dry/cure without them. It's the equivalent of basic BLO without the driers. That's why I've used it for more than a couple decades. It's my favorite finish for decorative things as well as for situations where food is involved.

[@sandeepkharkar6277]

Thanks for the video, it was very informative and helpful. One question I have is how these finishes stand up to washing with soap and water, especially for cutting boards that get used a lot and also washed a lot.

[@johndoe6032]

I think I'll switch to this for boards I give away, but for me I don't mind giving my boards aa light sanding and refinish once in a while to get rid of a lot of the lighter scratches and cut lines, so I'll keep using my mineral oil and beexwax finish. But this looks like a great option for utensils as you mentioned and probably even for non-kitchen related projects that doesn't get a lot of wear when hard wax oils are too pricey.

[@Snowblind113]

I finish clients butcher block countertops with hopes 100% tung oil and recommend they reapply as needed. Fantastic finish and also great for my cutting boards!

[@cocoxcocoa]

One of the reasons why I think Mineral oil + waxes is a good finish for selling products like cutting boards or utensils is because even though you have to maintain it more often, its incredibly easy for customers who have 0 idea what they are doing to maintain. Tung oil is a fantastic finish, but because it hardens up pretty fast it can result in customers screwing up the reapplication a couple of years down the road, where as mineral oil products are pretty much fool proof.

[@j.d.1488]

For basic everyday cutting boards. I have used food grade mineral oil and after dried a bees wax type top coat. Howard's or similar. Easy and economical. Never a problem.

[@Mohbus]

Great point. Plus you can sell them a can to reapply in a few months! People ask for care tips all the time and it's so easy to just hand them a can of mineral oil/beeswax wood butter.

[@cocoxcocoa]

@tombalko4589 yup. I gave out a small tin of my home made wax that had my logo and brand on it, as well as written instructions on how and when to apply some of it. Only cost me $2.50 per tin but was a good way of showing my faith in my products, and it keeps my brand in their minds for a few years after purchasing.

[@1970rsc]

Tung oil is made from nuts, so can cause allergies to nut sensitive folks. It sure it’s a good idea to use around food.

[@aaronbredon2948]

Use food grade flaxseed/linseed oil rather than tung oil. Flaxseed aka linseed oil takes much longer to cure, and it remains pliable even after curing. You can mix beeswax in to make an easy to apply sealing oil/wax.

[@sandb1867]

Great test comparison, thank you. I would have liked to have seen the actual penetration of these finishes by crosscutting the sample blocks of wood. A well regarded Australian wooden flute maker actually performed such a test and found practically no penetration even when the wood was cooked in oil in one of his tests. Moreover, I agree with one of the comments below that the surface of cutting boards are effectively being minced over time, therefore what is that doing to the effectiveness of the finish?

[@Th3Sloan]

The fact you called out one of own favorite products out shows me your integrity as a craftsman. Thank you for the great and informative video.

[@ProudDadVet]

I know this video was put out 2 yrs ago but.... Just found it and ordered the 50/50 mix. I will be using on my very first cutting board.

[@krazmokramer]

Very interesting video. I hate applying mineral oil to my end grain rock maple cutting board. It's messy and leaches oil for days. Can I apply tung oil on this cutting board, or will the mineral oil already in the wood negatively affect the tung oil? Thank you!