Hello!  I bought a number of old wooden dough bowls when we were stationed in Europe, and they are in need of some TLC.  I know the person I bought most of them from treated them with wax.  Does anyone have a favorite wax?  Do you just apply and buff with an old rag or use an electric polisher?  

Howdy Stacy, are you using your dough bowls for actual foods?

Hi John -- great question!  The big ones will definitely not have food in them.  The small ones I'd ideally like to have the option of putting bread in.  The last time I was searching for non-toxic wax options, I found Daddy Van's (I think that's the name), but it's not terribly easy to buff off, so I'm hoping there's either a better wax option or a better buffing technique than an old t-shirt.  ;-)

Stacy, I use this for some of the bowls I have made, and some carved spoons I've made.

 

Howard Butcher Block Conditioner

WWW.WOODCRAFT.COM

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Howard Products® Butcher Block Conditioner is specialized care for butcher blocks, cutting boards, wooden bowls and utensils. The...

 

2 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Stacy, I use this for some of the bowls I have made, and some carved spoons I've made.

 

Howard Butcher Block Conditioner

WWW.WOODCRAFT.COM

---

Howard Products® Butcher Block Conditioner is specialized care for butcher blocks, cutting boards, wooden bowls and utensils. The...

 

Awesome -- thanks so much!  I'll try it!

Bread bowl for serving or bread bowl for raising dough!

 

For serving, I'd use a mixture of beeswax and mineral oil. For raising I'd just use a light coating of mineral oil and wipe it off. Then just flour the heck out of it!

6 minutes ago, lew said:

Bread bowl for serving or bread bowl for raising dough!

 

For serving, I'd use a mixture of beeswax and mineral oil. For raising I'd just use a light coating of mineral oil and wipe it off. Then just flour the heck out of it!

Thanks, Lew!  Just for serving. ;-)

22 minutes ago, Stacy N said:

Thanks, Lew!  Just for serving. ;-)

You can make your own finish for the beeswax/mineral oil stuff- which is basically the butcher block conditioner @John Morris mentioned.

 

I do mine in the microwave using an old Tupperware container (or similar). I make about a cup at a time. Use about 1 cup of mineral oil and about 1/4 cup of beeswax. There's a "Bee" store near me that is run by a Mennonite family. I buy a block of beeswax and shave it down so it melts easier. Heat for a minute or 2 then swirl the oil to accelerate the melting. Don't boil the oil! Just take your time. Heat, swirl, repeat until the wax is completely melted. When the mixture cools, it will "congeal" and depending on the ratio of wax to oil will determine the consistency. I like mine to be like soften butter easy to apply with a rag and wipe off after a few minutes. You can play with the ration until you find a consistency that works for you.

15 minutes ago, lew said:

You can make your own finish for the beeswax/mineral oil stuff- which is basically the butcher block conditioner @John Morris mentioned.

 

I do mine in the microwave using an old Tupperware container (or similar). I make about a cup at a time. Use about 1 cup of mineral oil and about 1/4 cup of beeswax. There's a "Bee" store near me that is run by a Mennonite family. I buy a block of beeswax and shave it down so it melts easier. Heat for a minute or 2 then swirl the oil to accelerate the melting. Don't boil the oil! Just take your time. Heat, swirl, repeat until the wax is completely melted. When the mixture cools, it will "congeal" and depending on the ratio of wax to oil will determine the consistency. I like mine to be like soften butter easy to apply with a rag and wipe off after a few minutes. You can play with the ration until you find a consistency that works for you.

That's perfect Lew

I use the Beeswax/Mineral Oil on my cutting boards. On my Dough bowl I used Mineral oil 8 years ago , but since that time nothing added as the oil in bread does it all.

Just as a side note, I got from my parents' estate the wooden bowl that we used for shaping butter when I was growing up (we had dairy cows until I was about 16).  It still smells like butter.

Edited November 19, 20241 yr by kmealy

On 11/19/2024 at 12:04 AM, Gerald said:

Beeswax/Mineral Oil

Currently I use C.S.Johnson Paste Wax, which is paraffin in a carrier (solvent) of naphtha. Hydrocarbon-based solvents are on their way out, it seems.

 

D-Limonene (Orange Oil Limonene Extract) is a natural solvent, I'm hearing. One woodworker tells me he uses it to clean resin from the inside of his wood plane. 

 

A local mill shop makes and sells a beeswax paste wax they use on everything, using orange solvent as the carrier. On my New Years Resolutions list (year 2027 at this point) I'm going to try making this type of wax.  And keep the mineral oil and extra-virgin olive oil as backup plans.

3 hours ago, Woodman said:

And keep the mineral oil and extra-virgin olive oil as backup plans.

 

I've read that olive oil can turn rancid over time. Coconut oil, used by a chef friend on his wooden rolling pins, has antibacterial properties. Not sure where he gets it. 

Here's what my wife uses (coconut oil, for cooking). Well crap, the link won't work:

 

 

Edited December 22, 20241 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

19 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Here's what my wife uses (coconut oil, for cooking). Well crap, the link won't work:

 

 

 

 

@Fred W. Hargis Jr  Thanks, Fred!