BLO on a chopping board

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Also, the linseed oil and mediums I use for art paints smells much more 'chemically' than raw linseed oil, similar though, but much more pungent and long lasting.

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Liberon claim their boiled linseed oil is linseed oil treated by passing hot air through it, and the data sheet lists no drying agents. Not sure I'd want to trust something not explicity food grade though.

I used Chestnut food safe oil, which is liquid paraffin. Depends what you want to do with it - cut bread ? No finish will be fine. Carve a hot, wet turkey on it ? another matter.

Walnut oil does, allegedly, dry eventually without going so rancid as olive etc. It darkens less (and smells less) than linseed. Bear nut allergies in mind.
 
Sheffield Tony":t1v0z23w said:
Liberon claim their boiled linseed oil is linseed oil treated by passing hot air through it, and the data sheet lists no drying agents.
Seems it's not the only one! I checked a handful last night and the safety sheets for a couple of other brands explicitly say they're the same type. This may indicate the industry has taken a new tack in recent years, which is great for people who like to rub BLO in bare-handed.

These are 'blown oils', where the production method gets a head start on the oxidation process.

Sheffield Tony":t1v0z23w said:
Not sure I'd want to trust something not explicity food grade though.
That's fair enough, and we all have to make our own decisions on this sort of thing.

But it is important for everyone to know that there appears to be no data to suggest that any finishes aren't safe for direct food contact (once fully cured naturally). So the many dire warnings we've all read over the years were all based on nothing.

Sheffield Tony":t1v0z23w said:
Walnut oil does, allegedly, dry eventually without going so rancid as olive etc. It darkens less (and smells less) than linseed. Bear nut allergies in mind.
Walnut oil does dry but actually you want it to go rancid before you use it as a finishing oil. That's what happens with old edible walnut oil, it oxidises in the bottle until it stops smelling like food; once you get over that you realise it smells like a wood finish :)

There's no odour from the wood once it has 'dried' in place, same as with all oil finishes.
 
I personally wouldn't trust modern BLO nor mineral oil for things that are in contact with food. Both are unnatural products. Olive oil or nothing would be my preference.
 
How about peach seed oil, 100% natural. Oh it contains a compound that breaks down into cyanide when ingested. But it’s all natural! ;)

Sorry this term natural gets my goat. There are so many compounds that people are ingesting, rubbing in, sniffing etc that are deemed safe as they are ‘natural’ but are completely untested. Whereas mineral oil, food safe, has a wealth of testing behind it as it’s been used in multiple products over the years. You can’t prove safe by the way, only that the risk is very low.

Olive oil and other vegetable oils are typically not recommended as they will go rancid and taint items cut on the board.

Fitz.
 
Fitzroy":31ra4z5w said:
Olive oil and other vegetable oils are typically not recommended as they will go rancid and taint items cut on the board.

Fitz.

Do we know how long it takes to go off? I am currently experimenting with an olive-wood board, with olive oil rubbed on. We are at about 9 months, and two if not three applications of oil, and no sign of any nasty niffs. However, my olive oil may not be like your olive oil, as mine is fresh from the tree, and only contains olive oil.
 
No idea as I am dangerously quoting wisdom from the internet. I’m not aware of any actual research!
 
Trainee neophyte":jhbgcq2l said:
Fitzroy":jhbgcq2l said:
Olive oil and other vegetable oils are typically not recommended as they will go rancid and taint items cut on the board.

Fitz.

Do we know how long it takes to go off? I am currently experimenting with an olive-wood board, with olive oil rubbed on. We are at about 9 months, and two if not three applications of oil, and no sign of any nasty niffs. However, my olive oil may not be like your olive oil, as mine is fresh from the tree, and only contains olive oil.

When exposed to the air in thin layers olive will go off in a few weeks to a few months depending on temperature. Same goes for most other vegetable oils.
I suspect linseed would do the same if it hadn't polymerised by then.
 
Osvaldd":28uwa86a said:
I personally wouldn't trust modern BLO nor mineral oil for things that are in contact with food. Both are unnatural products. Olive oil or nothing would be my preference.

Mineral oil is used for babies skin and as a laxative. Don't worry about it. Don't use BLO as it could have all sorts in it but raw linseed is fine, it is a food oil.
 
You have to be crazy to use that stuff on your child. Mineral oil as is made from petroleum, no one has tested any of these petroleum products long term, in the 50s they said plastic bottles are the greatest thing and only now the health effects are coming to light.
Stick to what your grandparents used.

p.s.: I use mineral oil for sharpening, and even then I try not to touch too much of it.
 
Osvaldd":cxu9l5t4 said:
no long term testing has been done, you are the guinea pig.

Have they done long term tests on the tin foil in your hat?

Just because something comes from petroleum doesn't mean it's bad, it's a hydrocarbon, they are everywhere and "natural".
 
phil.p":1xhz3w96 said:
Better start testing rice, oats, maize ...

That would be your obesity cause right there...the wonders of the food pyramid advice 50 years on. Only wheat missing from the list.
 
Rorschach":3oa3rp77 said:
just because something comes from petroleum doesn't mean it's bad, it's a hydrocarbon, they are everywhere and "natural".

Motor oil is hydrocarbon too, and yes, it is precisely because mineral oil comes from petroleum it is most likely bad for you. As Fitzroy said earlier, no one can prove its safe just that the limited research they did found it doesn’t kill you instantly, This is the case for all petroleum derived products, including plastic food containers.
But go ahead and keep consuming your petroleum oil from a plastic bottle it, what do I care.
 
Osvaldd":5696mp13 said:
Rorschach":5696mp13 said:
just because something comes from petroleum doesn't mean it's bad, it's a hydrocarbon, they are everywhere and "natural".

Motor oil is hydrocarbon too, and yes, it is precisely because mineral oil comes from petroleum it is most likely bad for you. As Fitzroy said earlier, no one can prove its safe just that the limited research they did found it doesn’t kill you instantly, This is the case for all petroleum derived products, including plastic food containers.
But go ahead and keep consuming your petroleum oil from a plastic bottle it, what do I care.

You know that all oils are hydrocarbons right? All the oils, alcohols, every aromatic, they are all hydrocarbons.
 
No need to be condescending, Rorschach . There is absolutely nothing natural or good about gigantic industrial factories refining toxic crude oil and making skincare or worse, food stuff products out of it.
Compare this to beeswax, olive oil or lard - all of which can be done without any toxic pollution and sourced locally. I always choose the least processed stuff.
 
Osvaldd":2omg338h said:
No need to be condescending, Rorschach . There is absolutely nothing natural or good about gigantic industrial factories refining toxic crude oil and making skincare or worse, food stuff products out of it.
Compare this to beeswax, olive oil or lard - all of which can be done without any toxic pollution and sourced locally. I always choose the least processed stuff.

You are just showing a fundamental ignorance of science there.
 

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