"robo hippy" wrote in message
oups.com...




It seems like every book I have read says "don't use olive oil for a
finish on your salad bowls because it can/will go rancid" Well I do a
lot of shows and run into people who want to know how to get the
sticky, stinky, gummy feeling stuff off their bowls. As near as I can
tell the best answer is to burn it in the wood stove. I run into the
same number of people who have had the same bowl for 20 years and all
they ever put on it was olive oil, and don't get the buildup or smell.
I don't understand. I was at a show in Seattle and talking to Loyd
General, a bowl turner from Redding, CA. and all he puts on his bowls
is olive oil. He hasn't had any rancid problems. His theory is that the
grade of olive oil can make all the difference, with the lower grades
being much more pungent. Also he said that mixing of different
vegetable oils can cause problems. I have also had cooks tell me that
walnut oil can go rancid. It is a bit confusing. For now I tell my
customers to wipe it out well after use and not to let it sit until the
next day. I don't need any help in being somewhat confused, but would
like to hear from others. Currently I use a blend of walnut and mineral
oils, and then hand apply beeswax, which is then hand rubbed in while
on the lathe. I have noticed that this makes a nice hand lotion for my
hands after sanding the bowls.
robo hippy


Incomplete oxidation is what makes the rancid smell. People who stack bowl
inside of bowl, reducing the availability of oxygen are going to run into
problems. The oil itself can also cause rancid odors if it's very thick,
and the surface keeps the interior oil from oxidizing. Free circulation - no
rancid.

No matter what finish you put on, unless the customer wipes with detergent
to emulsify and clear away the surface oil after use, it will eventually
build. Walnut oil is a great choice, because it does cross-link and cure,
but, without siccatives, it takes a while, and if you deny oxygen, it'll
smell rancid. Look at the bottle and you will see that you want to
refrigerate after opening. This is to slow the chemical process as you
provide more and more oxygen.

Lots of people like mineral oil, but it has its dark side as well. As it
never cures, it's subject to weeping in the sun, collecting dirt, and
sheltering bacterial spores and the bacteria themselves in a lipid-friendly
environment. What kills bacteria is the destruction of the cell wall by
detergent action. Of course, the same action emulsifies the mineral oil, so
you can't be really clean unless the "finish" is gone.

As to your mix, you've rediscovered cold cream, plus or minus a few odorants
and alcohols.