Got "Caring For Your Bowl" Instructions?

[Eric Jacobson]

Do you have a set of standard care instructions you give people when they purchase or receive-as-gifts your turnings?

I made two utility bowls for my cousin's wedding next week. They are River Birch with 2 coats of Watco Danish Oil (applied 3 weeks ago). I would like to wrap them in a box with care instructions, which begs the question, what should the care instructions say? I'm assuming they've cured enough for food so maybe I would say something like:

"These bowls are food safe and can be washed with soap and water. Not microwave or dishwasher safe. If the finish begins to fade... "

But then I'm stumped. What do you tell people? I can't say apply more Danish oil. I guess mineral oil is fairly common for people. Should I suggest that? What do you recommend to your customers?

[Sean Hughto]

Buy the product of your choice and include it (if gift) or offer it for sale (if selling). Somthing like:

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[Greg Just]

I normally include a card card like you and recommend mineral oil or bees wax. I encourage them to dry the bowl too.

[Ted Calver]

Here's what I use for mine. My choice of finish is different, but you can modify as necessary. I looked at, and borrowed freely, from other instructions I have seen and these seem to work. I also include a little jar of paste mixture with each bowl.

"WOOD SPECIES: Wild Cherry

FINISH: Walnut Oil and Beeswax

TIPS FOR CARE:

• This bowl has been hand crafted from wood salvaged from construction sites or storm damaged trees. Wood is not a stable material and is constantly moving as it gains or looses moisture with the seasons. Don’t be surprised if the bowl warps and changes shape as it ages…its part of the beauty of using natural materials…and adds to its character.

• This bowl is intended to be used….to serve salad, pasta, fruit, popcorn …you decide. After use, hand wash in warm soapy water, rinse clean and wipe dry immediately. Prolonged exposure to moisture will destroy the bowl. Never soak the bowl in water, let it sit in water or wash it in the dish washer. Do not use it in the microwave. Store upright to permit air circulation. If it seems a little rough, use half a lemon to scrub a teaspoon of salt around the bowl. It will smooth it and purify it at the same time.

• Once every few months, or whenever the wood looks dry, reapply a revitalization cream made by warming four parts Mahoney’s Walnut Utility Oil (available from Woodcraft) and one part beeswax (by volume) gently in a wide mouth glass container in the microwave or double boiler until the beeswax melts. Let cool. A thin coat of the resulting paste buffed in with a soft cloth will keep your bowl looking good and help repel moisture. With proper care it will last for generations…pass it along."

[Reed Gray]

This bowl has been finished with Mike Mahoney walnut oil and wax (www.bowlmakerinc.com). These are the best oils I have found to use. You can also use walnut oil from the grocery store. Wipe out well after use, rinse, and wash as needed. Hand wash only, do not soak. You can use mild soap, or table salt ans a wedge of lemon or lime. Rinse well, and air dry or towel dry. Reapply oil as needed. Wood bowls need to btreathe, so don't store in an air tight container.

To this I add, that bowls seldom need much in the way of new oil. Mike Mahoney doesn't use anything on his personal wood ware. This is especially true if the bowl is in frequent use, as the oils from the foods, are fine. If you want to re oil your bowl, just about any oil will work. What you don't want is build up on the surface. If it starts to feel a bit gunky or gummy, that is when you use the soap, or lemon/lime and salt (cleans and disinfects). Most of the time I will just rinse, and use a plastic scrubby thing.

The bowl will absorb whatever you put into it. You can't remove beet stains, bar-b-q sauce color, or blue berry stains. They add character to your bowl.

I have met some who do put their bowls in the dishwashers, but I recommend against it. Wood likes to be totally wet or dry, and does not like going back and forth. It does not like sudden changes in temperature, like going from the cool damp garage in wet Oregon winter to a spot near the wood stove.

robo hippy

[Eric Jacobson]

These are great! This is exactly what I wanted. I didn't even know about the lemon salt trick. I think I just grew more fond of my own bowls reading those statements. I like the idea of giving some wax/oil with the gift too.

I would love to hear from more turners on what care-instructions they give recipients.

[Neil Strong]

I include a small individualised ticket with each item, so limited space for info. This is what I currently include. Apologies about the layout which has been lost in the transfer.

On Side 1...

Wood Works
by
161948eil Strong


Beautiful pieces of wood that guide me
in what form they might take in their new life beyond the living tree


This bowl is made from recycled


Blackwood(Acacia melanoxylon)


an Australian native wood from the urban forests of the Adelaide Hills.

The piece has been finished with a thin coating of carnauba and beeswax.



Side 2...


All pieces are made from recycled or rescued wood.
In support of our planet, no harvested wood is used from native forests.

Thank you for purchasing this piece. To help you to care for it and receive years of pleasure:
· Position out of direct sunlight
· If required:
o Clean with a damp cloth
o Reapply a thin coating of beeswax or pharmacy paraffin oil if in contact with food
o Buff with a soft cloth
With time it will develop a rich patina.