2 old salad bowls, with no finish

[Michelle Rich]

So many folks ask the same question...what finish for salad bowls??? My response has always been: none, or oil & wax. I came by this from experience. These bowls (to me) look as good as when they came off the lathe 10-15 yrs ago. They have been used almost daily. Since I use vinegar & olive oil,(maybe some herbs & spices) I just wipe out with a paper towel after each use and wash with water & soap maybe once a month:eek: then I use olive oil and beeswax to refresh, and here's what that schedule has done for these bowls over 15(? )yrs.
People will tell you that olive oil will go rancid...well, with only 15 yrs of use, so far I see no sign of it.
Just passing on some knowlege gained over the years..sure beats refinishing when all the newfangled finishes chip out, or go hazy. I think they look BETTER than when they were made! (& beeswax & olive oil are non toxic 'fer sure!) ambrosia maple & cherry..about 12 inches in daim

[Tim Thiebaut]

Those are some great looking bowls Kathy! What type of wood are they?

[Ron Stadler]

Those are some great looking bowls, but its hard to believe they ever been used. I would think you would want to seal them with something to keep bacteria from growing in the pores of the wood but obviously you are doing well and the bowls look great.

[Michelle Rich]

TIM:I bet Kathy could make better!

[Jerry Marcantel]

Michelle, those are looking pretty good for 10-15 years old. I just sent my sis 14 mesquite bowls, and now I'm sending her this link with your observations on finish for bowls. Thanks for posting this thread. As far as olive oil going bad, maybe in 2 1/2 - 3 thousand years maybe. Years ago some arkies found an old Greek ship wreck that sank off the coast of Greece 2000 years ago, and it had hundreds of amphorae full of olive oil. The arkies tested it, and it was still good..... All my adult life I've used only olive oil to coat my wood cutting boards, and no smells yet.... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Michelle Rich]

Ron: I'm going to guess that "sealing the pores" is an exercize in futility..forks are sharp & will break thru any finish over time. Open to the air (think your toothbrush) is a better bet. At craftshows, I get folks who bring me salad bowls to be refinished. They look awful and are bears to be refinished. Why go thru that? I have yet to see a"finish" that stands up to forks, salad dressing etc. I have seen poly, lacquer & others where water has gotten under the finish & put a haze under it..now the stuff is trapped and bacteria will surely grow. I still err on the side of simplicity & soap getting in the wood.

[Dave Ogren]

Great looking bowls, Michelle. I have finished several bowls, on the inside only with olive oil, (outside with A.O.) until they would not take any more, but have not gotten any feed back yet about them. Some where on this forum about a year or so ago I read a post that a person had been using just olive oil for years and years and had no problems. Two months ago at our local club meeting (Carolina Mountain Woodturners) the demonstrator (Joe Rominski from Fairview, NC) said his finish was mineral oil and paraffin. He had been using it and had no problems, can eat out of it the same day. His recipe is heat about 2 onces of paraffin in the microwave, when liquid mix in with 1 quart of mineral oil. Makes it thicker and the finish will build sooner. I believe he gives small bottles to customers who ask. I have not tried it yet.

Dave

[Nate Davey]

Thanks for sharing this Michelle. I'm a love thicker, heavier bowls, so the shape is very appealing to me. Going to file this info away for future use.

[Michelle Rich]

Hi Dave, your mineral oil/paraffin concoction gave me the giggles. that receipe is old and was used for years. Here's the funny part. Paraffin & mineral oil are the same thing. One a solid & one a liquid. so melting paraffin into mineral oil, is not doing anything more than putting mineral oil on a bowl. Mineral oil, tho quick is not a good oil, nor is paraffin a real wax.

[Fred Perreault]

Michelle, great insight. I have been asked a few times to repair and/or freshen up some larger salad bowls. Many had a laquer sealer on them, and of course they were peeling/hazy and awful looking. Interestingly, over the years the users had eaten the loosened sealer that was on the bottom 3rd of the inside of the bowl. So I used my vac chuck to hold the bowl to re-sand and finish the outside, and then pinched the bowl between the head/tailstock to finish the inside. Then some mineral or walnut or other oily sealer, and the folks went home happier than clams in mud. And they thought the bowls looked better, as well.

[Cathy Schaewe]

Michelle, those bowls are beautiful. I wouldn't have thought of using AM for a salad bowl (not sure why, now that I think of it).
I have a bunch of cherry rough-outs drying, and my plan, when I finish them, is to melt some beeswax in walnut oil for a finish.

[Steve Schlumpf]

No denying it - beautiful bowls and the finish looks great!

[John Keeton]

Michelle, absolutely beautiful bowls!! I would think the beeswax and olive oil are a much better and more natural finish. Paraffin and mineral oil are basically the same thing - just different densities. As far as the pores harboring bacteria, I don't see that as a problem. There has been concern about wood cutting boards, but I think much of that concern was due to meat products - chicken, etc. being cut on the board. Salad bowls obviously do fine with the care you give them. They have fared well, and you are still alive!

[Tim Thiebaut]

TIM:I bet Kathy could make better!

Oh I have no doubt about that Michelle, she turned those bowls 15 years ago I am sure that she has come a long way in her skill level...they are still great looking bowls though!

[Bill Bulloch]

Machelle, My Mother had a dough bowl and rolling pin that she never refinished. Due to the wear over the years, I can not tell what wood it is. I have been tempted to oil them down but haven't yet.

How thick are the ones in the picture?

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Michelle,
For years people preached that olive oil was a poor finish for salad bowls because it can go rancid. I always argued it was a perfect finish since it was refreshed every time the bowl was used. You proved my theory correct.
By the way, nice bowls.
faust

[Michelle Rich]

Tim: Senior moment.?? I turned the bowls & it's my posting. You called me Kathy in your reply. I just teased you & said Kathey (whoever that is) could do better??? Michelle

[Curt Fuller]

Michelle, thanks for posting these bowls and the story behind them. They're both great looking bowls and your story shows that wooden bowls can be used without any commercial finish. There will always be people that are squeamish about using a wood bowl and there will always be ceramic, glass, metal, and plastic bowls for them to use. But for those that like a nice wooden bowl, yours are as good as they get.

[Michelle Rich]

BILL:The walls are< 3/8 inch..I like big heavy bowls. I hate wimpy ones that one has to hold in place or chase all over the table. I think these things will outlive me. (they are so big, they could also be used as a weapon! Clunk!)

[Tim Thiebaut]

Tim: Senior moment.?? I turned the bowls & it's my posting. You called me Kathy in your reply. I just teased you & said Kathey (whoever that is) could do better??? Michelle

LOL...yup senior moment, I got my posts mixed up...I think its nap time! lol...sorry for the mix up there!

[Dave Ogren]

Michelle have you ever used something in your bowls that might stain such as a tomato sauce, or a berry such as blue or rasberries of strawberries ?? I think that Cathy mentioned AM. What is that ? How do you apply the bee's wax ? or is it melted in with the olive oil ? I apply the olive oil 3 or 4 times until it can't hold any more then buff with a paper towel. Am I close ?
Your beautiful cherry bowl looks as if it was just finished. Thanks for posting, looking forward for more.
Thanks again,

Dave

[Clint Baxter]

Nice bowls and sounds like that's a finish for the long haul.

Dave, I think Cathy was talking about the Ambrosia Maple bowl with the AM. Pretty bowl for sure but I still am a sucker for old, aged cherry and the rich color it develops.

Clint

[Lee Koepke]

all I can say is that cherry bowl is amazing. for me, there is nothing better than aged cherry! My second bowl is a cherry bowl, I keep it at the office for peanuts, grapes, and anything else I need to eat out of. I just buffed it out with wax.

I use mineral oil on my cutting boards, mainly because my customers know its 'food safe' and they won't worry ..

[Josh Bowman]

Michelle!!! What no piercings or swirls! I really like your work.....even when they don't have the amazing extras. Very nice bowls.

[Jerry Rhoads]

Wonderfull looking old bowls Michelle. Thanks for posting, and the story.
After six years of selling, my customers now know why I use oils over surface finishes.
They did not understand at first and thought that I should slap varnish all over them.
Many returning customers have told me that they keep them oiled, and looking good.
Jerry

[Don Nicholas]

Michelle, You are a very talented lady in all that you do with wood.

[Michael James]

Very nice Michelle - that cherry is wild! Thanks for posting.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Michelle those are some great looking bowls. I finish my with walnut oil about once a year and warm soapy water about every use. They are only 5 yrs old but in great shape.

[Kathy Marshall]

Beautiful bowls Michelle!
They don't look like they've seen daily use for a week, let alone 15 years!