Recently made some rolling pins and need to write a "care of" guide...

[Jim Underwood]

I recently made and subsequently repaired, some rolling pins for a local baker. I need to write a "care of rolling pins" guide, and thought I'd ask for some help. I've adapted some material from the "care and feeding of bowls" thread.


Care and Feeding of Rolling Pins
This Rolling Pin is a great kitchen utensil. Use it to roll out dough for breads, pastries, and pastas. The Rolling Pin will absorb some of whatever you roll out. You will probably not be able to remove stains caused by fruit or dyes. However, stains will add character to your Rolling Pin.
Wood is a natural material and will constantly move as it gains or loses moisture with the seasons. It may change shape over time. With proper care, it will darken and develop a beautiful patina with age.
With proper care, this rolling pin should last for years. Here are some helpful tips.
Do's –
After use, immediately hand wash with damp rag. Rinse. Towel and air dry.
Occasionally recondition with walnut or mineral oil.
Don'ts -
Do not soak it in water or put it in the dishwasher, microwave or oven.
Sudden changes in temperature and humidity can cause the rolling pin to crack. Do not leave it in a cold garage, and then situate it close to a heat source. Do not leave the rolling pin in a closed car during the summer.




Here is what I found on a website that sells (among other things) rolling pins:


Do not leave in water or put in the dishwasher (unless otherwise labeled). Water warps and cracks wood; and excessive heat adds further damage. If the rolling pins have steel bearings for easier rolling, water can make these bearings stick and rust. To clean a rolling pin, simply wipe off crumbs or flour with a slightly moist cloth as soon as you're done using it and definitely before storing.

I think I should make it short but detailed enough to inform that too much water and heat can kill a rolling pin. These users have cracked their original 3" rolling pin almost in half. The one I made had the handles seize up because it was gotten too wet. The handle eventually broke off. I have repaired it with shorter handles, and thicker (5/8") hickory axle pins. I also repaired one of their smaller rolling pins when the handles broke off.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[Jim Underwood]

You can see the original rolling pin with the split down the middle. You can also see a smaller rolling pin that I repaired. It's handle is the one split and oval shaped. You can also see the two I made. One has been repaired and is now shorter than the newest one.
I'm hoping with the thicker hickory axle pins (and proper care) that these will last.

[Dave Cullen]

Wow. I can't imagine that kind of damage happening unless they put it into a dishwasher. Your "care of" really only needs to say wipe clean with a damp rag and air dry. And BIG letters "not dishwasher safe".

Does the axle go all the way through the pin?

[Mel Fulks]

I would change "rag" to "cloth", and add a trendy warning label .Maybe "damage to rolling pin caused by bashing husband ,is not covered under waranty". I wouldn't mention cold garages , hot cars (or blast furnaces) .Need something positive like "store it in a drawer with other often used kitchen items to remind you of the joy of baking ".

[Jim Underwood]

Dave, I'm fairly sure they were in the habit of leaving the rolling pins in the sink to soak, instead of wiping them clean. I've always used a soapy wet rag to clean mine, and then immediately rinsed and dried it. I never have oiled it and it is still as good as the day we bought it almost 30 years ago.
And no the pin does not go all the way through. It's buried a good 2" into the roller though.

Mel, I'm not sure I'll use those exact phrases, but you make good points to ponder. I'll change rag to "cloth" for sure. Keep in mind this isn't a household bakery, it's a storefront where they make a lot of pastries and bread every day.

Thanks for your input.

[Reed Gray]

I never made any that had handles on bearings or that rotated. Main reason is all the women who would come up and mention that "oh, I had one with roller handles, and one fell off". Always seems that only one does fall off. Some cooks never put any thing on their rolling pins, just letting the oil or shortening in the stuff they roll out, nourish the wood. Water for sure, and soap some times. The one with the crack most likely experienced a major environmental change to get a crack like that. Soaking in water will do that if you leave it for a while.

Oh yea, the women would always get a glint in their eye when their husband was around, and I would tell them ,"no, no, no, you can't use it like that, you will only put dents in the rolling pin".

robo hippy

[Ralph Lindberg]

The list looks fine to me
I've only made one with handles, it was a single piece of wood, including handles. Never have sold it....
I've lost count of the "French" style I have made, maybe it's the area, but they sell, and sell, and....
Maple, Madrone, Myrtle, Walnut, Hazelnut, Apple, Cherry, etc.

A friend of mine makes ones with separate handles, I know he uses UHM plastic as his bearing. But I don't know how he attaches handles, bearing, etc to the main part.

[Lee Koepke]

I just recently made (and sold) a large French rolling pin. It had a 2.5" x 14" barrel and tapered handles like the French ones. She loved it

[Jim Underwood]

Ralph I'd be interested to know how your friend configures his bearings and handles. This seems to be a problematic weak point in rolling pin design.

[Thom Sturgill]

Jim, as to your instructions - I would change the DOs statement to more like:

Wipe with a damp cloth. If there is dough stuck to the surface, rinse and towel dry and leave to finish drying in open air.
Occasionally recondition with Walnut, Olive, or Mineral oil wiping excess off the surface.

As someone mentioned on a recent bowl thread, Walnut Oil from a kitchen supply does not harden. Does it go rancid? I think so, at least the nuts do. I have also been told that Olive oil does not go rancid and may improve the taste of the foods it is used with. At any rate, it is more likely to already be in most kitchens.

[Dave Cullen]

Ralph I'd be interested to know how your friend configures his bearings and handles. This seems to be a problematic weak point in rolling pin design.

I've been contemplating that as well, as I'm intending to make a new rolling pin for myself (a wannabe baker) soon. I'm inspired by your design with wooden pegs through the handles, but as an engineer I can't help wanting to use a metal shaft with UHMW or nylon bushings. I made one for my wife years ago with sealed ball bearings (yeah, overkill) and as I recall I mounted the pin in a scroll chuck after turning it round and drilled the holes on the ends while supporting the pin with a steady rest. That's the plan for my next one.

[Bob Falk]

Jim, as to your instructions - I would change the DOs statement to more like:

Wipe with a damp cloth. If there is dough stuck to the surface, rinse and towel dry and leave to finish drying in open air.
Occasionally recondition with Walnut, Olive, or Mineral oil wiping excess off the surface.

As someone mentioned on a recent bowl thread, Walnut Oil from a kitchen supply does not harden. Does it go rancid? I think so, at least the nuts do. I have also been told that Olive oil does not go rancid and may improve the taste of the foods it is used with. At any rate, it is more likely to already be in most kitchens.

My understanding is just the opposite. Walnut oil will not go rancid and olive (as well as canola and others) will. I have always used walnut oil on my salad bowls (some are over 20 years old and used daily) and other wood utensils and have never had a problem with the oil going rancid. My bowls look as good as the day I made them (I ALWAYS dry the salad bowls out after using and washing (and I do use dish soap on them))....the key is not letting wood soak in a sink of water or sit on a wet drain area. bob

[Ralph Lindberg]

Ralph I'd be interested to know how your friend configures his bearings and handles. This seems to be a problematic weak point in rolling pin design.

I'll try to ask Scott the next time I see him

[Jim Underwood]

Yeah.. I've heard that vegetable oils will work as long as you don't close them up. Otherwise they'll get rancid. I use mineral oil since it's cheap and readily available.

I think I have solved the problem with the handles seizing up by using a 11/16" drill bit for the inside of the handles, and sizing the pins to 5/8". I was just doing a test drive of the pins and I think the 5/8" hickory pins will also solve the breaking problem. I think the whole thing will work well as long as they are not abused by soaking in water.

[Thom Sturgill]

Bob, do you use walnut oil from the grocery store? It is prepared differently than walnut oil used for finishing.

Yes, Olive oil will go rancid, but it takes high heat or a very long (2 - 3 years) time. The pin or bowl should be scrubbed about once a month anyway, so it would be scrubbed and the oil refreshed before it goes bad. Walnut oil goes bad in about 3-4 months once exposed to air. At least according to this site (http://www.eatbydate.com/other/condiments/how-long-does-oil-last/).

[Tim Browne]

These people obviously don't take care of their tools very well. Given that fact, I'd be leery about recommending walnut oil. I doubt they'd let it cure to become food safe and given that they make food for others. they're likely to smear some walnut oil on the rolling pin and make a cake for someone with a nut allergy. To be safe, I'd only mention mineral oil to them.

[Reed Gray]

Olive oil CAN go rancid as can some other vegetable oils because they do not cure. The thing is that you wipe off any excess. I had heard the story about how it WILL go rancid, and met a bowl turner, and that was all he ever used. That was the info he passed on to me.

The walnut oil used as a finish has been heat treated to break down the proteins that cause the nut allergies. There is no risk, that I know of, of a reaction. This has been repeated and preached by Mike Mahoney, and Mike Meridith (The Doctor's Woodshop) for a long time. The walnut oil from the grocery store is pasteurized, and is also no risk. I believe that type is heated more, which is the reason it won't cure.

robo hippy

[alex grams]

Not to derail the thread: But some rolling pins are on my to-do list, and I was curious how you guys maintain a consistent diameter over the length of the pin. I can eyeball and get it close, but do you guys just use a straight edge to check and touch up/sand areas that are high? What deviation do you find acceptable in diameter? 1/64 or less?

(maybe this is the engineer in my completely over-thinking things... who knows...)

[Reed Gray]

Well, I rough out the cylinder first. Next, using a long straight rest, I line it up with the ways of the lathe, and keep it about 1/8 inch away from the cylinder. I use my finger as a guide on the tool rest to get a pretty consistent diameter. Final step is to use 80 grit on a straight piece of wood. That pretty much gets it dead straight. Cheating I know, but it works.

robo hippy

[Ralph Lindberg]

Alex, for the diameter of the rolling pin, as one engineer (retired) to another, yes you are over thinking this. Smooth to the touch is certainly good enough.

[Jim Underwood]

Yeah. After all you're rolling dough out approximately flat to make bread or pastry which will rise in an uncontrollable fashion. It's not like you're making aircraft parts...

I've just been getting them fairly flat with the roughing gouge, then use the skew for finishing. I hold a straight edge over it and take off the high spots, then sand it smooth.

[Aric Krueger]

Here's what I include with the rolling pins I make. It's a mix of stuff I've found on the net and some of my own.

This rolling pin was finished with mineral oil (completely food safe) and then buffed with bee's wax. The bee's wax makes it shiny and resistant to finger prints until it finds it's owner. After initial cleaning the bee's wax will wash off and the gloss will disappear, but the rolling pin will remain smooth.
CARE: To keep the rolling pin in top form, wash it after each use by wiping it with warm (not hot) soapy water and a sponge or soft cloth to remove food oils and crumbs. Rinse with warm water then promptly towel off and allow to completely air dry. Do not use abrasive cleaning pads or abrasive powders/polishes of any kind. Apply a coating of mineral oil (available at most pharmacy/drug stores). Let it penetrate the wood and wipe off the excess. Do not use olive or vegetable oils as these oils will go rancid after a period of time making the rolling pin sticky and giving it an unpleasant odor.
DO NOT SOAK the rolling pin in water and NEVER put your rolling pin in the dishwasher, microwave or oven! Avoid exposing your rolling pin to direct sunlight and sudden changes of temperature. It is best stored in a safe place in your kitchen where it will not get dents on it's surface and where temperature/humidity are reasonably constant.
With proper care, a finely crafted wooden rolling pin will last for generations.


Rolling pin barrels are typically made from hard maple and sometimes birch or cherry. A hard close grained wood with small pores is desirable to prevent dents and to keep dough from sticking to it. (Oak, walnut and ash would be bad choices for the barrel. I use straight grained ash or hickory for the pins (there's a reason these two woods are the most common used for tool handles) and walnut or purple heart for the handles. I use 3" x 12" barrel, 5/8" pins and 1.5" x 4" handles with 11/16" holes to accommodate the pins; the pins are 2" deep into the barrel.

For anyone interested, this is a good tutorial. The drilling method keeps the pin from being a wobbly roller.
http://www.turnedtreasures.com/project.html/rolling_pin/rolling_pin.html

[Jim Underwood]

Good info there Aric.

It is interesting that I've come up with almost the same configuration; 3" diameter solid maple barrel, 5/8" hickory axle pins that are 2" deep into the barrel, 1-5/8 dia x 4" long (maple) handles with 11/16" holes, I would have made these rollers shorter but the customer requested 14" length.

I also used a steady rest to help drill the barrels.

Thanks to all of you for your input.