Weird Question re olive oil as a finish

[Dave Carey]

My daughter lives in east Africa and is considering a bed frame to be made by a local artisan. It's mahogany that has been ebonized via a steel wool in vinegar solution then finished with olive oil and possibly beeswax on top of that. She reacts badly to chemical smells and mold hence ruled out a number of finishes. Anyone used olive oil as part of a finish? Would it get rancid over time? Will the wax adhere? Would appreciate any experience you've had with such a finish or your thoughts on this approach given other finishes you've used. Cheers, Dave

[Lee Schierer]

Yes, Olive Oil will get rancid over time. Use mineral oil instead or a good quality tung oil finish.

[roger wiegand]

My salad bowl has an olive oil finish, but that's the only place I'd use it. Either use mineral oil or, better, a polymerizing oil like tung, linseed, or walnut. Vegetable cooking oils will go off with time and provide essentially no protection. Be aware that products labeled "tung oil finish" may or may not have any tung oil in them-- read the label. They almost always are a varnish-based film forming finish, which is fine if that's what you want, but quite different to pure tung oil.

[George Yetka]

I would think there has to be a better solution there than olive oil.

[John TenEyck]

What's done is done, and it likely will be just fine. If the person who made the bed knew how to use vinegar and steel wool to ebonize the wood, they probably knew what they were doing with the olive oil and wax finish, though still a poor idea IMO. My guess is not much OO was used and I doubt it will turn rancid over time. I have a cherry bowl that I use to make Ceasar salad in, which uses OO. I wipe it clean after each use. It's 25 years old and I've never noticed off putting smells or found mold on it.

John

[Edward Weber]

OO is not a wood finish, it's more of a treatment, it does not dry
https://www.realmilkpaint.com/blog/tips/drying-oil-vs-nondrying-oil-which-is-right-for-you/

[John TenEyck]

No argument, but it still is not likely to present any problems if it was wiped off. The question is "Is the finish on the bed in question dry to the touch?". If the answer is yes, then there's no issue, now or in the future.

John

[Mel Fulks]

Yes, Olive Oil will get rancid over time. Use mineral oil instead or a good quality tung oil finish.

Lee, would you say which one you like best ? I’ve got a real old piece of mahogany that is going to be an English type “Throne style”
toilet seat. Got the wood about 1974 from a guy who had it for 40 years plus. Dark inside and out , color is just a little darker than
a cooked slice of beets ….but I’m pretty sure the wood tastes better ! . I want an oil finish and there are a bunch of them. Want an early
type , like first half of 18th century. Surface will be waxed often.

[Lee Schierer]

Lee, would you say which one you like best ? I’ve got a real old piece of mahogany that is going to be an English type “Throne style”
toilet seat. Got the wood about 1974 from a guy who had it for 40 years plus. Dark inside and out , color is just a little darker than
a cooked slice of beets ….but I’m pretty sure the wood tastes better ! . I want an oil finish and there are a bunch of them. Want an early
type , like first half of 18th century. Surface will be waxed often.

I used Watco natural on this cherry entertainment center.
509870
It has darkened nicely with age. For your mahogany, I would suggest testing it on a scrap piece and see what it looks and feel like.

For cutting boards, I use plain mineral oil purchased from the local drug store.