Finishing my endgrain cutting board.

[Kevin Blunt]

Hello,
I am right at the point of finishing ny endgrain cutting board and am a little unsure of what is the best way of going about doinfg it. At first I was planning to use mineral oil (because that seems to be the norm but then I was at LV yesterday and I ended up buying the Claphams salad bowl finish to use instead. Today I got tothinking that that might not be the best thing to use as it is really only a surface protectant. My questions are if I put mineral oil on th eboard frst, will I be able to apply the claphams salad bowl finish on after wards or will it not adhere and set properly? Also th eClaphams product doesn't seem to change the color of th ewood too much which is good. Will the Mineral oil change it alot? Thanks for any help guys and gals.
Kevin

[Kevin Blunt]

Here are some Pics

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/mizzerbrown/100_2811.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/mizzerbrown/100_2812.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/mizzerbrown/100_2813.jpg

Thanks to the "wood whisperer" (Marc)for his podcast show of this cutting board idea.

[Ted Calver]

Kevin,
Very nice looking board! No experience with Claphams, but there was a discussion in a recent thread about food safe finishes that might be of interest to you.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=550808#post550808

I make quite a few of these boards and have finally settled on using WATCO Butcher Block Oil and Finish (purchased at Lowe's) for anything that is a gift or for sale. This is a penetrating oil that seems to form a thin film when dry. I provide customers a small jar of mineral oil/beeswax mix to rub onto the board when it gets sliced up. For personal use I prefer Mike Mahoney's walnut oil as discussed in the referenced thread.