What should I finish trivits with?

[Randall J Cox]

I have just finished making some Christmas presents and am now wondering what I should use to finish them. Two of the three are just hotpads for pots or hot dishes to set on the table. The long handled gizmo is used to pull out or push in hot oven racks. The trivits are ash and walnut and the oven sticks are white oak. I was going to use polyeurthane for the hot pads but maybe an oil would work better just in case food might get washed off. (Can't control what people do with them - maybe someone will want to use them as very little cutting boards?) The little square ones are about 6" sq and the larger ones are approx. 6"x10". Also I was thinking of an oil for the oven sticks as they will be touching hot metal. I figure once it soaks in and dries, shouldn't be a problem. Your thoughts? Randy

[Wayne Lomman]

Polyurethane is not very heat resistant. Use an oil instead as you plan with the sticks and don't go overboard with it. Cheers

[glenn bradley]

I use mineral oil like on cutting boards and salad bowls. It is long lasting and easily refreshed.