Finish for charcuterie wood serving board? Danish Oil, Walnut Oil, BLO?

[Patrick Irish]

I can't decide on what finish to use for a 3' x 11" x 2" wood charcuterie wood serving board for my sisters b-day. I typically use mineral oil and beeswax for cutting boards BUT this wont be cut on really. I was thinking maybe there's a better finish I should use.

I have a gallon of Watco Danish Oil and some waterlox.

Read that Walnut Oil actually cures hard. The 16oz bottle is $18 at Rockler, I imagine I'd need the whole bottle.

Would the Watco Danish oil work as long as it's cured say a few weeks before be in contact with food?

I can just heat up my mineral oil and beeswax and go that route and be done.

I also have some salad bowl finish and mineral spirits. I'm leaning toward doing a 50/50 mix like wood whisperer and applying that. It actually seals the wood which is nice.

[David Huston]

i just used some OSMO Top oil for walnut tree slice cheese board that I made for my sister and I really liked it. It is food safe, smelt a lot like Tung oil to me. Pretty easy to apply.

[Edwin Santos]

Hi,
According to Bob Flexner, author of Understanding Wood Finishing, you can use any of the candidates you mention so long as you allow an adequate cure time, 30 days is his rule of thumb. Google "Bob Flexner food safe finishes" and you will find some articles with more information. Better yet, buy his book which many consider to be a good continuing reference to have on wood finishing. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably use the Watco since you have it on hand, and maybe rub the board down with beeswax once the Watco is fully cured.
Edwin

[Stan Calow]

Will there be slicing and cutting on this, or just serving?

Regular unaltered walnut oil does not dry hard - dont know if the Rockler product has added ingredients. If it doesnt, how is it different from the $6 walnut oil in the grocery store? I might still use it, however, just don't expect a hard finish. Watco is a blend of oil and varnish, not pure oil.

I put a spoonful of BLO, a spoonful of walnut oil, and a spoonful of walnut oil with japan drier, on a glass plate. The BLO cured in a few days. Both the walnut oils were still liquid in 30 days. I do use it on cutting boards, kitchen tool handles, etc., for water resistance and the feel. But I don't think of it as a real protective finish. I dont think any varnish like Waterlox is a good idea on something that will have metal tools (knives) cutting into it. Just my opinion.

[Patrick Irish]

Mahoney's Walnut Oil. It's supposedly been heat treated so after it's applied it will cure/harden. Gonna read reviews more.

https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/...oilfinish.aspx

[Prashun Patel]

Beeswax and mineral oil is fine.

No matter what you use (I've put many charcuterie / cheese boards through their paces) the finish will wear off and you will just have to live with a fuzzy board, or offer to resand/oil it for her every year(ish). I give my friends a bottle of oil/wax and tell them to refresh after washing.

The oil from meat and cheese will draw in freshly applied oil, so beware of using things with a taste that can rancidify - that includes walnut oil.