Trying to choose a finish for bowls

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BHuij

BHuij

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I've made hundreds of pens in the last ~20 years, and exactly one plate and zero bowls. Just haven't done the face/endgrain thing yet.

I'm gonna try some small bowls to see if I like it anywhere near as much as I like making pens. Thing is, I'd want to use these in the kitchen. Not necessarily for hot soup, but maybe for salad or something? Obviously I'd never want to put them in the dishwasher, and I'd expect to hand wash them shortly after use and dry them immediately after washing as a matter of course.

Thing is, with pens, there is a finish option that you stick on once, it looks incredible, and it lasts more or less forever. CA finish is as close to "apply well one time and never worry about it again" as it gets.

Is there an equivalent for bowls? Or is the reality that I'm going to have to re-apply some kind of oil/wax based food-safe finish on a regular basis to keep the thing looking nice and working well?
 
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following to see responses. I'm in the same boat (bowl?) in that I've been informed I need to learn to make bowls this winter.

Although I imagine this thread will be very similar to "what's your favorite pen finish" I may have to get a bowl of popcorn to read the upcoming responses.
 
Good topic. I've made LOTS of pens, too. Ain't it grand?
Back to topic. I've done quite a few bowls, too. For my money, there are two basic choices where I get two really different results. Which one depends on the intended use for the bowl. First are the ones that are for centerpieces or the like. For these I choose a wipe on poly. I tried lacquer and shellac and, while these each have their plusses I like polyurethane. It's food safe when fully cured and it's sturdy and easy to clean. Plus, it's available in a variety of finishes. My "go to" is called "Emmet's good stuff". Almost a gel at application, it dries reasonably quick. Not a bad learning curve although the tendency is to overapply. For bowls that are users (I call them the "blue collar" bowls) I prefer mineral oil. It's food safe, goes on easy, penetrates and protects. Again a shallow learning curve. Overapply, let it sit a bit and wipe off the excess. A second coat the next day (or a third) is okay. When it gets "dry" just reapply the mineral oil. Only one finish, though: satin.
Hope this helps.
 
I use tried and true original. All natural boiled linseed oil and bees wax. I use this for cutting boards as well. You will need to reapply to refresh the finish but it is quick and easy to do.
 
I'm in the Tried and True camp also. I need to clarify something though. Tried and True uses Polymerized Linseed Oil not Boiled Linseed Oil. I've also used Howard's Feed and Wax as well as straight up Beeswax. All of which are food safe. Mineral Oil is ok but it does not Polymerize meaning it remains a non-drying oil that can wash off over time with regular cleaning and use. Requires reapplication as @Ted iin Michigan mentioned.

Boiled linseed oil (BLO) is not actually boiled; instead, it is chemically treated with metallic drying agents like cobalt, zinc, or manganese, and sometimes petroleum-based solvents, to accelerate drying. This process makes BLO faster-drying than raw linseed oil but introduces volatile organic compounds (VOCs), renders it non-food-safe, and requires ventilation and protective gear during application due to its toxicity.
In contrast, polymerized linseed oil is created by heating raw linseed oil in the absence of oxygen to about 300°C (572°F), which triggers a natural polymerization reaction that thickens the oil and drastically reduces drying time to just a few days. This method does not involve any additives, making polymerized linseed oil 100% natural, VOC-free, food-safe, and suitable for use on surfaces that contact food. While both types dry quickly, polymerized linseed oil is considered safer and more environmentally friendly than boiled linseed oil due to the absence of toxic chemicals
 
tung oil but it needs days to cure between coats. You can multicoat for mid gloss finish or a couple of coats for a semi matt .

renew with sunflower oil if needed after a few years or re coat with tung oil.
 
You might want to try one of the hard wax finishes like Osmo Poly-X Oil or Rubio Monocoat. I've had good luck with both. They are both food safe, but the Osmo is rated a bit better for contact with liquids. Both can be recoated months later if the finish shows some wear.

Kevin
 
howsitwork said:
tung oil but it needs days to cure between coats. You can multicoat for mid gloss finish or a couple of coats for a semi matt .

renew with sunflower oil if needed after a few years or re coat with tung oil.
Click to expand...
Pure tung oil only dries matte. If it is coming up with anything other than matte, it has been modified, probably with solvents or fillers. A lot of commercially available Tung Oil finishes like Minwax hardly have any tung oil in them. Stubbie Nubs has a good YouTube out on using tung oil Video
 
If an item is meant to be used rather than just sit on a shelf and look pretty, Parfix 3408 is a variety of CA intended for larger objects.

They make several viscosity variants. I don't know if there is a pattern to the numbers, but I have not figured it out.
 
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