Salad Bowl Finish

[Bradford Whitman]

I have used a variety of finishes on large artistic bowls that may or may not be used for a salad. This bowl is white ash with striking figure entering in from the sides. I always use a light coat of Zinnser sanding sealer first to avoid blotches and unwanted darkening especially where I want contrast between figure and light background. Then I smooth it with an oil rag with fine pumice. Then General Finishes has a salad bowl finish I'm not wedded to. Liberon (UK) has a fine tung-bean based Finishing Oil. Volatile organics do go off in the drying process and it leaves a hard penetrating finishing with some darkening. I do not like direct oil finishes for the reasons I mentioned. Of course, larger pore size of ash would suck up oil as in fact does walnut. But do any of you have favorite finishes I should consider? Thx. Brad Whitman

 

[Vincent Vogel]

I use Sutherland Welles polymerized tung oil for anything food contact. Can't say if it's right or wrong, but it's the best I've come up with doing research on this. The Tried and True finishes work nice too, but they take a longer time to cure than polymerized tung oil.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

I use Sutherland Welles polymerized tung oil

My go to finish also.

 

[Bradford Whitman]

That does it!

 

[John K Jordan]

I use Sutherland Welles polymerized tung oil for anything food contact

Looking at the Sutherland Welles web site, I see:

• Interior Polymerized Tung Oil
• Exterior Polymerized Tung Oil
• Murdoch's Polymerized Tung Oil
• Botanical Polymerized Tung Oil
• and Wiping Varnish, apparently a polymerized tung oil fortified with resin

Each (or most) in low, medium, and high luster. And I see sealers.

Could spend a fortune and get all of them and experiment a lot, I guess.
Or get recommendations from someone with experience. Specific suggestions and why? Always use the sealer?

JKJ