food safe finishes??

[Tool Man]

I am currently making a red gum rolling pin and want to know what would be the best thing to finish it with:confused:
thanks for your help

[Caveman]

Not sure about being the best thing to use, but I have used sunflower oil on rolling pins - obviously a food safe finish.

[BobL]

I am currently making a red gum rolling pin and want to know what would be the best thing to finish it with:confused:
thanks for your help

You need to be careful using vegetable oils since some can easily go rancid. I use Organ Oil, Hard burnishing oil on chopping boards and such like but there are similar and probably cheaper oils around. Citrus oil is probably OK.

[CHJ]

Good old "Liquid Parafin" is the basis of one leading brand of 'food safe' finishes sold in the UK. Solves the problem of nut alergies and risk of going rancid, might aid digestion if the pastry is a bit heavy.

[Rosethorn]

organoil also make a product called woodwipe specifically for timber food items eg bowls, boards etc, have been using it for years and it is a good product.
cheers rosethorn
ps. smells good too

[RufflyRustic]

A redgum rolling pin - what a good idea, nice and heavy so you don't have to push too hard on the rolling pin to roll out the pastry.

Parrafin oil is, I think, what UBeaut has recommended in previous posts about chopping board finishes.

I'd love to see a photo of the rolling pin if you can.

cheers
RufflyRustic

[echnidna]

you really don't need anything on redgum.
any finish you do apply won't last as it will get washed off regularly

[CameronPotter]

In France the traditional finish was Walnut Oil. Now this isn't cheap, but it works magnificently! The finish is excellent and it doesn't go rancid - or at least it hasn't for me and so far as I knwo isn't supposed to...

The only problem is that some people have nut allergies. I don't know how common walnut allergy is, but I would guess it is not that common. If you are making it as a gift or for personal use, then simply ask if it would be a problem. If you are making it to sell, you would need to make it clear that the oil was walnut oil.

As for parafin etc, well my girlfriend is allergic to all kinds of stuff and many of the "safe" finishes give her trouble. Well she is fine with Walnut oil.

Cam

[soundman]

As long as the timber in use isn't toxic in its self I wouldnt bother.
I have my mothers rolling pin here that must be at least 50 years old and used regularly, it never had any finish on it.

Besides
If it will be used for pastry there is plenty of fats & oils to come out of the material being prepared, just being used should keep it in good nick.
besides ( again ) pastry might seem prety soft and harmless but its pretty agressive in removing anything from surfaces it contacts.
got some dirt or stains that just wont come out of your hands? Go make a heap of pasrty. ( gross thaugt of the day)

cheers

[CameronPotter]

Yeah, you can avoid any finish for a pastry pin, but it still looks better when given a finish (at least initially) and who doesn't want the ooohs and aaahs of showing off a new piece?

Also, as this thread was called food safe finishes - it doesn't hurt to be more general as in the future people are sure to find this thread when trying to find a food safe finish for a bowl etc.

Also, people SHOULD look up this thread before accepting an invitation to Soundman's place for lunch!

Cam

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I tried my hand at copying midges' pin (also in redgum) and didn't bother with any finish apart from a quick buff with beeswax.

In use any finish will wear off over time; all dust (eg. flour) is abrasive... maybe only 30,000 grit but still an abrasive. The wax was only put on to give it the afore-mentioned "ooh-aah" appeal when first picked up.

[Termite]

got some dirt or stains that just wont come out of your hands? Go make a heap of pasrty.

Yep, whenever I make bread my hands come out squeaky clean.:eek:
Hey Darryl, don't throw up mate.

[soundman]

Here are some oldies that are considered reasonably safe.
Parafin wax particularly if you buy "food grade"
Parafin oil particularly if you buy the medicinal kind.
Bee's wax, well the bees are dead yet.
shelac some tablets used to come coated in it.


cheers