Porridge Spirtles and Honey Dippers

[broadsea]

Just a quick question....what finishes can be used on porridge spirtles and honey dippers. I have food safe finish but was looking for something else. Also how much do you charge for these. A local shp is selling them for £3, but I think they are just made of pine.........

 

[Doug]

I'd have left them unfinished, wooden kitchen spoons, spatulas etc don't have a finish on them.
You could oil them but that finish won't last long with modern detergents, probably your best bet would be Treatex oil but I doubt that would last prolonged washing cycles.
Could you tell if the ones in your local shop had a finish on them I've seen some that look like they just been burnished with wood shavings, it gave a nice lustre.

 

[Penpal]

I am for Au Naturale or Beezwax.

Peter.

 

[Bill Mooney]

Just leave unfinished. After sanding give them a rub with a damp cloth to raise the grain & when dry cut back with your finest grit to a finish. This should stop the grain from raising again when washed.

 

[Dalboy]

I make mine from Beech and leave unfinished.

 

[Terry Q]

I would leave them unfinished as well. You can always tell the customer they can finish them with oil. I would recommend coconut oil.

 

[Woody]

No finish needed beech would be the recommended wood and it will naturally kill bacteria finish as Bill said and you wont have any problems

 

[Winemaker]

I use vegetable cooking oil

 

[offanonone]

The Pro I had lessons from advised Liquid parafin from Boots the Chemist for anything that will be used with food, so I bought a bottle.
Still unopened, so no idea how well it lasts.

John

 

[Buckeye]

Be careful of vegetable oils they can go rancid and you wouldn't want bowls, cutting boards, spoons and the like smelling or tasting of rancid oil.

Peter

 

[wm460]

FoodSafe Plus

 

[Penpal]

I used Olive oil once it went off and incredibly sticky on a large bowl.

Peter.

 

[Phil Dart]

I have made and sold hundreds of bloody spurtles in my time. I am sick of spurtles.

The comments above about there being no need to apply a finish are perfectly true from a practical, culinary point of view. However, I find they sell better when they have a finish because the look better on the shelf that way.

I make them from beech and finish them to 240 grit, then dunk them in a bath of vegetable oil for a few minutes. I then take them out and stand them up in a plastic tub to run off and dry over night, then give them a quick wipe over in the morning with tissue paper. The result is lasting and nice looking sheen, which sets them apart from the Chinese copy-turned imports that you find in all the woolen mills and tacky gift shops. I sell them for £7.95 each. Well, actually I don't, I put them in the shops and they sell them for £7.95 each, so I get less than that, but they are a good, saleable "in" if you're trying to get your foot in the door in a new retail outlet.

I hope that helps John.

 

[Vic Perrin]

I use honey or porridge to coat mine

 

[edlea]

I don't make 'em

 

[Buckeye]

Stick a refill in the handle end and you have a dual tool or an entry for the next competition

Peter

 

[Winemaker]

Be careful of vegetable oils they can go rancid and you wouldn't want bowls, cutting boards, spoons and the like smelling or tasting of rancid oil.

Peter

Did not know that thanks

 

[Phil Dart]

Be careful of vegetable oils they can go rancid and you wouldn't want bowls, cutting boards, spoons and the like smelling or tasting of rancid oil.

Peter

With respect Peter, that is not correct. The whole point of vegetable oil is that it is a food safe oil that does not go rancid. Which is why manufactures of wooden kitchen utensils recommend it to season their products - chopping boards, spoons etc. Olive oil, I agree, but not vegetable oil.

 

[Bill Mooney]

When I've turned kitchen utensils & finished them as I said earlier in the thread I just burnish them with a handful of shavings to give them a sheen.

 

[Buckeye]

With respect Peter, that is not correct. The whole point of vegetable oil is that it is a food safe oil that does not go rancid. Which is why manufactures of wooden kitchen utensils recommend it to season their products - chopping boards, spoons etc. Olive oil, I agree, but not vegetable oil.

Disagree all you like, vegetable oil can go rancid and it is not nice when it does.

Peter