Board butter: vaseline?

[mark76]

Although petroleum sounds chemical, pure petrolium oil (without additives) is a mineral oil.

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

Mineral Oil
Mineral oil is a byproduct of the process that petroleum goes through as it is made into gasoline. It is a colorless and transparent liquid that is made in mass quantities, and is readily available at drugstores. It is also used in many products.

Petrolatum
Petrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is formed as part of the oil drilling process. An unrefined substance known as "rod wax" forms on the oil rig and is the raw material for petrolatum. By refining and distilling this substance, petroleum jelly is created.

 

[malexthekid]

I am not sure if I follow. You are saying that Vaseline is not good because it's a petroleum based product, but in the next sentence you are saying that Mineral oil, which petroleum based product, is way to go.

Did I understand you incorrectly?

Pretty much.

 

[WOK-a-holic]

I am not sure if I follow. You are saying that Vaseline is not good because it's a petroleum based product, but in the next sentence you are saying that Mineral oil, which petroleum based product, is way to go.

Did I understand you incorrectly?

I am fully aware that Vaseline and mineral oil are both petroleum products.
there is a huge difference in the refining process and the finished product.

Kind of like comparing 10w-30 motor oil to axle Grease . since they're both petroleum products. maybe you could run axle grease in your engine, or maybe Vaseline ?

I only use USP mineral oil ,it's food grade and sold in the pharmacy section .
most all board creams or cutting board oil is made of mineral oil and or beeswax. some contain Citrus oils.

so when one buys cutting board oil, they're just over paying for food grade mineral oil. the reason mineral oil is used for cutting boards is because it doesn't go rancid . Also it's colorless ,tasteless , and odorless.

 

[milkbaby]

I think the issues with Vaseline or other brand petroleum jelly is that it probably wicks into the fibers less than liquid mineral oil. Also, it may discolor the wood differently. I've read athletes used Vaseline as a lubricant to avoid chafing but it could discolor their clothing.

Making homemade board conditioner takes more work, but it gives a very nice effect. I make it with very little beeswax, only about 1/10 beeswax to mineral oil. It soaks into the board yet still gives a nice feel at the surface. I usually cut on one side and leave the other side of my end grain boards unmolested for display, and the display side will bead water.

Edited to add: The beeswax also makes the board look nice with a little buffing when I dry it off with a towel. I doubt Vaseline has the same effect, though I've never tried it can't say for certain.

 

[laxdad]

I only use USP mineral oil ,it's food grade and sold in the pharmacy section .

While I personally use homemade board wax made with mineral oil and beeswax, Vaseline petroleum jelly is food grade. I posted this quote from Vaseline's website earlier in the thread.

"The purity of Vaseline Jelly is measured on three levels – it meets strict safety requirements set out by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and also meets the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for Petrolatum as food grade material, although it is designed to be applied topically. "

 

[bennyprofane]

I use Camellia oil which is cheap and plant based. I would avoid mineral oil as I read that it can’t be broken down by the body.

Also:

“An earlier 2008 study noted a similar concern about “mineral oil contamination,” and stated that it has “not been proven convincingly” that this contaminant can be tolerated without health concerns. “It has been shown that the molecular mass of the mineral paraffins [another name for mineral oil] resorbed by our body is higher than assumed by the safety evaluation of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Further, probably a majority of the mineral oil products are not ‘white paraffin oils’: they easily contain 30% aromatic component, a substantial proportion being alkylated adding to the health risk.”

“Until recently, Camellia oil was a well kept Japanese secret. Popular with the Samurai for protecting and cleaning their swords, Camellia oil has been used in Japan for centuries. Its very light, low viscous formula along with the fact that it does not dry or become resinous over time makes it the perfect oil for protecting iron and steel tools from corrosion.“

It’s also great for wood and board butter.

 

[scott.livesey]

mineral oil has been an accepted laxative and food additive forever. The mineral oil I use for boards is USP, which means someone is checking the product and process on a regular basis. Camellia oil made be another Japanese secret, but who is doing the QA? If you hurry, camellia oil is on sale on Amazon for $19.90 an ounce.
I usually apply 4 or 5 coats of mineral oil, then one coat of butter I make(food grade mineral oil and food grade organic beeswax blended so it is a solid at room temperature) buff with a soft cloth and you have a nice soft sheen. Vaseline is never going to dry.
a laxative dose of mineral oil is 3 to 4 tablespoons, about the amount of oil I use to put 4 coats of oil on both sides of a 12"x12" cutting board.

 

[Yet-Another-Dave]

I use Camellia oil which is cheap and plant based. I would avoid mineral oil as I read that it can’t be broken down by the body....

Of course I don't know how to get, or insure I'm getting, Camellia oil. I've seen reports, for years now, that most oil sold with "Camellia" labeling is scented mineral oil. (As I understand it, the real stuff is very limited and demand is very high.) Most woodworkers accept mineral oil meets their needs or have switched to jojoba oil. (Jojoba is waxier and I actually like it better for protecting steel than anything labeled Camellia I've ever handled.)

Back to treating cutting boards, I find BoardSmith's Beeswax / Mineral Oil mix, (50/50, I think), works well and don't see how any significant amount would end up on the food.

 

[bennyprofane]

Thanks, Dave, very interesting!

Edit:
Dictum in Germany sells two different Camellia oils, one is Japanese and it says that it has some mineral oil mixed in, the other is Chinese and claims to be 100% pure.

I also read that Camellia oil in Japan is quite costly and the demand is high whereas it's pretty widespread in China and even used for cooking.

 

[Moooza]

Maybe vaseline is too viscous for it to be absorbed by the wood? When oiling boards, I use mineral oil for about a week and only finish with beeswax. The (pre-heated) beeswax acts more like a sealant for me. Vaseline seems like it would sit on the surface and not solidify. Worth a try, but I don't think it would have the same benefits.

 

[Yet-Another-Dave]

Thanks, Dave, very interesting!

Edit:
Dictum in Germany sells two different Camellia oils, one is Japanese and it says that it has some mineral oil mixed in, the other is Chinese and claims to be 100% pure.

I also read that Camellia oil in Japan is quite costly and the demand is high whereas it's pretty widespread in China and even used for cooking.

I trust Dictum, but they're not an easy vendor for me here in the US.

Your description of Japan matches things I've heard. I'm happy with Jojoba oil for my tools, or the China source would be more interesting to explore. I gather truth in label laws don't help much with "Camellia Oil" being treated as a name (like "3-in-1 Oil") and not an ingredient. (Besides nothing from China has ever been mislabeled! :evilgrin: )

 

[bennyprofane]

Yeah, Jojoba is also very interesting, I actually just made some board butter with bees wax and Jojoba just to try it out.

I also considered mislabeling but the Chinese oil is Dictums own brand and they claim it's 100% pure so I tend to trust it. I am planing to visit their store these days anyways and will talk to them about it...

Here is a source for trustworthy pure Camellia oil from Japan which my wife once ordered for her hair but it's surely not cheap:

https://wawaza.com/products/Aya-Japanese-Camellia-Hair-and-Body-Oil-100ml.html

 

[WOK-a-holic]

While I personally use homemade board wax made with mineral oil and beeswax, Vaseline petroleum jelly is food grade. I posted this quote from Vaseline's website earlier in the thread.

"The purity of Vaseline Jelly is measured on three levels – it meets strict safety requirements set out by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and also meets the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for Petrolatum as food grade material, although it is designed to be applied topically. "

That doesn't really mean much.
Carnauba wax is considered food grade and used on things like apples or cucumbers .
That doesn't change the fact that it's still car wax.
If Vaseline gives directions for use with cutting boards, I'd like to see it.
Vaseline is for diaper rash and such things ,not for cutting boards.

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

That doesn't really mean much.
Carnauba wax is considered food grade and used on things like apples or cucumbers .
That doesn't change the fact that it's still car wax.

Carnauba, also called Brazil wax and palm wax, is a wax of the leaves of the palm Copernicia prunifera, a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian states of Piauí, Ceará, Maranhão, Bahia, and Rio Grande do Norte. It may be used in car waxes, but that is only one of its many uses. It is a great addition to board wax, as it gives the board an extra degree of water repellency.

 

[TurboScooter]

That doesn't really mean much.
Carnauba wax is considered food grade and used on things like apples or cucumbers .
That doesn't change the fact that it's still car wax.
If Vaseline gives directions for use with cutting boards, I'd like to see it.
Vaseline is for diaper rash and such things ,not for cutting boards.

Saying carnauba wax is car wax doesn't mean anything either. It's like things people like the "Food Babe" say - OMG why is there antifreeze in our food?!?!?! You could just as easily flip the statement the other way around and say just because it's in car wax doesn't mean it's not food safe.

 

[Ruso]

That doesn't really mean much.
Carnauba wax is considered food grade and used on things like apples or cucumbers .
That doesn't change the fact that it's still car wax.
If Vaseline gives directions for use with cutting boards, I'd like to see it.
Vaseline is for diaper rash and such things ,not for cutting boards.

I think you are missing the point. Both substances (mineral oil and Vaseline) are graded as food safe by the same organizations. Saying that one is safe while another is not is a moot point.
Now, if you have preferences, prejudices or whatever reason to use one vs another its an intresting discussion. I use a mixture of mineral oil with beeswax for example. That what works for me.

 

[JaVa]

Since there are already tried and tested options that are known to work well like tung oil, mineral oil, bees wax, carnauba wax, linseed oil and different mixtures of them. So I don't understand why would you want to use vaseline?

 

[WOK-a-holic]

Saying carnauba wax is car wax doesn't mean anything either. It's like things people like the "Food Babe" say - OMG why is there antifreeze in our food?!?!?! You could just as easily flip the statement the other way around and say just because it's in car wax doesn't mean it's not food safe.

I am familiar with people making such outlandish statements .That food has antifreeze because it has propylene glycol Which is far different from ethylene glycol found in antifreeze

kind of like comparing sodium cyanide to sodium chloride. one is deadly poison the other is table salt.

 

[WOK-a-holic]

I think you are missing the point. Both substances (mineral oil and Vaseline) are graded as food safe by the same organizations. Saying that one is safe while another is not is a moot point.
Now, if you have preferences, prejudices or whatever reason to use one vs another its an intresting discussion. I use a mixture of mineral oil with beeswax for example. That what works for me.

If you guys want to put Vaseline, or Carnauba wax on your cutting boards it won't bother me. I do think Beeswax is okay, but I didn't personally like the results, makes my cutting board too slippery (when wet ). I think most commercially produced cutting board oils are ok and mainly contain mineral oil sometimes mixed with beeswax . I prefer to buy USP mineral oil as it's much cheaper and thicker and viscosity.The viscosity allows a thick coat to be applied, but still absorbs through wood. all the cutting board oils I have tried that don't have beeswax tend to be very thin. and I noticed a lot of uneven absorption on my board

 

[WOK-a-holic]

Carnauba, also called Brazil wax and palm wax, is a wax of the leaves of the palm Copernicia prunifera, a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian states of Piauí, Ceará, Maranhão, Bahia, and Rio Grande do Norte. It may be used in car waxes, but that is only one of its many uses. It is a great addition to board wax, as it gives the board an extra degree of water repellency.

I was using Carnauba wax as an analogy .It's a wax that has many different uses, car wax is one of those uses.
Vaseline also has many uses like babies diaper rash, applying to cutting board is not one of those recommended usages.
mineral oil also has many uses, one of them being for maintaining a cutting board

 

[Mucho Bocho]

Has anybody tried KY?

 

[milkbaby]

Has anybody tried KY?

Yes.

You mean on a cutting board?

 

[Nemo]

KY is water based.

 

[WOK-a-holic]

KY ,
That's funny . This thread has gone vasoline on cutting boards ,
to car wax , beeswax, mineral oil, antifreeze ,
....and sex lube.
:matrix:

 

[JaVa]

KY ,
That's funny . This thread has gone vasoline on cutting boards ,
to car wax , beeswax, mineral oil, antifreeze ,
....and sex lube.
:matrix:

:lol2::lol2: