Good "food-safe" finish...

E

EastCompassoKnivery

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Feb 26, 2014
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I am making a brisket knife for someone and will be using bocote wood for the handle with brass pins. I was wondering what a good food safe finish would be for something like that or just a good finish for all my wood handles. Hopefully something relatively water and stain resistant. Thanks for the input.
 
I'm sure there are other finishes that are ok for kitchen knives but you can use food grade mineral oil. It should be available at your local Home Depot or similar. It is often used for sealing or "seasoning" butcher blocks and cutting boards.
 
bocote is beautifull with a hand sanded finish! (I went up to 2500, no oil etc)
 
Not a good pic, but to give an idea, blackwood with bocote, only handsanded up to 2500, no oil or wax.
It is hard an smooth and it feels good in the hand.
(I don't like the blade it's one of my shop knives I only finished to get the practice)

P1011903.JPG
 
Lee valley has a selection of food safe wood finished as well.
 
I got some butcher block conditioner from woodcraft which is a beeswax and mineral oil mix in a big bottle. Used it on some curly maple handles sanded to 1000 for a small kitchen slicer, and they even had a mini bottle that I gave with the knife so the owner could keep up on it. Just warm it up till it's fluid and all the wax melts, then rub in coats until it won't take anymore.

It does look somewhat duller after but it seems to be a quality finish.

Second knife I ever made! So don't judge the patina I tried to force with a potato lol!


Also been carrying this one with bocote handle quite frequently, so much so I don't want to show you what it looks like now... (I'm hard on my work knives) but that is also 1000 grit and it has darkened nicely with no finish at all. I get a lot of comments on the handle sticking on my hip!
 
I don't understand the need for a food safe finish on the handle.
The handle will not be going into your mouth nor will food be sitting on it.
With that said....
When I make cutting boards I apply several applications of mineral oil followed by butcher block conditioner (oil/wax mix)
 
Burl Source said:
I don't understand the need for a food safe finish on the handle.
The handle will not be going into your mouth nor will food be sitting on it.
With that said....
When I make cutting boards I apply several applications of mineral oil followed by butcher block conditioner (oil/wax mix)
Click to expand...

I think it's more to do with NOT using finishes that will leech nasty chemicals into the food you're preparing. I know that was the thought process I went through,but I tend to overthink every little problem. Then again how many deer were butchered with knives handled in god knows what? I think it's all relative, but I want to give every opportunity to make a purpose built knife that much more refined.
 
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If you are worried about your knife handle contaminating a deer meat being butchered just don't use wood at all. Micarta or G-10 will be inert.

Honestly, the amount of concern about the handle transferring "God knows what" to the meat is far less than the amount of "God knows what" transferred to the meat from lead bullets and the location of the butchering.

As a registered user, you should avoid discussing selling, BTW.
 
The FDA list is a number of chemicals they don't want when there is direct contact .Another list is for indirect contact such as lubricants for machinery handling foods .So it's not all chemicals just some chemicals .
 
bladsmth said:
If you are worried about your knife handle contaminating a deer meat being butchered just don't use wood at all. Micarta or G-10 will be inert.

Honestly, the amount of concern about the handle transferring "God knows what" to the meat is far less than the amount of "God knows what" transferred to the meat from lead bullets and the location of the butchering.

As a registered user, you should avoid discussing selling, BTW.
Click to expand...

Sorry blad, edited the post.
That's what I meant by the butchering, not many people think about it anyways. Handle finish on food prep knives is kind of a last concern for a personal Knife but others may not feel the same way I do.

Interesting mete, I assume the indirect contact list is one that's relevant. Are there repercussions for not using a food safe finish?
 
I don't have the the list anymore and I don't have the expertese.I did have a friend that handled machinery and lubes and have samples of some of the lubes. You could find info on the FDA website. My friend said that they are very concerned as to what the animals come in contact with.
As far as knives , major makers like Dexter-Russell sell knives with handles of FDA approved plastics. I assume there are state restrictions too.
 
I typically use Odie's Oil for these applications. It is a mineral oil/wax combo that makes a dynamite finish. Just rub it on, let it sit over night, wipe down and then let it cure for a couple of days. Food safe.

TedP
 
I wasn't trying to be a butt head with my post.
It is commendable that you want to do what is right.
Most wood finishes that dry hard will have a degassing period of up to 45 days.
After that time they will not transfer anything to food unless it is chipped off of the handle into the food.
Many of the finishes such as Salad Boil finish can be toxic until they are fully cured.
Food safe finishes tend to be ones you can ingest without ill effects such as mineral oil, bees wax and such.
 
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