milwen Posted June 13, 2011 Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm trying to find out if there is any difference between mineral oil (sold as a laxative) and butcher block oil. The reason I ask is because a pint of mineral oil as a laxative can be purchased for $2.63 from Amazon and a pint of General Finishes butcher block oil is $8.99 from Woodcraft. As far as I can tell both are just plain mineral oil. According to the General Finishes MSDS the butcher block oil also contains a small amount of vitamin E, but I have also seen this listed on some laxatives. Has anybody had any experience with this? http://www.amazon.com/Cumberland-Swan-Mineral-Oil-Pt/dp/B000QFUQFS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1307996820&sr=1-1 http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2003233/1773/Butcher-Block-Oil-Pint-Saf.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted June 13, 2011 Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 From my experience, they are the same exact product (for our purposes). Even if it weren't the same exact product, the standard mineral oil works well enough that its worth buying to save significant money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texfire Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 So what did you finish that cutting board with? Oh, a laxative I purchased off Amazon. It's all in what you call it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 So, is the vitamin E added to the laxative for people, and they have to list it when it's sold as a wood finish, or is the vitamin E added to the finish for the wood, and they have to list it when it's sold as a laxative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick LoDico Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 I go to one of those 1.00 stores and get my mineral oil for 1.29. Right next door to it is a CVS that charges 4.29. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayashiox Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Its a marketing hype, where they label it as food grade finish. Same thing as General salad bowl finish. Its just thinned down varnish. You can buy it cheaper at CVS, any pharmacy stores. I recommend using mixture of mineral oil and either paraffin or beeswax as a finish for your cutting boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milwen Posted June 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thanks for the info everybody. I'll try the plain mineral oil and save a few dollars. So, is the vitamin E added to the laxative for people, and they have to list it when it's sold as a wood finish, or is the vitamin E added to the finish for the wood, and they have to list it when it's sold as a laxative? I think I saw somewhere that the vitamin E was for stability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJC5151 Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 like everyone else says, butcherblock oil is a $10 bottle of mineral oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoboMonk Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 Vitamin E is added to oils as a natural disinfectant and rancidity retardant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susieq4131 Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 I go to one of those 1.00 stores and get my mineral oil for 1.29. Right next door to it is a CVS that charges 4.29. Thanks for the tip about the dollar store. I will have to look for USP grade mineral oil there. SQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susieq4131 Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Its a marketing hype, where they label it as food grade finish. Same thing as General salad bowl finish. Its just thinned down varnish. You can buy it cheaper at CVS, any pharmacy stores. I recommend using mixture of mineral oil and either paraffin or beeswax as a finish for your cutting boards. I agree, I make up the USP grade mineral oil and beeswax. It's inexpensive to make and keeps well in a covered container. I use it on boxes, bowls, cutting boards, wooden kitchen utensils, etc. Quick and easy to apply and looks great. SQ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allpurpose Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 It screams advertising hype. It's like all the products labeled with 'military grade'. But hey, if you're willing to pay extra for the labeling then go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Noble Posted August 22, 2018 Report Share Posted August 22, 2018 Hi All. I understand from other sources that I can use food grade mineral oil, linseed oil or walnut oil to seal and dress my new raw timber chopping board. However, these are difficult to source from where I'm currently based in the Philippines. Can I use Grapeseed Oil or Avocado Oil to finish the Cutting Board. These are much more readily available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted August 22, 2018 Report Share Posted August 22, 2018 The reason that food oils aren't a good choice is because it can go rancid, and they wash off pretty easily. have you tried a pharmacy for mineral oil? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis O'Shea Posted August 22, 2018 Report Share Posted August 22, 2018 I use a mixture of Bee's wax and Mineral Oil 2oz of Bees wax 5oz of mineral oil works great on cutting boards.It's very food safe one I just finished this afternoon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 23, 2018 Report Share Posted August 23, 2018 Every cooking source I found on the web claims that walnut and linseed oils will go rancid, just like any other food-based oil. Mineral oil doesn't go rancid because it is a petroleum distillate. Ironic, right? We avoid using oils from plants we can eat, because there is a chance they will eventually smell bad. Then we recommend using a by-product of turning crude oil into gasoline. I have used both vegetable cooking oils, and mineral oil, to keep cutting boards from getting dry and splintery. No rancidness, after a decade or so. Every old-time butcher shop used to have a wooden chopping block that was saturated with animal fat, just from using it every day. If THAT didn't stink to high heaven, then I think it unlikely a little grapeseed oil will be a problem. Disclaimer: I am only sharing my opinion, and personal experience. Neither should be considered as 'advice' in any sense of the word. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis O'Shea Posted August 23, 2018 Report Share Posted August 23, 2018 7 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: Every cooking source I found on the web claims that walnut and linseed oils will go rancid, just like any other food-based oil. Mineral oil doesn't go rancid because it is a petroleum distillate. Ironic, right? We avoid using oils from plants we can eat, because there is a chance they will eventually smell bad. Then we recommend using a by-product of turning crude oil into gasoline. I have used both vegetable cooking oils, and mineral oil, to keep cutting boards from getting dry and splintery. No rancidness, after a decade or so. Every old-time butcher shop used to have a wooden chopping block that was saturated with animal fat, just from using it every day. If THAT didn't stink to high heaven, then I think it unlikely a little grapeseed oil will be a problem. Disclaimer: I am only sharing my opinion, and personal experience. Neither should be considered as 'advice' in any sense of the word. In the Old Butcher shops at the end of the week they would take very course ground salt and cover the top of the block .They had a very course brush with metal bristles about 1/8th wide and would scrub the top of the block to remove the slime from the blood and fat.It was almost like sanding it down with course ground paper.Cooking Oil And Mineral Oil are the easiest and the safest for a food safe application Some people use Peanut Oil not thinking about people with Peanut allergy's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted August 23, 2018 Report Share Posted August 23, 2018 On 11/2/2016 at 1:11 PM, allpurpose said: It screams advertising hype. It's like all the products labeled with 'military grade'. As a military guy who knows we essentially invaded another country riding in scrap heaps with bubble gum holding the armor on military grade isn't a good thing . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted August 24, 2018 Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 17 hours ago, Dennis O'Shea said: In the Old Butcher shops at the end of the week they would take very course ground salt and cover the top of the block .They had a very course brush with metal bristles about 1/8th wide and would scrub the top of the block to remove the slime from the blood and fat. Yep. Couldn't wait to get out of the first stage of my apprenticeship so I didn't have to do this any more. We didn't use salt at the time but some cleaning solution that smelled a lot like simple green and had to do it at the end of everyday. I think I had Popeye forearms at the ned of that 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis O'Shea Posted August 24, 2018 Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Chet said: Yep. Couldn't wait to get out of the first stage of my apprenticeship so I didn't have to do this any more. We didn't use salt at the time but some cleaning solution that smelled a lot like simple green and had to do it at the end of everyday. I think I had Popeye forearms at the ned of that 6 months. That's back in the day when the Chicken came in wooden crates packed in Ice and you cut them up in the store That's when whole were 28cent's a pound and cut up's were 31cent's a pound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyokahn Posted August 24, 2018 Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 On 8/21/2018 at 8:49 PM, Graeme Noble said: However, these are difficult to source from where I'm currently based in the Philippines. It shouldn't be that hard, you have lazada after all, and can probably find it even cheaper in the markets, but here: https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/mineral-oil-unscented-clear-1-liter-i141002740-s160349051.html?spm=a2o4l.searchlist.list.1.57b91a73z5zo2y&search=1 and even the beeswax https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/yellow-beeswax-i100108827-s100129512.html?spm=a2o4l.searchlist.list.4.187d6c77iKGzWW&search=1 Ph is a huge market, if there really wasn't something like mineral oil, I'd recommend you open a business to sell it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 24, 2018 Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 On 6/14/2011 at 10:51 PM, Hayashiox said: I recommend using mixture of mineral oil and either paraffin or beeswax as a finish for your cutting boards. I buy bees wax in a form that is similar to laundry detergent or grated parmesan cheese. I think the ratio is about 3:1 - I heat up the mineral oil (3 parts) and add the wax (1part). It will dissolve. Then I pour it into these little 2oz plastic tubs where it cools and congeals and then I give the recipient of the cutting board a little tub of my homemade "finish" to keep their new CB looking good. It's a great little add on. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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