Baby Rattle Finish

[Mike R]

I turned a baby rattle for my niece's new baby. Any recommendations for the finish? I was thinking food grade mineral oil.

 

[Echd]

I think mineral oil is a good and all around safe bet. Probably the best overall choice.

 

[Mike Davis]

I use organic flax seed oil on all my kitchen ware and baby rattles. It is food, so absolutely food grade and dries to a harder finish that can be built up to a gloss if desired.

 

[wndopdlr]

I use organic flax seed oil on all my kitchen ware and baby rattles. It is food, so absolutely food grade and dries to a harder finish that can be built up to a gloss if desired.

Thanks Mike. Never heard of it. What advantage, if any, is there over Linseed oil?

 

[Mike Davis]

Flax seed and linseed are from the same plant. Flax seed oil is cold or expeller pressed without the use of any chemicals. Cold pressed is the most natural oil as the expeller press will generate some heat from the pressure levels used in the process.

Linseed oil is basically the same except chemicals are used to more fully extract all of the available oil from the seeds.

Linseed oil is not considered a food product even though some claim it is safe after a certain drying time.

When mothers ask me if my finish is safe I can honestly say yes, I would happily drink it.

 

[woodgnome]

Happily ?

 

[Mike Davis]

Happily ?

Not suspiciously nor begrudgingly. Yeah, happy to show it is safe.

 

[HITCH-]

I thought that flaxseed oil could easily go rancid and I don't have a refrigerator in the shop.
I have used pharmacy grade mineral oil and wax on rattles.

 

[Mike Davis]

I thought that flaxseed oil could easily go rancid and I don't have a refrigerator in the shop.
I have used pharmacy grade mineral oil and wax on rattles.

I buy it in quart bottles, keep that in the kitchen refrigerator then use a small squeeze bottle from dollar store to apply the oil and refill as needed.

 

[John Jimenez]

Butcher block mineral oil/beeswax mixture…..but would probs need to be reapplied every year.

 

[Kirk S]

shellac. it is edible.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

Mineral oil is all I would use. Perfectly safe, easy to apply and can be reapplied as required.

 

[HITCH-]

Mineral oil is all I would use. Perfectly safe, easy to apply and can be reapplied as required.

Worth noting for anyone new to this that this is the food safe mineral oil from the pharmacy, not the stuff found in the paint department.

 

[Mike Davis]

Mineral oil never dries and feels oily even a year after application, I never use it.

 

[wndopdlr]

Flax seed and linseed are from the same plant. Flax seed oil is cold or expeller pressed without the use of any chemicals. Cold pressed is the most natural oil as the expeller press will generate some heat from the pressure levels used in the process.

Linseed oil is basically the same except chemicals are used to more fully extract all of the available oil from the seeds.

Linseed oil is not considered a food product even though some claim it is safe after a certain drying time.

When mothers ask me if my finish is safe I can honestly say yes, I would happily drink it.

Mike-do you have any concerns about it going rancid on your utensils or does that problem go away once applied and cured? I am currently using BLO
on my bowls with beeswax burnished into it but your flax seed oil seems like it may be a better choice

 

[Mike Davis]

Once it dries it won’t get rancid.

I have a maple salad bowl I use every few days. It’s over ten years old and still looks great.

 

[mkepke]

Some other ideas:

Food grade tung oil is also an option. Available as actual boiled tung oil or raw tung oil. Buy from a reputable supplier.

Another option would be just a food grade wax melted and buffed into the wood.

-Mark

 

[Mike R]

Thank you for the feedback and information. I'm going to use Flaxseed oil.