Does anyone have a recommendation on how/where best to procure 8-16oz. of solid beeswax to be melted into mineral oil for eventual cutting board seasoning?
Thanks in advance!
Does anyone have a recommendation on how/where best to procure 8-16oz. of solid beeswax to be melted into mineral oil for eventual cutting board seasoning?
Thanks in advance!
Tandy carries beeswax, but it’s $4 per oz at the best pricing. I’d be happy to get it for you at that price if you can’t find a better source.
since this is going to go an a cutting board I’m sure you meant pure beeswax and I’m not certain the beeswax the evil empire carries is food safe. remember - pure beeswax can be used as a chewing gum alternative. who wants to bite into the stuff the evil empire sells to find out if it contains anything else?
Walmart sells Stakich Pure Beeswax Block - Yellow - 1 lb for $22 online.
Thank you sir! I think we have a winner.
I’d order it from Dadant. They have a warehouse in Paris, so UPS Ground shipping is still very fast.
https://www.dadant.com/catalog/crafts/pure-beeswax/w00101slab-yellow-ref-beeswax-per-slab
That’s nearby and a great price. Thanks!
For international shipping? Impressive.
What is the benefit of the wax? I understand the oil.
This one seller states the following:
"Protecting and restoring the wood finish on cutting boards, butcher blocks, wood utensils, counter tops, salad bowls and more, our cutting board wax keeps your cutting boards looking shiny and new. The soft wax finish fills in small cracks and and scratches to keep out bacteria and simultaneously prevent water from penetrating the board. Serving also to seal in your mineral oil our special blend helps prevent wood from drying out and splitting.
We highly recommend use of both cutting board oil and wax together for best results."
Wood already has antibacterial properties. I’m not sure of these benefits.
FWIW, I just soak cutting boards in mineral oil. I use this schedule:
You can buy mineral oil cheaply by the gallon at large animal feed stores (e.g. D&L feed in McKinney, Tractor Supply in several locations). I put the mineral oil in a tall Rubbermaid container designed for cereal. A flat container for cupcakes would work, too. Submerge and soak for 10-15 minutes for initial treatments, a heavy wipe-down will do for monthly maintenance.
I have heard mixing pure beeswax with mineral oil makes for a good finish. Howard’s cutting board conditioner also does something similar.
I’m willing to give it a go.
Thanks for the help and resources!
Thanks! I plan to use a similar schedule…if I can ever finish it.
It sure does, 20% beeswax and 80% mineral oil makes a nice thick paste you can use as a finish on many different wood projects. I primarily use it on my cutting boards, but it can be used on razor handles as well to keep the water out of them.
Just curious, why did it have to be a solid piece of beeswax? I buy the granules and just melt them into the oil. I also (because I have Prime) find a lot of those things on Amazon on the cheap. Another source for beeswax is hobby lobby (very affordable with their 40% off coupon).
Thanks! Any solid material will do (block or granules) so long as it’s food safe.
Gotcha. Here’s the 2 I use. Hope that helps.
Thanks Steve!
(And a lot of superfluous characters)
I buy the same mineral oil and buyer beware, I always end up 5-15 ounces less than a gallon. Its not a major issue as the price is still good, but it seems to regularly be under a gallon. YMMV.
I’ll have to pay attention next time I get some, I didn’t notice.