My grandpa just gave me an old meat block that my great grandpa used in his meat shop about 80 years ago. He says it's made of Sycamore. It is a solid, round block with three legs out the bottom that we just had some Amish friends replace with oak since the original legs were somewhat rotted.

The main block is in good shape, but a little dry-looking. I was just wondering if anyone knew of a good product to apply to it to preserve the wood. We will not actually "use" it. I don't think I should put any stain or finish on it. Any recomendations?

-- kurt in ohio (kkaelber@columbus.rr.com), February 15, 2002

Answers

Apply boiled linseed to it, let it soak in and wipe off...do this a couple of times with an overnight wait in between.

apply olive oil as needed

apply danish oil like Watco

Good Luck.

Oscar

-- Oscar H. Will III (owill@mail.whittier.edu), February 15, 2002.

are you still going to use it as a butcher block? if so,, DONT USE LINSEED OIL,, if not,,it doesnt matter. USe any veggie oil if your still going to use it

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 15, 2002.

Have you asked your Amish friends, bet they might know or can find out for you.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 15, 2002.

Sand it first to open up the wood pores

-- indiana jack (injack1@aol.com), February 15, 2002.

We had one at one time and sold it. I tried to move it one time and hurt my back bad. I believe we used vegetable oil on it. We had the whole thing sanded down first. Hope you have many years of enjoyment.

-- Irene Burt (renienorm@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

Hi, Kurt! I'm in the kitchen cabinet business and have installed many butcher-blocks for customers. The factory that supplies the BB recommends us to use "mineral oil" to treat the wood. Apply a very thick coat and let sit a few hours to soak in. Then wipe-off excess. Probally need to do this many times to bring back very dry wood.

I have never tried linseed or vegatable oil, so can't relate any experience but I have been warned that the linseed oil is poisinous and that vegetable oil will go rancid in the wood. Good luck!

-- Mark M in NC (MagicMark85@aol.com), February 16, 2002.