What type of finish should I put on my handmade mallet to increase its resiliency?
NOSPAM
I just finished my first attempt at a wooden mallet (round head) to
occasionally use around my shop. Its nothing fancy, mainly for utility - I'm
thinking I'll use it mostly for assembly and some light work with my wooden
handled bench chisels when needed.
I suppose I could just leave it unfinished, but I remember reading somewhere
about a mallet maker who dipped their mallets for upwards of a month in
Linseed oil to penetrate the wood and ad some heft. I'm contemplating doing
this, but I'm looking for a few other opinions.
I'm not overly interested in how it ultimately looks, rather I'd like
something that might increase the mallets resistance to drying out over time
and help it hold up to use.
I could just rub the linseed oil in as that's what I'm use to on the handles
of my other tools, but I'm wondering if soaking it for an extended period of
time would penetrate a bit deeper.
Also, can anyone suggest other options to Linseed oil that would give a
"harder" finish to the wood? Would tung oil or polyurethane better increase
its resilience to impacts (can you recommend a brand name I can ask for) or
are they pretty much all the same?
-thanks in advance
mswe...@mechanixloop.com
I would suggest just using sanding sealer. It you want to protect the
wood just seal it up with that
Resound
contemplating finishes for it. The complicating factor is that it's to be
used for pounding food so it has to be a food-safe finish and one that will
remain so under a fair bit of abuse. The food that it's being used on is
very hard dried meat and fish so it's not like its just mashing soft herbs
or something.
Jon
Jon
"Resound" <sacre...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:47f6cfea$0$16837$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
mswe...@mechanixloop.com
>
> news:47f6cfea$0$16837$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
>
> >I recently made a rounded (egg shaped) head mallet myself and I've been
> >contemplating finishes for it. The complicating factor is that it's to be
> >used for pounding food so it has to be a food-safe finish and one that will
> >remain so under a fair bit of abuse. The food that it's being used on is
> >very hard dried meat and fish so it's not like its just mashing soft herbs
> >or something.
No if it is food prep use linseed oil/ aka flak seed oil. MINERAL OIL
IS A LAXATIVE.
Otoe
On a recent woodturning TV show, they recommended mineral oil. Mainly
due
to scuff up during the mallet's use and reapplying a finish. A hard
finish would
only leave a permanent indention.
Cheers,
Greatoak
--
Geoff
Newark
www.geoffswoodwork.co.uk
<mswe...@mechanixloop.com> wrote in message
news:cdac5599-f695-4376...@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
Chinaren
> Traditionally, such wooden tools are treated with boiled Linseed Oil.
>
> --
> Geoff
> Newarkwww.geoffswoodwork.co.uk
>
>
> news:cdac5599-f695-4376...@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > On Apr 8, 8:02 pm, "Jon" <jonkun...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >> Mineral Oil for food surface pounding.
>
> >> Jon"Resound" <sacredc...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
>
> >>news:47f6cfea$0$16837$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
>
> >> >I recently made a rounded (egg shaped) head mallet myself and I've been
> >> >contemplating finishes for it. The complicating factor is that it's to
> >> >be
> >> >used for pounding food so it has to be a food-safe finish and one that
> >> >will
> >> >remain so under a fair bit of abuse. The food that it's being used on is
> >> >very hard dried meat and fish so it's not like its just mashing soft
> >> >herbs
> >> >or something.
>
> > No if it is food prep use linseed oil/ aka flak seed oil. MINERAL OIL
>
> - Show quoted text -
sounds traditional choice is great..