There are at least 2 products made explicitly for this purpose. One is called salad oil and the other is called Watco butcher block oil and finish. I’m sure there are more – just don’t know what they are. I’ve used both and I have also used plain old mineral oil from the drug store.
In performance, I don’t see much difference between the salad oil and the mineral oil. Of the 2, I prefer mineral oil because it is cheaper and readily available. Further, if I give the item away as a gift, I tell the recipient to re-oil it when it starts to look a little dull or dry. It’s easy for the recipient to pick up a bottle at the drug store. I may be harder for them to locate salad oil that is only sold ini woodworking supply places.
I like the Watco product for really porous wood like red oak. The Watco product is more of a sealer. Porous woods offer bacteria places to hide and the Watco product, effectively, fills up those porous holes. However, I find it hard to get a smooth, even finish with the Watco product. It seems like you are always leaving streaks and/or an uneven finish. I recently used the Watco product on a red oak tortilla press and I was not happy with the look in the end. I kept sanding and applying another coat and it never got any better.
-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.
