# Wooden spoon / kitchen utensil dyes, stains, & finishes



## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

*Hello fellow woodworkers! *

I like to carve wooden kitchen utensils and am having trouble deciding how to treat and finish the wood to make it safe and available for food safe use. I would like to lightly ebonize or stain some of my pieces. I have mineral oil, and howards version with beeswax. Neither color the wood, just seal them. Which is fine for finishing, but I'd like to color some of my pieces.

I was seeing alot online about homemade dyes such as beet and carrot juice, as well as coffee.

So I was thinking I could use a homemade dye, then finish on top with mineral oil or something without color in order to seal it off.

Does anybody have experience doing something like this? 
I have read about "binders". Would there be an oil or extra additive I could put in to make the dye seal? After the original coats of my mineral oil rubs off, would the dyes start to be reactivated by water and other liquids thus leeching onto other items it touches?

And last question, is there any food safe stains or colorings I could use and skip this whole dilemma? I am working with alot of ash wood and it is very bright, I will keep some of the pieces plain jane but I'd like to color some for extra zing at the market!

-Cheers!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

Just playing Devils Advocate here. With the current state of "consumers safety" panic would even food safe dyes/coloring be looked at as an undesirable trait?? Working with additional wood species may provide the color without the "stigma".


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## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

I suppose Lew, though I think if I were to use beet juice or carrot juice, or something homemade and / or natural I'd be in the clear. But if i were to get something off the market I see where your point comes up. Thanks for getting the gears turning though! cheers mate


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## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

I see your signature says you make rolling pins. What do you use to finish them?


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