# Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?



## Brad_Nailor (Jul 26, 2007)

*Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*

I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


----------



## Alexandre (May 26, 2012)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


Claphams salad bowl finish:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=20087&cat=1,330,49236&ap=1


----------



## msmith1199 (Oct 24, 2012)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


I've been using Howards Butcher Block Conditioner that has mineral oil and bees wax already mixed in. I'm not expert in this area, but so far I've been happy with the results.


----------



## oluf (Jan 29, 2010)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


I don't use the flakes but I do shave off chips from my very hard block of beeswax. I mix about a heaping teaspone into a half pint of mineral oil. I am pleased with this ratio. Make sure that you use mineral oil from the drug store. DO NOT use the product sold at paint stores or home centers. They are not the same. If you wont drink it , don't put it on your wood.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


I use the Howard's mix as well. It's inexpensive, easily available, and works great.


----------



## SCengineer (Apr 26, 2011)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


Look at the blog from maugust here on LJs.


----------



## dlmckirdy (Oct 27, 2009)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


I have also used Howard's mix. I did some items for an organic store, and they did not want mineral oil, so after some research I went to a health food store and purchased walnut oil and beeswax. I melted about 1/4 cup of wax into one cup of oil. It set up into the consistency of paste wax, and applied similar, though is would soften and soak into the wood with a little vigorous rubbing. I made and filled a "grease box" with about a one cup capacity and filled it with the mix. Don't worry, walnut oil doesn't go rancid.


----------



## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


I use Howard's Feed-n-wax on our +160yr old drop leaf dining table and it works very well. A bit thin, but if you can give it 24-48 hours then it buffs out very nicely.


----------



## horsch (Feb 7, 2011)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


This is the formula I have finished and it worked good for me.


----------



## JNP (May 6, 2011)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


I got a recipe online somewhere. It is 2 oz. of beeswax to 1 C of mineral oil. It's all I have ever used so I can't compare to other mixes but it seems pretty good. Soft enough to rub in at room temperature and it buffs off pretty easily.


----------



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


1+ with what Mark Smith said. Howards - available at Home Depot


----------



## Brad_Nailor (Jul 26, 2007)

Brad_Nailor said:


> *Whats Your Mineral Oil/Beeswax Formula?*
> 
> I do a lot of cutting boards and Pizza peels that I like to finish in a mix of mineral oil and beeswax. Sometimes I think I have too much wax, and sometimes I think not enough. I don't measure I just shave some wax into the oil as it's warning on my hotplate. I recently bought some beeswax flakes so now i can accurately measure the amount of was I add to the oil. I was wondering if anyone hit on a solid proportion of wax to oi that doesn't seem to thick and sticky, but still gives that great waxy sheen?


Thanks guys..I will have to try the Howards..I have used General Finishes butcher block oil..which is basically a low viscosity mineral oil. I like that because I like to polish my boards to at least 200 grit, and the thicker mineral oil tends to take longer to absorb into the wood.


----------

