How do you finish and seal your rolling / cutting boards?

[RUNSUPRIVER]

My old board was a laminated maple cutting board that was old. Second hand store purchase. I don't remember ever sealing it. It did have a finish on it. I'm pretty sure it was just a "CUTTING BOARD OIL" like Mineral oil or similar. That board is gone. It was the perfect size too.

I'm starting with a new board. It needed to be sealed up to protect against moisture and such. I wiped a thin coating of SALAD BOWL/ CUTTING BOARD OIL on it last night. It's a creamy mix of Mineral Oil and Beeswax. Nice and buttery. Was really greasy last night, this morning it is soaking in nicely.

The new board is a softer wood, I believe it is Alder, and it was purchased built as a "slide out" cutting board for your kitchen. I have not cut it in half yet, and I may not. Having a large work board may be nice.

My question is- What do you use to seal your board?

What was traditionally used to seal up the boards in the cigar factories?

Just woke up interested in what others do and have done.

Thanks!

 

[Gdaddy]

I started with a wood cutting board(maple) then saw a video where they were using stainless steel. The leaf seemed to stick better when it was wet. Now am using polished granite and it needs no maintenance at all and leaf sticks well.

 

[FmGrowit]

Mineral oil is what is suggested for cutting boards. The new cigar molds come with instructions to seal the wood using mineral oil as well.

 

[RUNSUPRIVER]

So far the Beeswax/ Mineral Oil blend is working pretty well.

It soaked in and dried rather well in my garage for 24 hours.

The large board/ workspace is actually very useful.

 

[RUNSUPRIVER]

I'm really liking the large kitchen slide out cutting board. It is a very nice workspace.

The wax and oil has soaked completely in and feels very dry. I may add another coat.

It's not end grain maple, but its working.

 

[BarG]

My corian cutting board works great for cigar rolling. I could not ask for better. It requires no finish, has a blood groove around the perimeter for sweeping scraps. Water cleanup! Holds a wrapper well , cuts don't affect it.
The reason I don't want a wood board are simple. To make the one I like means orienting all the grain facing up [end grain facing up]. A pain in the ass to make.

 

[BarG]

Mineral oil is what is suggested for cutting boards. The new cigar molds come with instructions to seal the wood using mineral oil as well.

Great job on the molds FmGrowit. Do you think the instructions will work? I know I never follow them well.

 

[moscca]

Mineral oil is what is suggested for cutting boards. The new cigar molds come with instructions to seal the wood using mineral oil as well.

I hope the advantage of the wooden mold will be that it sucks some water from the fresh rolled cigar. Would sealing the wood with mineral oil not reduce this ?



Jan.

 

[webmost]

Why do you have to seal the board? Bought Bearswatter a new bamboo board and swapped for her ordinary maple board. That's what I use, is that maple. Been in use for years and years. I'm sure she never sealed it before use any more than she sealed the bamboo. I'm thinking they come ready to use.

 

[BarG]

Sealing the wood! With unfinished wood it stabilizes the wood by applying a sealer.The sealer helps to hinder the absorbstion and release of moisture. Mineral oil works well without imparting tastes or odors. Found in any grocery store.

 

[BarG]

I hope the advantage of the wooden mold will be that it sucks some water from the fresh rolled cigar. Would sealing the wood with mineral oil not reduce this ?



Jan.

I would suggest lowering the case of your filler. Too high case on filler will cause a bad draw.

 

[webmost]

Sealing the wood! With unfinished wood it stabilizes the wood by applying a sealer.The sealer helps to hinder the absorbstion and release of moisture. Mineral oil works well without imparting tastes or odors. Found in any grocery store.

Filler never touches the board. Binder only briefly. When wrapping, I wet the board, before laying out the wrap, cause that helps hold it stretched. After each wrap, I wipe the wet off the board and roll the wrapped cigar back and forth to smooth it and to let the wood suck some of the damp off the wrap. May even roll it on a cloth, if it feels too damp. So I don't see sealing. But what do I know.

 

[Knucklehead]

I use a piece of rough cut walnut slab that I sanded the top surface smooth. No sealer but I haven't started wetting it for rolling the wrapper. I've been wanting to try that as I have trouble stretching the wrapper.