I rescued a few large green ash logs off the curb last week, and while most of it is destined for our firewood pile (green ash is dandy firewood), I sawed a few bowl blanks from one of the larger pieces.
Update: Here’s the outside cleaned up, sanded to 400 grit, and with an application of walnut oil finish. (I’m planning to add a pyrography texture between those dark lines.)
Update 2: I didn’t expect to see that much curl figure in this.
I modeled this silver maple bowl after the stoneware bowl my mother always used for making bread dough. Mom’s is a bit larger than this, but I think I came pretty close to the basic proportions (although I’m operating purely from memory).
This was twice turned, and after the rough bowl dried, it was the most lopsided one I’ve done yet.
8 3/4″ diameter by 3″ high. Walnut oil finish.
American mountain ash (a member of the rowan family) is a common decorative tree in our community, but it’s susceptible to disease if it’s injured. A neighbor was slowly losing theirs, so my wife volunteered me to take it down for them.
The branch this one came from was about 7 inches in diameter, with a smaller branch coming off the side, making for a mitten-shaped bowl. (I like the oddball ones like this.) The wood cut nicely, so I’m looking forward to doing more of this stuff.
8 1/4″ long by 6″ wude by 2″ high. Teak oil finish.
The bark on this one was in large scales, so I’m happy that I managed to keep as much of it on as I did. It still needs to be sanded and then have a finish applied (most likely teak oil; that’s my present finish of choice for decorative items).
In yesterday’s post, a commenter raised the issue of the safety of wood ware.
“I was told growing up that wood cutting boards, and wooden utensils can get scratches or grooves in them through normal wear and tear. These grooves can trap food particles in them and go bad causing food health issues.”
That’s a great point to bring up. It applies especially when you’re talking about something like a cutting board, which will get a bunch of small cuts criss-crossing the surface as you use it. But when you consider the fact that wood is porous, even without marring the surface with knife cuts, won’t bacteria find lots of places to hide and multiply in wooden bowls, cutting boards, and utensils?
Researchers at the University of California – Davis, led by Dean O. Cliver, PhD, took a look at the safety of wood and plastic cutting boards.
“Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used.”
There appears to be some anti-bacterial factor in wood that prevents bacteria from living and multiplying. What exactly that mechanism is wasn’t clear from Cliver’s team’s research, but their conclusion is that “wooden cutting boards are not a hazard to human health, but plastic cutting boards may be.”
So you can relax. Use good hygiene on your wooden bowls, cutting boards, and utensils–for example, wash them with warm soapy water, and don’t use the same cutting board for fruits and vegetables right after cutting meat. But the bottom line is that you have more to worry about, in terms of food safety, from the plastics in your kitchen.
When you have utilitarian wood ware–cutting boards, wooden spoons, fruit or salad bowls–keep in mind that it needs regular care. It’s not difficult or complicated, but there are a few things to remember.
Cleaning: Hand wash wooden utensils with warm water and regular dish soap, rinse well, and dry with a towel. It’s always good to let wood items air dry before putting them away. Never wash them in a dishwasher or let them soak in water.
Refreshing the finish: Regardless of the type of finish originally used on your wooden bowls, spoons and cutting boards, as you use them, they will start to look dull and dried out. Rubbing in a bit of walnut oil or mineral oil with a clean, lint free cloth will help bring the finish back to life again. If the wood seems really “thirsty,” you might need to repeat this a few times. If you have some available, you can also rub on a bit of beeswax, and then buff it with a soft cloth. Go light on the wax, because a little will go a long way.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT use ordinary vegetable oil or olive oil on your wood kitchen ware. These oils will go rancid, and if you’ve ever smelled rancid oil, you know you don’t want your salad bowl smelling like that!
Additional notes: Wooden items WILL be stained by things like berries or barbeque sauce. Some people view those stains as added character and patina. If you don’t care for that idea, then use a bit of common sense regarding what you put in your bowls, on your cutting boards, or stir with your spoons. If it will stain clothing, it will stain wood.
Also keep in mind that wood moves. It expands and shrinks with changes in the humidity in your house, and with changes in temperature. Avoid rapid temperature and moisture changes, which can cause the wood to crack.
Here’s a shallow green ash bowl I made for my nephew and his new bride. The wood, which has great crotch figuring, came from our family farm.
10″ by 2″. Danish oil finish.
Interior view, showing that crotch “plume” figure.
