oiling wood handles

Are your wooden handles Pale? Cracking? or just Dry? If so you need to oil your wood.  Wood normally has natural oils in it that fades with age and washing, replacing that oil helps keep the wood in good condition. This is a simple process that you can do at home with 4 easy steps.

1. Buy oil. This seems simple, but you have 3 basic options for oil.

I like boiled linseed the best. You need to oil your wood about once a year with boiled linseed. Next down is Tung oil, it has about half the time on it, but is better for furniture as well.  Last in my choice is mineral oil. Mineral oil has  one thing going for it that the others don't, it is food safe. You can use mineral oil on your wood spoons if you want, but mineral oil is really only good for 2-3 months tops in your knife handles. It doesn't matter the brand most any will do it is best to buy it at the hardware store, though I do sell small bottles here in the store.

2. Set your knives out on a rag. Squeeze a line onto the knife and rub the oil in. Make sure to cover the whole handle. If the oil soaks in right away....put more on.

3. Let it dry over night or until all the oil has soaked in to the wood. Generally this happens in 24 hours though I have seen it take a little longer.

4. Wash. The scrubby side of your sponge should take off any residue left on the wood and any that might have gotten onto the metal. Dry and your good.