Wooden bread bowl: Care? Use?

[a_bit_crafty]

A few months ago, I started making bread. I'm getting better and better at it, and it has come to the point that we've stopped buying bread at the store.

Mr. Crafty located and purchased for me a large, wooden bread bowl. But I'm not quite sure what to do with it. I know I mix the ingredients in it, but do I knead in it, too? What kind of care would it need?

[RayH]

A few months ago, I started making bread. I'm getting better and better at it, and it has come to the point that we've stopped buying bread at the store.

Mr. Crafty located and purchased for me a large, wooden bread bowl. But I'm not quite sure what to do with it. I know I mix the ingredients in it, but do I knead in it, too? What kind of care would it need?

Yes you can knead in it too, although a flat surface would probably be better. When I make bread, I cheat. I use a Sunbeam bread machine. Just put the ingredients in and it does all the work. There are better ones out there but I got this cheap! On several occasions I have it just do a dough cycle and pull it out and let rise outside of the machine. Then I put the dough on a pizza stone in the oven and bake that way. Works great.
As for the care of it, wash it in the sink with warm water and a mild soap.

[Jim]

A mix of food grade mineral oil and beeswax will keep your wood items in good shape.

[DaveMartell]

A mix of food grade mineral oil and beeswax will keep your wood items in good shape.

That's the ticket!

[Uncle Erik]

Yup, a salad bowl finish (assuming the bowl isn't finished) will work great.

Beeswax, too. Be sure to look at the ingredients of the wax. Some furniture waxes with beeswax also have turpentine or other spirits in them. Fine for furniture, but you don't want to put food in contact with that.

[a_bit_crafty]

Yup, a salad bowl finish (assuming the bowl isn't finished) will work great.

Beeswax, too. Be sure to look at the ingredients of the wax. Some furniture waxes with beeswax also have turpentine or other spirits in them. Fine for furniture, but you don't want to put food in contact with that.

Very true.

It is antique bowl that I didn't get to examine personally, but it has certainly seen some use. Some scratches, but no cracks. I *doubt* it has a finish, and it certainly isn't painted. I would bet the coloring on it is from use.

Thanks for the help! I guess I should find out where to pick up some beeswax and use mineral oil in the meantime.

[a_bit_crafty]

The bowl arrived today. I'm relatively displeased. The bottom was uneven, but that's fixable. The bottom interrior has some damage, but still usable.

I went to clean it with the intention of using it today. The water and rag were coming up orange. I thought, well, if it truly is an antique bread bowl, it will have absorbed oil and whatever, but the outside of the bowl also produces this dingey orangeness.

Am I looking at a bowl that had wood stain added at some time? If it has, it is unusable. Any thoughts?

[soapbox]

The bowl arrived today. I'm relatively displeased. The bottom was uneven, but that's fixable. The bottom interrior has some damage, but still usable.

I went to clean it with the intention of using it today. The water and rag were coming up orange. I thought, well, if it truly is an antique bread bowl, it will have absorbed oil and whatever, but the outside of the bowl also produces this dingey orangeness.

Am I looking at a bowl that had wood stain added at some time? If it has, it is unusable. Any thoughts?

Sand a small portion of the bottom to see if you can identify whether the product was stained. If it was...I dunno, would a coat of polyurethane or two seal it well enough?

Dingy orange junk on the cleaning cloth doesn't mean it was treated with wood stain, though -- might be rancid food-grade oil used to seal the wood?

[a_bit_crafty]

Sand a small portion of the bottom to see if you can identify whether the product was stained. If it was...I dunno, would a coat of polyurethane or two seal it well enough?

Dingy orange junk on the cleaning cloth doesn't mean it was treated with wood stain, though -- might be rancid food-grade oil used to seal the wood?

Well... we do have to get the bottom even, anyway. So, underneath would be a significantly lighter color? How far down would the staining go?

[soapbox]

So, underneath would be a significantly lighter color? How far down would the staining go?

Sorry to say, but it depends on the wood. I expect that you would be able to see a difference at an eighth of an inch. Do you or your husband have access to a jointer?

[a_bit_crafty]

*headdesk*

No, I don't think so. But at about 1/8", you say?

[soapbox]

*headdesk*

No, I don't think so. But at about 1/8", you say?

I'm not an expert woodworker -- and stain depth varies by wood type/density -- so I don't know if 1/8" is a good average or not. But in my limited experience, it's not a bad guess.

Edit: if you want to make the bottom of the bowl flat, you really need a jointer or a big disc sander, I think. Well, or a lathe, but that seems overly difficult.

[a_bit_crafty]

I'm not an expert woodworker -- and stain depth varies by wood type/density -- so I don't know if 1/8" is a good average or not. But in my limited experience, it's not a bad guess.

Edit: if you want to make the bottom of the bowl flat, you really need a jointer or a big disc sander, I think. Well, or a lathe, but that seems overly difficult.

Well, I don't *like* it being not flat, but I can cope with it. Mr. Crafty will be home in a while and he will probably do some sanding on it to take a closer look. It seems the uneveness on the bottom was a consequence of the making, and not warping, though. The uneveness of the rim, that I don't know.

However, wouldn't wood stain make the grain of the wood visually pop?

[Jim]

Unless its a water soluble stain and food safe I would rethink using it.
If it was an antique and sold as such it most certainly would not have been stained if genuine.

[soapbox]

Unless its a water soluble stain and food safe I would rethink using it.
If it was an antique and sold as such it most certainly would not have been stained if genuine.

What about the possibility it's rancid oil used to seal the wood?

[Jim]

What about the possibility it's rancid oil used to seal the wood?

How does it smell?

[a_bit_crafty]

How does it smell?

Old.

I know, not descriptive. Kind of like an attic-y smell. The more I look at, the more I'm thinking it is old oil/dirt/dust/whatever on it. It came out a lighter color after I washed it. I don't *think* a stain would do that? I mean, I only washed with Dawn and a plain dishcloth. Not even a scrubbie.

[soapbox]

Old.

I know, not descriptive. Kind of like an attic-y smell. The more I look at, the more I'm thinking it is old oil/dirt/dust/whatever on it. It came out a lighter color after I washed it. I don't *think* a stain would do that? I mean, I only washed with Dawn and a plain dishcloth. Not even a scrubbie.

Since you'll have to re-oil it anyway (per Jim's suggestion, which I think is exactly right), I'd at least use a scrubby, but you'll probably need steel wool, maybe 00 or 0 grade. Perhaps even put it through the dishwasher -- you need to emulsify as much of that oil (if it is oil) as possible. Then after the dishwasher, hit it with a nice 0000 steel wool to polish it. Then re-oil it.

What do the real woodworkers say?

[a_bit_crafty]

Mr. Crafty just came home, did a quick examination of the bowl, and prounced me absolutely incorrect.

-The "old" smell is oil.
-There is no staining going on.

I did wash it again and am now getting no more orange. Old oil and dust was apparently all it was.

Thanks, guys!

[Jim]

Good news!

A white vinegar wash can help strip it out.