Ideal Finish for Hardwood Cooking Spoons/Utensils

Recently made some hardwood cooking spoons for someone and I felt like I couldn’t have found a better finish, wanted to share.

First off if you haven’t tried making a spoon from bulk lumber, it’s a dope process since coming up with a way to carve out the inside of the head is a fun challenge. When I first set out to make them I figured the finish would be the least of my worries. I read a few forums that all talked about using mineral oils to finish them with, like the ones used on a cutting board. I started thinking that those oils that were key for a cutting board finish might not work so well for something that is going to be exposed to heat over and over (i.e. they will slowly dissolve and leak out leaving bare wood). The usual penetrating oils sit inside the surface of the wood remaining in an overall liquid state. I saw one forum mentioning Tung Oil and thought it was a better idea.

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I had used Tung Oil before, Its something my dad taught me about when I was a kid with This End up Furniture. I stray away from using it though since it's such a messy clean-up. It ruins the rags you put it on, and when dried on your hands it is hard to remove. For this reason, though I started to realize it might be ideal for cooking utensils.

I never disrespect any hardwood by putting it in the dishwasher but I expect most people who have wooden utensils are going to at least once. I can’t imagine a usual oil holding up during that, but I happen to know that tung oil will. Tung oil is in the penetrating oil family, but it really is much different in that it cures over the span of a month inside the outer surface of the wood and it changes composition while curing. Once cured its seemingly indestructible. During some testing (put them in the dishwasher once actually) they repelled water very well. The amazing thing is they also seemed to hold up when I exposed them to oil-based solvents as well. To me, this finish is like a penetrating polyurethane in that it cures inside of the surface instead of on top.

Cons of this finish

Cleanup is rough and proper application can be hard to master (rags should be left out because they can combust if deep in the trash around flammable items). I recommend letting them sit for one full month since the oil must cure to reach it full durability. It’s very thick and if too much is left on the surface during initial application it will leave a sappy film. You can thin it with mineral spirits however to help this and help it penetrate further. I've even used sandpaper to apply it (400+ grit) and work it into the surface. Tung oil will break down after 4-6 years especially if exposed to the elements often. So, in 4-6 years have your customers refinish the utensils to maintain their longevity.