THE WEEKLY PORTION OF OIL:
The most important means for a long, happy board life.
Our boards are thoroughly treated with our special care oil before delivery: The care oil is drawn into the wood by the capillary forces of the wood, where it dries out, hardens and thus seals the wood just below the surface - other materials, water and humidity can no longer penetrate into the wood and the wood retains a lively, fresh shine and a rich hue.
Soap dissolves grease - a desirable property, but only in this context does the soap dissolve the protective sealant of care oil, which makes the wood more susceptible to stains and odours.
Therefore the regular oiling of the wood is an important (and with a little bit of routine also very satisfying) activity - a well-maintained and regularly oiled cutting board not only lasts much longer, but also looks great even after years.
1) APPLY OIL:
Apply plenty of oil on all sides with kitchen roll or brush.
2) ALLOW TO SETTLE:
Place the board upright on a kitchen roll and allow the oil to absorb for 5 minutes.
3) WIPE & DRY:
Take up excess oil with a kitchen roll and dry thoroughly.
4) ALLOW TO VENTILATE:
Allow to air over night, standing upright.
The board should therefore always be oiled when it starts to look "dry". This is usually the case every 1-2 weeks, depending on the intensity of use and type of wood used (for example, bamboo requires less oil than walnut or oak).
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WHICH OIL IS SUITABLE?
We would love to say: Our care oil is specially tailored to our woods and unfortunately no other oil is suitable for it, but that would be a plain lie. In principle, every normal edible oil is suitable for the routine care of wooden boards - the only exception is olive oil. This can get rancid and then smell unpleasant - but we've also talked to people who oiled their boards with olive oil for years and are very happy with it.
Nevertheless, our care oil is highly recommended: We mix natural linseed oil with cold pressed organic almond oil - it hardens very well, but also penetrates deeply into the wood (Here is a link to our shop).
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS OIL BOTH SIDES OF THE BOARD!
If one side is less sealed than the other, it also absorbs more humidity - this may cause the wooden board to buckle & warp. Basically, you can listen to your feelings here (if the wood hardly absorbs oil on one side, this side certainly doesn't need that much oil) - nevertheless, double-sided oiling is an important part of the grooming routine.
PROFESSIONAL TIP #1: SOME LIKE IT HOT
If the oil is carefully heated to approx. 80° Celsius in a pot before application, it penetrates much deeper into the wood fibres and represents an effective renewal of the basic care. Recommended every 6-8 weeks.
WARNING: Hot oil can cause extremely painful burns, so always use extreme caution and use a thermometer.
THE ANNUAL SANDING DOWN:
A fresh start, anew every time.
Wood wears off over time, especially when sharp knives and hot pots are used. This is completely normal and also part of the special quality of wood: They change over time and develop a very own personality - just like us.
If - after a few years of intensive use - the level of wear and tear should still disturb you at some point, go to a carpenter of your choice in your area, who will sand or plane the surface of the board on both sides for a small price of 1mm - after re-oiling the board looks just like new.
