[MR] OT: Wood care question

[David Chessler]

Depending on how smooth you want it, keep sanding  along the grain with finer
and finer sandpaper. End up with 400 grit or perhaps finer. Scraping will give
you a good finish, too, and may give a wavy effect that looks old. 

Sanding and scraping along the grain give a good surface . Across the grain
leaves scratches. Scraping  should follow the rising of the grain so it
doesn't catch splinters.

Wiping with a bleach solution should kill any germ. But it will lighten the
wood. Sanding and oiling should fix that, and exposure to sunlight.  Sunlight
also kills surface germs, and there are chemicals naturally in wood that fight
germs. 

Dough troughs would have been scraped in the past, because water can damage
wood (cause splits). Also the yeast spores may be retained, possibly
developing a house taste to the bread. But commercial yeast will out-compete
wild yeast, so if you want sourdough, you'll have to use a starter (of which
there are several styles).



--

YIS

Davitt il Bigollo da Pisa
Erudit de l'Academie de Espee de Atlantia
Storvik (rapier)
Roxbury Mill (other things) 

------ Original Message ------
Received: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:45:10 PM EST
From: TinkerbellProxy at aol.com
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [MR] OT: Wood care question

> 
> Thank you everyone for so many wonderful answers!  I'm hoping that  just 
> washing the bowl will bring it back but I'm uploading some images now so 
that 
> those interested can look it over.  I was told the dings and scratches  were
on 
> it when it was last seen or displayed, but the black parts didn't  exist. 
I'm 
> not sure if it's mold, engine oil (it shared a shelf with  parts!) or it
could 
> be from rodent urine.  It is even possible  the black bits are from having 
> been burned.  The shed in question had  a short infestation years ago but
the 
> wooden bowl would really attract their  attention. Inside is very battered
as 
> I've been told it was never oiled but  cleaned by scrapping with a metal
spoon, 
> so the bottom inside is very  rugged.
>  
> I'm afraid I was a little eager last night and sanded the outside of the  
> bowl with a fine grit.  It has a wonderful grain and is almost perfectly 
smooth 
> already, with just a light sanding.  Since I did this you can no  longer 
> really see all the scratches that were on the outside but it looked  like
some 
> strange cat had went at it. I did some clarifying on the age and  it is only
known 
> for sure that it is over 70 years old, as her eldest child  remembers it 
> being used.
>  
> Here's the link to the images:
>  
> _http://s554.photobucket.com/albums/jj427/kratsina/wooden%20bread%20bowl/_ 
> (http://s554.photobucket.com/albums/jj427/kratsina/wooden%20bread%20bowl/) 
>  
> Any thoughts on the black spots?  Or wood type?   I really  appreciate all 
> the suggestions!
>  
> T
>  
>  
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