Posted here is James Zangl documents on finishing. Posted is a PFD and Miceosoft Word document of James Z. article.

Recently, I heard someone on TV declare that the best way to treat a cutting board was with mineral oil, applied regularly.  He also said that a Polyurethane would not be safe.

This did require some thought. What he said is kind of true, kind of not and a bit misleading.

Hearing this call to mind a book that I have been rereading “All Creatures Great and Small”, about a country vet in the Dales of England. He is constantly coming into conflict with “the cures” that the grand fathers swore by. We woodworkers have some of those same grandfathers, I suspect.

Since we have had an ongoing discussion on finishes over the past months, I thought I would look some more.

For this set of research, I went to Wikipedia and again Bob Flexner for information and citations. I apologize if I have missed any citations or gotten them wrong. The full articles can be read at Wikipedia or Bob Flexner’s book.

Open article to read more.