Board for fish - to oil, to wax (both)?

by Tom
(London)

Hello,

Liked your website, very interesting and filled with good advice.
I wanted to ask you a query, I am a amateur stone carver but am contemplating a first project in
wood. Sometimes my fiancée and I cook a whole poached salmon, but the difficulty is finding a nice dish to put it on - so I thought I'd make one. I was thinking perhaps of Lime but also maybe Rosewood or oak. But the question is how to finish it, should I just use your Walnut oil, beeswax and oil or varnish or shellac ( Shellac?) I think I'd prefer the oil from what you say maybe with the wax, but I saw on your tips you suggested ( hinted) that you shouldn't use beeswax if meat were to be served on it - this will have fish ( possibly with sauce) - please advise?

Also the Walnut is it just the same you'd buy in a supermarket/ whole foods or does it need to be specially for wood work?

Appreciate your advice in advance.
Kind regards
Tom

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Ron here...

Yes walnut oil at the supermarket is fine.
BUT

for meat and fish normally unfinished wood is best for raw meat or fish as wood has a natural protection, That's why butcher blocks are never finished.

Given that your's is cooked, I would also go with raw wood. Ever have a steak on wood at a restaurant. It is raw.

Just wash really well in very hot soapy water.