Walnut oil vs mineral oil

Hi, thank you for all this interesting info!

We just got hardwood cutting boards to put on each side of the stove. They come finished with mineral oil, and I'm looking for something non-petroleum for continued maintenance.

I see you're a big fan of walnut oil.

Walnut oil sounds great -- then I read other websites and they lump walnut oil in with all the other food oils. How is walnut oil different/better? And is it true they used it to finish furniture in France for Louis XIV?

Right now I'm running a test on a bamboo cutting board -- cracking a fresh walnut, crushing the nut meat, putting the nut meal in a small cotton bag, and rubbing the test board. The walnut oil soaks in and is silky and pretty.

I'm hoping using the freshly shelled walnuts will avoid any possible "food oil" stickiness or rancid smell, although I'm very concerned because of the high polyunsaturated content of the walnut oil.

Why, why, why do people advise against walnut oil?
Thank you!!!

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Ron here...

You can buy organic walnut oil in your health food store. Walnut oil is absorbed and then dries unlike other food oils. That's why it is what I use. You won't be ingesting much oil so not a problem.

AS far as I know it was the oil used to finish furniture but perhaps they heated it to transform it.