John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner Food Grade Mineral Oil and Natural Waxes

The John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner was a bit of a surprise when I first received it. It is much thicker than similar products, which made me feel confident right away that I had purchased a quality product.Wood, by its absorbant nature, will either last a very long time, or else become cracked, easily scarred, or turn pale, if it gets too dry. Obviously wood used in a kitchen or food prep area is exposed to a fair amount of water, not only from food that is cut, but also from the wood being wiped down, or wiped clean. This seems to be "good" for the surface of a cutting board, but putting water into the board doesn't give it the natural protection that using food grade mineral oil and natural wax provides.Think of the life of a cutting board. First of all, good ones aren't inexpensive. The best are plain, undecorated strips of wood that are glued together under a lot of pressure, and then planed and sanded to a nice smooth finish. By the time a cutting board is constructed, it is quite dry, so the best way to treat a new cutting board is to immediately begin the process of re-moisturizing the wood inside it. This is actually a very slow process that can take several months to a year to complete, depending on the size of the board. Before I ever allow one drop of water to fall on any of my cutting boards, I first oil them several times, at least once or twice a day, for a week or more (again, depending on the size of the board and its thickness). Ever so slowly the cutting board will begin to take on weight and feel like real wood. By the second to fourth week, I begin to use less oil on my cutting board, simply because by that time the top 1/4" or so is pretty saturated with oil, and the goal is to have the oil penetrate deep into the wood, not just sit on top! So, since it has built up quite a layer of oil near the surface of the cutting board, many people think they've done all there is to do, and put away the oil, and that's the end of oiling the cutting board. Unless someone comes along with a comment about the board being too dry or the edges feeling hard or flaky, many owners of cutting boards just quit with the bother, and so the board begins to dry out. Don't make that mistake! You can back off on the amount of oil you use, or how often you apply it, but never just stop oiling your kitchen wood. (This applies to any wooden utensil such as wooden spoons, chop-sticks, serving dishes, etc.).Wood items in your kitchen will absorb liquids unless the wooden item has been treated with shellac, varnish, polyurethane, or even furniture wax. Most of these will seal the wood, making it hard to impossible for the wood to absorb the natural oils and waxes it needs, and also most of these finishes are not food-safe products approved by the FDA -- and they will eventually come off the wood item and into your food, and thus into YOU -- you'll be varnishing your intestines. Not good.So what's the best solution? Buying food-grade oil that is meant for wooden kitchen tools is the minimum. But you must apply it before it can do any good. Apply it generously the first couple of weeks, then use a little less maybe 2-3 times a week, and then after 6 months or so, drop to 1 or 2 applications a week; and so on, until you are down to about 1 application per month. If you are industrious, your cutting board and other wooden items will by that time be permeated through and through with good, food-grade oils and waxes, and will stay sanitary and great looking without ever being put in a dishwasher -- PLEASE never do that!If you have to wash a heavily soiled cutting board, use warm soapy water and lightly swab the wood surface to remove bad "chunks" of dried food. As for stains ... well, unless you are a total perfectionist, try to see your cutting board as a kind of history journal of your kitchen life. A cooking board without stains is, to me, either unused, new, or over-scrubbed. Cooking boards absorb stains faster than oil, so spilled wine or sauces are going to leave their mark. But if you clean up most of the mess with a soapy washcloth, then rinse with a clean one and let the board dry, and then re-apply your trusted John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner, a bit of stain may always be there to remind you that you're a human being after all, but nothing bad can come of this.Taylor's Conditioner is, as I said in the first sentence of this review, thicker than most Butcher Block (Cutting Board) conditioners you may find. And this is very good. It means that although the conditioner takes longer to soak into the wood, it is a richer material that contains more of the good stuff the wood needs. Yes, wood gets very thirsty too! A tree has a great natural system of keeping every cell moist, and when a tree is harvested and cut up and made into kitchen tools (like a butcher's block or cutting board, or spoons, or even chop-sticks) the pieces of wood will get very dry over time. The only hope they have is YOU, to moisturize them with a quality product that is safe for your body and for the wood. A product like John Taylor's Butcher Block Conditioner. I know this sounds like an ad, and I guess in a way it is, but I promise you, I don't work for the company and have no expectation of any reward or compensation for writing this review. I am impressed with the quality of Taylor's Conditioner, and I think you will be, too.When kitchen tools are properly moisturized they last a long, long time. We're talking decades. Okay, so what if Uncle Cleaver comes over, and whacks your cutting board with his massive arms, while trying to cut a chicken? What if, over time, you notice tiny little cuts, grooves, scars, or "chop lines" in the wood? First, turn the wood over! Use the underside for a while -- like for the next year or two. Second, turn the board around clockwise until you're working on a side that hasn't seen too much action. Do NOT let one little quarter of the cutting board take all the hits (and misses)! The board is incredibly strong, but it needs to be cared for. Otherwise, the one side you always use will simply not work very well.Speaking of which, what IS the purpose of a cutting board, butcher's block, or wooden spoon anyway? Why not use plastic or polymer or some new, chemically constructed tool? Have you ever tried those thin plastic "cutting surfaces" you can get, that come in 3 colors to a package? Nothing wrong with them except: a) they can't be polished, so they always look like cheap plastic, b) they are not all that easy to clean by hand or by using the dish washer, and c) they tend to come in neon colors that fit virtually nobody's kitchen design. These points could be argued, but for my money, natural is always better than man-made, which I refer to as "artificial." That word is connected to the word "artifice," which basically means "cheap imitation passed off to unsuspecting people." Contrast that with wood that is 1 and a half to 2 inches or more thick, will last for decades, and has more character the more it is used. Those small scratches and lines mean you're actually cooking -- a very good thing! They mean you are using your butcher's block or chopping block (pick whatever name suits you), and it is natural to leave some marks over time. Certainly, if good old Uncle Cleaver comes over, don't let him do the cooking -- especially if he's had a nip or two before he starts! If he considers himself a great cook, or the family hails him as the answer to their culinary prayers, then stand nearby and say something like, "Uncle Cleaver, can you show me -- slowly -- how you chop a chicken? And do it the way somebody with my strength might." This could save your cutting board and make Uncle Cleaver feel much appreciated. Not a bad deal, considering...To sum up (if you're still reading this long review, CONGRATS to you!) --1) Wood is naturally absorbant2) Wood is very dry when you first purchase a kitchen tool made from wood3) Use John Taylor's Butcher Block Conditioner liberally (oops, did I use a bad word? I sure hope not!) at first, and be consistent4) If you are diligent and mind your kitchen tools they will reward you with many years -- decades, even -- of excellent service5) Never stop using Taylor's Conditioner. Once the wood is really saturated (not wet, but conditioned through and through), use Taylor's once a month6) Like anything else, the investment you make in quality products pays off in the long term7) Don't EVER put wooden tools into a dishwasher!8) Enjoy your cutting board, spoons, and other wooden kitchen tools, and be proud of the patina, and even of the small scratches, they show9) A good, thick cutting board will be a little heavier when it is properly oiled, so expect that and don't be surprised10) Turn your butcher's block over -- it has an entire new life on the other side11) May all the food you prepare with your wooden tools bless and nourish the people you lovingly cook for12) Amen!P.S. Amazon.com has the best prices I've found for John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner. Cheaper oils are available, but they are thin and do not contain all the great stuff that Taylor's adds to their product. And that's the last fact I'll offer you in this very long review. John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner Food Grade Mineral Oil and Natural Waxes, 12 fl.oz(355ml)

All around the sink and along the front edges were looking worn and the wood was bare and dried out. My first coat I covered the whole counter top and left it for several hours.I wiped the excess off then repeated several more coats on just the worn areas.Final coat was left overnight.The worn spots now totally blend with the rest of the counter! It was so easy I decided to apply to my decorative cutting boards. They look fantastic! I suggest wearing rubber gloves.The product is oily.Also there is no strong odors to deal with! Worth every penny

The search for the best product and best food safe finish is over. This stuff is unbelievable. It gives the wood a smooth feeling like polly and really brings out the grain. It enhances the natural color of the wood without changing it. We are amazed by the depth of grain in Walnut, maple, Ash, and elm. It has a slight and pleasant honey smell when using it but does not have a smell once dry. To get best results you need to put very little work into it but the results far exceeded the effort.Here is what I did to get the best results and to reduce waste. In short use rubber gloves to hand rub for maximum coverage.Heat up the product for best penetration, seal, and finish.My recommendation for use.Get rubber gloves, hair dryer, and a wide shallow pan. Have a towel and hot pad ready. Place the wide shallow pan on the hot pad on your work surface with the product closed (seal under cap removed) place it laying horizontal in the pan. Use the hair dryer to heat the wood surface or cutting board that you intend to treat. As the water is heating up warm the wood surface on high heat and low blower setting. Before the water boils, leave the hair dryer on and blowing on the cutting board. Take tea kettle off of the stove. Pour water into the shallow pan so that the bottle is at least half way submerged with the lable facing up. Wait a few minutes and continue to warm up your cutting board with the hair dryer. With gloves on, set the hair dryer down and remove the bottle of product and wrap in towel. (Use tongs if water is too hot and use them to place bottle in the towel.) Shake up the bottle while wrapped in towel to prevent water from splashing off the wet bottle. Make sure your finger is holding the top of the lid down to ensure it does not pop open while shaking. Then place the bottle back in the water with the front lable facing down. Wait a few minutes and continue to warm the board with the blow dryer. Remove the bottle of product from the water and wrap in towel and shake well. The product should flow like water now that it is completely warmed, melted, and mixed. Now with right hand pour product on to cutting board while keeping it warm with the blow dryer in your left hand. Close lid on bottle and place back into pan. Use right hand to rub in the product while wearing the gloves. The hot air of the blow dryer should keep the product slick and viscous allowing it to penetrate into wood. Rub in circular motion all around the board and apply more product if needed. Be sure to rub into sides of board. Then rub in straight lines across the board in all directions to ensure even coverage. Use long even passes with the grain and focus on even coverage and try to minimize lines. Flip the board and apply to other side if pressed for time or do only one side at a time and do the other side the next day allowing each side to completely dry.After one hour at room temperature and low humidity, lightly wipe the board with a dry paper towel to remove any streaks as the product has started to set up and excess oil is brought to the surface. After 24 hours wipe off again with fresh paper towel to remove any excess oil on the surface. You will now have a very smooth and sealed surface. You will be so pleased by the expert results, you will feel so satisfied. I have never used a product that finishes so perfectly.

I use an end cut butcher block cutting surface to protect my Wüsthof knives. I've tried a few different conditioners and this is the best one I've found. It keeps the board fresh and ready to us.

Not only is this great for food grade use on cutting boards and wooden spoons, but also does a good job of protecting those wooden handles on rakes, brooms, axes etc....