Thread: Problem sanding a used butchers block

I guess the block is segmental verticle end grain? If so, good luck with getting the oil out. By now it has probably gone right through. To get the working surface oil free it would be better to use a solvent. Food friendly of course. White spirit, metho, something like that. Even a strong dishwashing liquid. you may have to repeat the treatment as you sand down and strike oil (so to speak) once again. Metho is a good grain lifter and helps with the sanding. Dont use a fast sander, as the friction will heat the surface and raise the oil. A scraper may be a better option.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give the metho a try.
Apart from the initial 40 grit sanding, it's all been sanded by hand - slowly.

Plan was to treat with paraffin oil as per suggestions elsewhere in this forum, will the existing vegetable oil be a problem with this?

Why don't you scrape it instead of sanding it.

Geoff this is brilliant stuff Organoil - Woodwipe

After the metho/washingup liquid cycle, most of the oil was removed so I could sand it (no scapers, must gt/make one).
I left it to dry and after a day, the oil is starting to show through again.

I mixed up some of the Sam Maloof mixture (poly, tung oil, boiled linseed oil) and applied it to the trolley (not the butchers block top) and the finish even after one coat is fantastic.

Geoff,

Sanding....give that a miss.

Try a scraper or scraping plane...if no scraper plane then any plane woiuld do.

You will have to clamp a piece of timber to the edges to prevent any splintering.

Then you can give it a light sand and re-oil with paraffin.

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

After the metho/washingup liquid cycle, most of the oil was removed so I could sand it (no scapers, must gt/make one).
I left it to dry and after a day, the oil is starting to show through again.

I mixed up some of the Sam Maloof mixture (poly, tung oil, boiled linseed oil) and applied it to the trolley (not the butchers block top) and the finish even after one coat is fantastic.

As soon as the metho evaporates the oil will start to rise again. As the metho dries in only a few seconds, get into the cutting back straight away. Dont leave it overnight or if you do, hit it with metho again. A scraper will speed things up a bit.

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

After the metho/washingup liquid cycle, most of the oil was removed so I could sand it (no scapers, must gt/make one).

I have a cheap knife that I got from an Asian grocery store for about $5. It looks like a little Cleaver. It doesn't hold an edge all that well, but a couple wipes with the steel & lookout.

I often use that to scrape my butchers block, & it works a treat.

Steve

A good scraper can be made from a piece of old hand saw blade. Square the edge with a file and set the bur with the side of a nail punch.