417695 Tue Jul 03 22:20:24 -0700 2007 9 41 Cookware 0 2718380 Hi! I just bought some custom made wooden spoons from a couple that makes and sells wooden spoons...made to order. They are made of cherry wood and are approx 13in long and 3in wide at the spoon with nice thick handles. Here is the problem: They arrived in a box nicely oiled and smooth and gleaming. They sat in my mailbox for approx 3 days awaiting pickup in the hot 114 degree heat here in sunny AZ so I re-oiled them thinking they might need a bit more loving care after the heat. I used one of the spoons the other night to stir mashed potatoes. I rinsed the spoon (no soaking) and dried. It was now ROUGH and textured. I thought, let's re-oil..again. This time the napkin used to oil left little tears and micro fibers on the wood due to its roughness. So, I re-oiled again...this time using a dish cloth to dry...same thing..micro fibers stuck in the wood...still rough...still textured AND slight splintering (not cracking or splitting) and wood pealing off. Is this normal? I realize wood expands and contracts when exposed to water, but does that mean my beautiful wooden spoons that were shiny, smooth and gleaming new are now relegated to a life of rough and tough and texturedness? Did I do something wrong? Can I fix it? Do I send them back to the maker? HELP! Tue Jul 03 22:20:24 -0700 2007 95300 ktcolt 1 2718689 This should never happen to wood spoons. I would call the makers and try to send them back. 114 degrees should not be enough to ruin a wood spoon. Heck, I've actually had well-intentioned guesst put my olive wood spoons in my dishwasher, which would operate at 180 degrees for two hours, and they have come out okay. Maybe there is a problem with the wood they used -- not cured, perhaps? Wed Jul 04 06:18:47 -0700 2007 2718380 87837 RGC1982 2 2718876 The wood is Cherry and the edge is peeling a small chunk of the wood....will a good sanding help? The spoons on arriaval where gorgeous and smooth and shiny and a most pleasant texture...now they are just rough. Arggggggggggh. I spent $15 a piece for each spoon for a total of $30 .....HELP!! Wed Jul 04 08:08:40 -0700 2007 2718689 95300 ktcolt 3 2719477 I'd stop messing with them and just contact the maker. At some point, they will tell you that you did something wrong and the warranty is not valid anymore. Sanding may be the action that does that, plus this is just way too much maintenance for this item. I doubt seriously that it was the mailbox episode that did this. It seems like the wood is somewhat porous and that it is expanding when wet, causing the rough appearance and surface splintering. That should not happen with an expensive cooking spoon. I have had that happen with really cheap ones -- you know, where you get five assorted sizes at the dollar store, which is why I don't buy cheap ones anymore. I seriously think oiling them again was already more than you needed to do. I've never oiled a wooden spoon in my life and I've cooked with them regularly for forty years. And I can assure you that I've never considered sanding them either. Even a dishwasher stint shouldn't have this effect. They sound defective to me. Wed Jul 04 12:54:32 -0700 2007 2718876 87837 RGC1982 4 2719511 I spent $15 a piece for 2 "matching" wood spoons...one with a deep bowl and one with a square bowl/spatula function...I love the spoons but wow...for $30 bucks I shouldnt have to go to the store for 400 grain sand paper and some mineral oil and "re-do" them...I used the one spoon ONE TIME and the texture is so noticable when side by side next the the un-used spoon. I just cant figure out what I did wrong. Wed Jul 04 13:06:12 -0700 2007 2719477 95300 ktcolt 1 2720292 The spoonmakers didn't treat the spoons properly and they probably covered them with wax topping for a low luster type appearance. You should never use wood items that have a shiny finish with food. Wax topping will be gone. What you should do to use these spoons in cooking is the following. Sand the spoons to 400 grit and then spray the spoons with a mist of water to raise the grain. Then go back with 400 to cut the raised grain (you will never get raised grain after this). You can treat wooden spoons salad bowls, wooden cutting boards, etc.) with walnut or almond oil after that if you like deeper, darker color. These oils won't evaporate like mineral oil or vegetable oil, but will penetrate into the wood, bind with it and dry off, leaving a durable penetrating oil finish. Wed Jul 04 21:52:35 -0700 2007 2718380 99708 Mariana 2 2720329 Will oils that are nut based go rancid? The spoon makers knew I was cooking with them as I custom ordered them...maybe I am just naive to wooden spoons and what I was feeling was the raised grain after my first use...can I use steel wool instead of 400 grit sand paper? Thank you for your help!! I was beginning to think that the $35 bucks I spent for these two spoons was a waste. Wed Jul 04 22:30:12 -0700 2007 2720292 95300 ktcolt 3 2723227 Hi. Walnut oil and almond oil will not go rancid. They will dry off. Vegetable oils and olive oil will go rancid. Mineral oil is not the best for treating wood, actually: it is a petrochemical product and it evaporates fairly quickly, i.e. doesn't really protect wood in any lasting fashion. Read the discussion about how to treat wooden utencils: spoons, salad bowls and cutting boards here http://www.dld123.com/q&a/qandatemp.php?id=Q33 I use Mike Mahoney's heat treated walnut oil and special wax and these two make wooden items in my kitchen beautiful. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16418&cookietest=1 Thu Jul 05 21:38:14 -0700 2007 2720329 99708 Mariana 4 2723241 Ok, just so I am clear....I am using my spoons to cook with...not to display. Can I use almond and walnut oils on utensils I cook with...without imparting the taste of the oils? Thanks! Thu Jul 05 21:44:51 -0700 2007 2723227 95300 ktcolt 1 2725576 Ok, here is how it ended...I went to the hardware store and bought a 320 grit sanding sponge and some 600 grit sand paper. I wet the wood to raise the grain and sanded with the 320...let it dry...wet it again...sanded with the 320....dried...sanded with the 600 to finish...rinsed...dried and oiled with mineral oil until I can get some walnut oil next time at the grocery. Smooth as when the spoons first arrived!! Fri Jul 06 15:28:21 -0700 2007 2718380 95300 ktcolt