You know what they say in the world of products: fast, cheap, good; pick two
Which is very similar to my experience when trying to find the most suitable wood finish for my hand carved wooden spoons and coffee cups.
hand carved wooden spoon
It’s hard to find a finish that:
cures fast (in less than 2 days)
is food safe (can be used on things you eat or drink from, like spoons and cups)
is free of solvents (doesn’t smell of nasty chemicals that make you dizzy every time you apply it)
and with the hard requirement of making wood hydrophobic and leaving a visually pleasant sheen without creating a plasticky layer
# Natural drying oils
Sure, we have pure tung oil which doesn’t need any solvent, has a pleasant nutty smell, and cures into a food-safe hydrophobic polymer inside the wood fibers. But it takes 2 to 4 weeks for the curing to happen depending on oxygen intake, and the finish is quite matte and boring.
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