# Mineral oil:beeswax ratio



## Devon_Steven (Oct 21, 2016)

I recently found and read some useful threads about members' experiences with various mineral oil:beeswax ratios for making board wax.

Now I can't find the threads! Neither by forum search nor by site-specific google searches 

One thread in particular is a photographic report where the author has a made a range of board waxes with several different ratios of oil to wax. If I remember right, the various results are pictured in small jars on top of a cutting board with a little dollop of wax next to each jar on the board surface.

Can anyone link me to that one? Or something similar?


Many thanks
Steven


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## Matus (Oct 21, 2016)

I though I will beat you to it, but I did not find it either ...


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## Devon_Steven (Oct 21, 2016)

Thanks for trying Matus.

Strange that it can't be found...


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## Devon_Steven (Oct 21, 2016)

Okay, a different search strategy and I found the threads...

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/28109-Homemade-Board-Cream-Question

and the pictures I was thinking of aren't on KKF, but on another site:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxEKq9uJ-aX7MGZfcUZ6YllGNTA


Still can't understand why the KKF thread above wasn't found since it contains all of the keywords I was searching with earlier..?


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## pkjames (Oct 21, 2016)

you dont have to have a specific ratio. Rather you mix it to the point that you feel like using it. Imagine you are mixing some sort of cream / paste. Some people want to have it thicker while others may prefer it slightly thinner and runny. You can add some coconut oil to the mix and even add some Vitamin E and essence oil, which will make a perfect winter gift to your partner


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## Mute-on (Oct 21, 2016)

Roughly oil 4:beeswax 1. Then adjust to your desired consistency. 

I'm pretty sure Dave Martell wrote something to that effect, anyway


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## Matus (Oct 21, 2016)

While I do not know the ratios, I tend to prefer thicker for knife handles and thinner for cutting boards.


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## Devon_Steven (Oct 21, 2016)

pkjames said:


> you dont have to have a specific ratio. Rather you mix it to the point that you feel like using it.



Yes. I thought that the pictures here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxEKq9uJ-aX7MGZfcUZ6YllGNTA would provide a useful starting point, however.


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## Devon_Steven (Oct 21, 2016)

Matus said:


> While I do not know the ratios, I tend to prefer thicker for knife handles and thinner for cutting boards.



That's a good point... although I don't treat my handles


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## Dave Martell (Oct 21, 2016)

Mute-on said:


> Roughly oil 4:beeswax 1. Then adjust to your desired consistency.
> 
> I'm pretty sure Dave Martell wrote something to that effect, anyway





Yup. This ratio provides a vaseline like texture which I like best for spread-ability on cutting boards.


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## strumke (Oct 21, 2016)

Just made some in a 1/2 pint mason jar. Poured mineral oil in up to the 3/4 mark, then added beeswax until the volume came up to about a 3:1 ratio (75%/25%). Popped it in the microwave at 1:30 intervals until it was all melted, gave it a stir and put it in the cabinet to cool down and firm up. Easy peasy.


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## Devon_Steven (Oct 22, 2016)

Dave Martell said:


> Yup. This ratio provides a vaseline like texture which I like best for spread-ability on cutting boards.



Okay, I think I'll start with a 10 per cent mix and then I can add wax to where I'm happy.



strumke said:


> Just made some in a 1/2 pint mason jar. Poured mineral oil in up to the 3/4 mark, then added beeswax until the volume came up to about a 3:1 ratio (75%/25%). Popped it in the microwave at 1:30 intervals until it was all melted, gave it a stir and put it in the cabinet to cool down and firm up. Easy peasy.



Nice idea about the microwave... I'll do that!


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## daveb (Oct 22, 2016)

Devon_Steven said:


> Nice idea about the microwave... I'll do that!



Sous Vide!


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## BorkWoodNC (Nov 21, 2016)

I do about 3 Oil to 2 parts wax

If I need it thinner I heat it up, the mix in the below picture is the same ratio but one is heated while the other is cooled


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## Nemo (Nov 21, 2016)

For mineral oil, I use liquid parrafin that I buy from a pharmacy. It's used orally as a laxative so should be food safe. It's much cheaper than mineral oil in a cooking supply store ($4 rather than $16 in my town).


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## Nemo (Nov 21, 2016)

BorkWoodNC said:


> I do about 3 Oil to 2 parts wax
> 
> If I need it thinner I heat it up



Great idea


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