Mineral Oil for a Butcher Block or Cutting Board

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  1. #1

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    Mineral Oil for a Butcher Block or Cutting Board

    Hello -

    I'm looking for mineral oil in HK - does anyone know where to get it? I've already checked about 2 dozen Rx's, and similar, jusco, p'n's, watsons, mannings, etc, and even hardware stores. NO one has any!!! I want just plain mineral oil - nothing added. RX's only have baby oil - and that has additives.

    I want to treat a new cutting board I have. It will prevent the humidity from affecting the block, and keep bacteria away. And straight mineral oil is non-toxic to us.

    And other oils commonly thought of for treating butcher blocks, like walnut, olive, peanut oils, will turn rancid after awhile (which is simply the fats breaking down) - and will not only smell bad, but be dangerous to our health. (rancid is like when bacon goes bad in the fridge after a month or two - the white fat breaks down and it smells horrible - and you wouldn't eat it either! that's rancid, and all vegatable/fruit/nut/animal oils will eventually break down)

    Because it doesn't absorb moisture from the air or break down, its used as brake fluid, keeping your knives from oxidizing, etc. You'll commonly get a new tool that is "oily" - well that is it.


    And to give a bit more info on mineral oil: (I include this info here in case it jogs someone's memory on an odd place they might know where it exists!)

    WikiPedia says it all - you might be surprised by the uses. And I'm surprised no one carries it in HK.
    Mineral oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Common uses are:
    -It's non toxic to us, internally and externally, so it's used in a wide variety of products.

    - Mineral Oil is the main ingredient of Baby Oil. However, Baby Oils (all brands generally) put FRAGRANCE in it, and sometimes Vit E. So that precludes its use in other ways, especially on food prep or drinking it.

    - Mineral Oil is also a Laxative. Straight Mineral Oil without VitE/Fragrance can be drank! A spoonful and in 6 hours and youll be singing.

    - It's used to soften ear wax naturally.

    - Geeks are even cooling their computers with it. You can fill up an aquarium tank with mineral oil, and put your whole motherboard in there to cool it. It does NOT conduct electricity!!!! Strange, huh? But True!

    - Mineral Oil is also known as liquid petrolatum and also PARAFFIN oil. And that is used in Antique lamps for burning. Or in Candles (as Paraffin Wax) or VASOLINE (also paraffin wax). Of course, I'm looking for the oil, not the wax.

    So I've tried all sorts of places and products that carry it for above mentioned functions, and can't find pure mineral oil. In the US - it's in every drug store as simply "mineral oil". Usually next to the baby oil, or in the laxative section. it's also in every hardware store, in several places, most notably in the floor/wood treatment area.

    If I don't find it here (it HAS to be here - as it is used in SO many things in manufacturing!!!) then I'm going to have to import some from the usa!
    And then I'll become THE MINERAL OIL KING OF HK!!!! hahahaha


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    93

    I bought something in the UK which seems to be mainly beeswax and orange oil (?) and says it is specifically for butcher's blocks (so I guess non toxic).

    I have noticed there is an antiques' shop on Hollywood Road (near the escalator) that has a ton of different wood polishes, waxes and treatment bottles in the window - so you could try there.

    good luck

    Kazbo


  3. #3

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    Thank you Kazbo - I didn't think of the antique connection! That's a perfect suggestion. I'll let you all know if I find it!


  4. #4

    Have you tried IKEA? Haven't been to the HK stores but it's where we buy it in the UK.


  5. #5

    Hi AsiaJason,

    Did you find it ? I need mineral oil for exactly the same purpose. I tried Ikea and CitySuper today but failed.


  6. #6

    Join Date
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    I have seen it at Ikea in the past -- it's right by the cutting boards. But they could be out of stock.

    It might be worth checking out Pantry Magic, on Hysan Avenue in Causeway Bay. Alternatively, you could head out to the restaurant supply shops on Shanghai Street (Yau Ma Tei). They'd probably stock it, too.


  7. #7

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    Have you tried asking at local pharmacies?


  8. #8

    Hurra, I found it !!

    Thanks to you all for your ideas.

    I found them in 2 places:

    - Ikea - Skydd (white mineral oil), they go out of stock quite frequently, but they said the next delivery will be this Sunday, HKD39.90

    - Pan Handler (Prince's Building) - T&G Wood Treatment Oil HKD170.

    Not sure if I see the difference between the 2 as both are for the treatment of chopping boards and hence are safe to use.

    The other places I tried (I telephoned of course) but confirmed negative are: Pantry Magic, Sogo, Oliver's, The Tree, Indigo, GOD, ilovekitchen, Resouce Asia, Mannings, Watsons, and Chan Chi Kee (Shanghai St).

    Pantry Magic even recommended using vegetable oil as-a-matter-of-factly, which I was stunned !!!

  9. #9

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    Thanks Global kid, I'll pick some up on Saturday. Going to use it on my knives. One negative about it is that it's a petrochemical derivative, which means it might well increase your cancer risk.

    Last edited by jayinhongkong; 10-07-2008 at 01:17 AM.

  10. #10

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by AsiaJason:
    I want to treat a new cutting board I have. It will prevent the humidity from affecting the block, and keep bacteria away. And straight mineral oil is non-toxic to us.
    How much did you pay for the cutting board? Wouldn't it be cheaper and, in HK anyway, easier to just use it until it dies and then buy another one?
    Our cutting boards are years old and I started off mineral oiling them after use but then decided that was crazy.
    Also bought a second cutting board made from a single piece of wood and see no reason to oil it. The one made from pieces of wood has some cracks in the end (between the pieces) but they don't appear to be increasing.
    And, like I said earlier, these things are years old. Like in the 10 year range. Saved a bunch of mineral oil money.

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