[TheForge] Seasoning tasting spoons: EXPERIMENT

[Bruce Freeman]

I've tried applying it, but I haven't tried weather testing.  

Polyethylene goes onto "warm" steel very nicely.  I have a reference that suggests that the melting point of polyethylene ranges from ~90C to ~140C (~200F to ~280F), so the steel can be heated in a 250F to 300F kitchen oven and the polyethylene applied and allowed to melt onto and into the crevasses of the steel. 

I can attest that the result is very nice on black iron, but i haven't experimented with polished steel.  I expect that some degree of skill would be needed.

Here's a link to recycling symbols: 
 http://americanplasticscouncil.org/s_apc/sec.asp?TRACKID=&CID=313&DID=931

It looks to me like HDPE (milk jugs, Symbol "2") would be a good choice.  LDPE ("4") and PP ("5") would also be worth considering.  

As a precaution, it might be worth using ONLY food-grade containers for coating kitchen items.  The reason is that plastics often have additives, and we might not want these on our kitchenware.

If anyone wants to try accelerated weathering tests, I'd suggest immersion in warm salted vinegar overnight or longer.  If that doesn't rust it, then it's probably not going to rust during kitchen use.

Bruce
NJ

>>> flyinpig at go-concepts.com 8/16/2005 8:32:48 AM >>>
Bruce,

As a blacksmith, have you tried it?  Do you know what number (inside the
recycle triangle) polyethelene would be on the container?

Sounds like another experiment?  who wants to grate up a 5 gal bucket, or
two, one white, one black and set the stuff outside for a year ;)?  I
suppose there's a chipper/shredder out there that would eat strips of the
stuff, and put out some chips that could be suspended in, whatever solution?
to distribute it evenly on the warm iron with a brush.

Just rambling...Kevin D



 -----Original Message-----
 From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
 [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Bruce Freeman
 Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 7:59 AM
 To: theforge at mailman.qth.net 
 Subject: Re: [TheForge] Seasoning tasting spoons: EXPERIMENT


 Purely paraffinic (saturated) mineral oil won't "dry" (i.e.,
 polymerize).   Unsaturated "mineral" oils should dry, but I don't
 know a convenient source of these, other than chemical catalogs.

 There IS a work-around, though.  Polyethylene is essentially
 "polymerized mineral oil".  It can be melted onto a hot surface.
 Works pretty well, and looks nice.  I don't know why blacksmiths
 don't use this more often.  It could be the answer to all those
 questions of protecting steel outdoors.

 Bruce

 >>> lance at bentoaks.org 8/15/2005 11:12:14 PM >>>
 try mineral oil, clean and doesn,t turn or get sticky


  Lance


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