[TheForge] food-safe finishes

[Steven.Walker at its.state.ms.us]

Wow! This is a difficult subject and there doesn't appear to the a right or
wrong answer. Everyone has "their" way of finishing.

I don't have customers....just family and friends that I'm give stuff to.
But even though they aren't customers,  I still don't want something I give
them turn to rust in two months. And I haven't been doing this long enough
to have tried a bunch of different methods.

This is what I've been doing:

Anything that is destined for exterior use, like a plant hook, I spray
paint to prohibit rust.
Anything that is destined for interior use, like key racks, hooks, pulls,
etc, I put a beeswax/llinseed oil mixture on.

But my big concern is a finish for the cooking utensils (bbq forks, spoons,
skewers) I've been experimenting with.  I have two concerns: 1) to keep it
from rusting before I give it to someone (like waiting two months for
Christmas or  birthday) and 2) what tell them to care for it to keep it
from rusting with usage.

I'm thinking I should apply beeswax/linseed oil initially while I'm waiting
to give it to someone to keep them from rusting.

But what do I tell them how to care for the item once the get it?   I'm
assuming they should wash with hot water and soap to remove beeswax/linseed
oil. But what should they do from this point forward initially and after
use each time that will keep it from rusting.  I don't want to spend time
making stuff to give to people for it only to rust and then them throw it
away because they can't keep it from rusting.

Thanks!
Walker