# Mineral Stained Wood in a Cutting Board?



## Sprung (Aug 17, 2015)

Today a local cabinet maker brought over a bunch more wood for me. Today it was all Walnut. A fair amount of sapwood in these pieces - and much of that sapwood is mineral stained. I'm guessing maybe from metal in the tree, as this was once a yard tree, from what I've been told.

I'm looking to make my first cutting boards soon. However, I am wondering about using walnut sapwood that is mineral stained? Safe or ok to use?

Couple pics of what I'm talking about, wet with lacquer thinner. That nice, curly piece in the first pic will be spared becoming a cutting board and saved for something else. There's some light curl in a handful of these pieces too.


----------



## ClintW (Aug 17, 2015)

As long as it wasn't lead that caused the staining, I wouldn't see why not.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## NYWoodturner (Aug 17, 2015)

If it was from nails - barbed wire etc... the stain would be localized. This appears to be through the length of the boards and would be minerals from the soil and rocks in the soil. Should be no problem at all IMO.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Sprung (Aug 17, 2015)

NYWoodturner said:


> If it was from nails - barbed wire etc... the stain would be localized. This appears to be through the length of the boards and would be minerals from the soil and rocks in the soil. Should be no problem at all IMO.



Yes, it's running through the length of these pieces - like it was in the whole tree. Makes sense that metal would be localized and mineral staining from rocks/soil would be spread out like this! Thanks! I've got enough pieces that are already S4S to glue up into one long piece, plane, and cut two or three cutting boards out of, so I might be doing some glue ups tonight or tomorrow.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


----------



## Tony (Aug 17, 2015)

Matt, you should be fine IMO. I've used it for years and haven't had any problems come of it. Be sure and post pics when you get some done! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 17, 2015)

Could not be any worse then the thinner that soaked in.  I have some chestnut that is stained gray for quite a few feet.


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 17, 2015)

PS- Nice walnut...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## barry richardson (Aug 17, 2015)

That's some nice wood! Should be fine unless it was stained with plutonium... then you might have to wait a couple thousand years...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 5


----------



## Mr. Peet (Aug 17, 2015)

Hey Matt,

I fail to see any of the staining. All I saw was intermittent heart wood expansion. An end-grain pic or 2 would confirm so.


----------



## Sprung (Aug 17, 2015)

Mr. Peet said:


> Hey Matt,
> 
> I fail to see any of the staining. All I saw was intermittent heart wood expansion. An end-grain pic or 2 would confirm so.



I'll try to get a couple end grain pics tomorrow. I've not worked with a ton of walnut, but I've never seen this in walnut before.


----------



## Sprung (Aug 17, 2015)

Mike1950 said:


> Could not be any worse then the thinner that soaked in.



But I just had to get a better look at those curls!

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Sprung (Aug 18, 2015)

@Mr. Peet - Mark, here's an end grain shot of a couple pieces for you to check out.


----------



## GeorgeS (Aug 19, 2015)

I don't see anything strange about that walnut either. A lot of the wood I used on my barn door looked like that.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Sprung (Aug 19, 2015)

GeorgeS said:


> I don't see anything strange about that walnut either. A lot of the wood I used on my barn door looked like that.



Thanks. I was curious because, while I've not worked with a ton of walnut, I've never seen that grey present in the sapwood or where the sapwood meets the heartwood before.


----------



## GeorgeS (Aug 19, 2015)

@Sprung Man I had kinds of variation in color! Some grayish to really dark purple. That's one of the things I love about walnut. You will loose some of that when finished. The grey will probably hang around but the purples darken up.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Mr. Peet (Aug 20, 2015)

Yep, looks to be transition wood. Enjoy the contrast and market it in your favor...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------

