How do I care for my wood bowls?
To maintain the finish of a functional bowl, use mineral oil
only from the first use on. Other oils can cause stickiness; vegetable and/or olive oil will
become rancid. Once the bowl is used, the original art finish will dull. Bowls may be hand washed
with soap and water. Dry immediately. Do not let liquid sit in the bowl or leave it soaking in a
sink. An occasional coating with mineral oil will bring back the sheen and depth of grain. Nylon,
plastic or wooden utensils are recommended for use with all wooden bowls. To maintain the finish of a non-functional
bowl, apply a light coat of fine furniture paste wax with a soft cloth. Let dry and buff to a
sheen with a clean, soft cloth. NOTE: The application of mineral oil to the Norfolk Pine is not recommended except for the purpose of food service.
For Your Information:
Take care to avoid overspray from chemical products, such as glass
cleaner, as it will permanently etch the finish. Direct sunlight affects all wood. Ultraviolet
rays tend to darken or fade wood. Last, but not least, if you drop a bowl or hollow vessel, expect
it to break.
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What about the coloring and markings of the Norfolk Pine?
The Norfolk Pine will sometimes
have regularly spaced whitish specks and/or long lines radiating from the center of the piece.
These are pine needles. The needles continue to grow outward from the center of the tree under
the bark.
The Norfolk Pine will sometimes have small holes left by wood boring beetles, long since
departed.
A Norfolk Pine tree will sometimes have a natural dark center, most are solid amber. After
falling the tree, all other color is derived from bacteria in the beginning process of
decomposition known as spalting.
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What is the difference between Cook and Norfolk Pine?
The difference is that Norfolk Pine tends to be all amber with
concentric limbs. Cook Pine tends to have a dark center surrounded by
amber with nonconcentric limbs. A botanist has suggested that these 2
types of trees have hybridized over time here in the islands. Often
what will appear to be a Norfolk will have the "Cook Pine"
center. A Cook Pine tree center can be so dense that it is very
difficult to achieve translucence that I strive for. Elevation,
rainfall and other factors make each tree unique.
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Why do you use patches and what are they?
I patch cracks that are naturally occurring within a
particular tree or are caused by the wood drying. I will also
use patches to fill bark pockets.
The patch I use is called a butterfly patch. The rest of the world
refers to this type of patch as “Flying Dutchman.”
This is a traditional Hawaiian style patch. This same patch was used
by ancient Hawaiians to repair their food and storage bowls.
A bowl with many patches is more valuable than a bowl with no patches.
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