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  • From: Carla Shafer <cs13 AT cornell.edu>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] What do you use for food safe oil for garden tools?
  • Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:31:47 -0400

It's another rainy day in the Hudson Valley, and we thought we'd have the farm interns clean, sharpen, and oil some of our tools, including harvesting clippers and knives. We're wondering what kind of oil others use for tools that will come in contact with soil and food?

We thought food grade mineral oil would make a good coating, but it's too heavy an oil for things like secateurs. I use Gibbs spray on tractor parts, etc. Gibbs is fantastic for preventing rust. If you heat it with a torch after treating, it apparently bonds and becomes very stable. The promotional propaganda and Materials Data Sheet make it sound more safe and stable than anything else I've run across, but am still not sure about how it might interact with the environment.

Any best practices out there?

Carla Shafer
Assistant Farmer Manager

Phillies Bridge Farm Project               http://www.philliesbridge.org
45 Phillies Bridge Road
New Paltz, NY 12561




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