>I finished turning a chalice for a close friend who (though no fault of his own... inside joke) is a priest. He is retiring and Easter will be his last mass. If I remember correctly (I'm more than a bit rusty on this stuff), wooden goblets where used at the Last Supper. So, I'm hoping this chalice will have some meaning for him and will use this gift on Easter.
What I'm trying to ask is, what finish can I use that will not leave a favor in the wine. And, what finish will hold up to red wine on occassional use?
>I still like the idea of a "no finish" finish. Simply sand to 2000 and then burnish. This will leave the wood with a natural luster that will gain patina with use. Any surface finish that you use will only flake off with time and usage.
>Might try walnut oil. When it dries it does not seem to have a flavor. Don't know how wine would do though.. Get walnut oil at your friendly grocery store....
I recommend Preserve from Klingspor's their web site is www.woodworkingshop.com. This is what I use for food or drink items. You can read their description. But this is an important point and I quote" the deep penetrating qualities of this finish prevent food juices and odors from penetrating woodenware. GT
I have asked this question of my pastor and my brother (also a Catholic priest). Their answer is that, according to General Instructions of the Roman Missal, wood is not an acceptable material for a chalice used in mass. The reason is that the wood is porous and the precious wine can soak into the wood, which is a no-no. The material has to be impervious to any absorption.
Having said that, there are options. Your friend may not worry about this "rule". This one is hard to know unless you ask, but then it is no longer a surprise. Consider an epoxy finish on the inside. Over many uses, it may wear out, but if he is retiring, it is unlikely that he will wear out the finish in his lifetime. You could try metal spinning and create an insert that folds over the lip of the chalice. A precious metal would be appropriate both for a chalice and for metal spinning. Another idea, you may try gold leaf. This would be quite a thin layer compared to the spun insert, but with an epoxy finish over the top, it would likely do the trick.
Finally, instead of a "user" chalice, maybe the gift is symbolic and not used in mass. It still stands as a symbol of his priesthood and as a token of a great friendship.
As for me, I doubt if either my pastor or my brother would actually use a wooden chalice were I to make one for them.
And, as you say, Jesus grew up as a carpenter's son. He very likely turned or carved more than his share of wooden bowls, cups and implements.
