Refinishing an Old Butcher Block

If you are going to use it for food then you want to use a food safe oil like mineral oil. You can find it at bed bath and beyond (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&... ) or other stores. you do not want to use vegetable oil or olive oil because it can turn rancid. you can also use bees wax. here is a link on how to apply food safe oil to wooden boards if you are going to use it for food.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/CuttingBoards/AllAbout.htm

FYI if you want to use it for food i would not stain it. once you apply the oilit will bring out the wood grain and will be beautiful!

You oil it after that. Keep rubbing oil into it. It will take a lot after that much neglect.

alton brown did a special on how to re-finish a butcher block, it was simple, there was a certain kind of oil that he used (i think it was a cooking oil but it wasn't canola something else) if you google his name with refinishing a butcher block you may be able to find it...i will look & send you a pm if i find it...

We redid the one in our kitchen. We sanded it well to remove not only grime, but many of the scratches. After cleaning away the dust (if you can sand outside your home, do that - mine was a kitchen island counter and I found dust for weeks!), I oil it with mineral oil. The first time, I kept applying until the oil would float on top. Then I wipe it down and apply a beeswax coating. I usually put that on the night before then "polish" it the next day. It makes it look good and protects it. If you don't use the beeswax, there's a tendency of the mineral oil to seep into anything paperlike you place on the counter. I give my counter top a "drink" once a month or so to keep it healthy. I didn't use any sealer - if you're going to put food on it, you have to be really careful as the sealers I found were not food safe. Good luck!

Once you have it sanded, you can refinish it using many products. But, It you intend to use food on it you can go to "Bed,Bath and Beyond" or I believe "Sears" and get "FOOD GRADE" oil to rub into the wood.

D. in Phoenix

If you've sanded it then you probably need to re-stain it and seal it. I'm not sure, but you may need to find something that is food safe?? Maybe someone else knows more about this than me, I'm not even sure something like that exists, but it seems like it would! My brother redid my dad's that was is pretty bad shape too and it looks beautiful now!