How often should I replace my wooden tankard?

[tiberiusflynn]

So I've had my wooden tankard for almost two years now, one of the typical ones you can find at any faire. I generally drink from it every day, as I live by myself and see no real reason to use other glasses.

I was wondering if the sealant ever comes off and if I should replace it any time soon. I talked to one of the vendors at scarby but she didn't know..

[Zardoz]

I guess it depends on the mug.  My wife has had a Wonderous Works in Wood for about 4 years, but she does not use it every day.  The WWW mugs are coated with several coats of a FDA approved food safe plastic. They say as long as you don't put your mug in the dishwasher, microwave, or freezer, or pour boiling water in it, it should last a long time.

[Merlin]

I'm thinking...if only used at faire..... it'll be broken or lost before she springs a leak.

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

Tankards should be used for one year and then sent to me for proper disposal!

[tiberiusflynn]

LOL! Thanks for the response.

I've only cleaned it with me own two hands and never had anything hot in it. I just noticed that sometimes after drinking out of it and wiping it out there was brown coming off on my rag...now that could be my beer having stained the side of it??? I dunno. My drinks still taste fine coming out of it, but since most of what I drink out of it is either ale, or rum...lol!

[DonaCatalina]

Feel of it with your bare hands and look for cracks in the coating. If it has cracked the brown stuff could be mold growing under the coating.

[Ambrosine]

eewwwww

[Merlin]

Feel of it with your bare hands and look for cracks in the coating. If it has cracked the brown stuff could be mold growing under the coating.

*barf*

[Woodland Artisan]

[Full disclosure:  I make wooden goblets/tankards/mugs/cups and all sorts of kitchenware for various events/merchants such as renfaires, craft shows, reenactments along with retail kitchen stores and custom orders for individuals for a living.]

Knightofistari,

It very much depends on how it was made and what kind of use/abuse it's had.  There is no general shelf-life for those things.  If possible, contact the merchant and/or the maker of your tankard and ask them what it was finished with.  There is no standard finish used so someone who didn't make it, wouldn't necessarily know what it was finished with much less know how to fix it.  Also ask about the brown coloration.  If it was cleaned well, and there isn't some sort of problem, you shouldn't be getting any color on the rag.

DonaCatalina,

Mold is certainly a possibility; good call.   If the maker didn't dry the wood before finishing, then mold could have continued growing under the inside finish causing the finish to fail.  Not good.  Or the finish could have failed and moisture leaked into the wood and caused mold growth over time.  Not good.  Or the finish could have just simply worn away and the brown is just from the natural color of the wood coming off.  Again, not good (but better than mold!)  Anyway, even if it is mold, that can be taken care of.

A proper finish for this kind of woodenware won't stain.  So, it *shouldn't* be that ... but then I don't know who put what finish on there so that might be a possibility.  But, doubtful.

Regardless of the reason, it needs to be fixed.  Contact the merchant/maker.  If you can't do that or they are of no help, contact me.  I can help you do the refinishing yourself if you'd like to try it.  If the tankard is, otherwise, in good condition, there's no reason to not use it after we figure out what is really wrong with it and fix it.

By the way, all of my kitchenware is guaranteed for LIFE for (almost) any reason.  No, "R", throwing it at your audience or deflecting a blade strike isn't covered! <grin>  Well, ok, I'd probably fix it anyway. ha!

[Woodland Artisan]

[Putting on my money-grubbing commercialization hat ...]


Of course, I should have said, "You should replace your wooden tankard" every other week.  They have a life-span of just about 10 days and no more.  To discuss your obviously well-past-dated tankard, please call 555 - 22..............................

<grin>

[Ambrosine]

You mean I shouldn't replace it after every drink? 

[Woodland Artisan]

Ummmmmm ....... Yes!      That's exactly right, Lady Raven.  (I like the way you think)


By the way, someone said something about not to pour boiling water into them.  Boiling the water while it's in there isn't good but a well-made tankard/mug/etc. *should* be fine with boiling water poured in.  The ones I make are fine for that; such as using them for coffee or soup/noodles as I do myself at some events.  However, always check with the maker first as not all of them use finishes or techniques to allow for that ... not to mention their warranty for that use.

[tiberiusflynn]

Feel of it with your bare hands and look for cracks in the coating. If it has cracked the brown stuff could be mold growing under the coating.

Wow...that is...kinda gross. First I'm told eating tuna everyday will cause respitory problems and shut down my brain synapses, then I was told my house might have black mold and now my own mug might even be possibly moldy??? Man, maybe I really am cursed.....

[Full disclosure:  I make wooden goblets/tankards/mugs/cups and all sorts of kitchenware for various events/merchants such as renfaires, craft shows, reenactments along with retail kitchen stores and custom orders for individuals for a living.]

Knightofistari,

It very much depends on how it was made and what kind of use/abuse it's had.  There is no general shelf-life for those things.  If possible, contact the merchant and/or the maker of your tankard and ask them what it was finished with.  There is no standard finish used so someone who didn't make it, wouldn't necessarily know what it was finished with much less know how to fix it.  Also ask about the brown coloration.  If it was cleaned well, and there isn't some sort of problem, you shouldn't be getting any color on the rag.

A proper finish for this kind of woodenware won't stain.  So, it *shouldn't* be that ... but then I don't know who put what finish on there so that might be a possibility.  But, doubtful.

Regardless of the reason, it needs to be fixed.  Contact the merchant/maker.  If you can't do that or they are of no help, contact me.  I can help you do the refinishing yourself if you'd like to try it.  If the tankard is, otherwise, in good condition, there's no reason to not use it after we figure out what is really wrong with it and fix it.

By the way, all of my kitchenware is guaranteed for LIFE for (almost) any reason.  No, "R", throwing it at your audience or deflecting a blade strike isn't covered! <grin>  Well, ok, I'd probably fix it anyway. ha!

Yeah I'll take a closer inspection of the inside of my mug after a really good wash and see what I can see.....It might not be mold, I might not be cleaning it well!! That mug's been with me through some good times. I acquired it at TRF at one of the two average mug shops....not in any of the specialty ones like knarly knot, etc....I honestly can't remember which (I've had ALOT to drink since then), but since all the mugs look the same in both shops, they're probably the same distributor...

By the way, all of my kitchenware is guaranteed for LIFE for (almost) any reason.  No, "R", throwing it at your audience or deflecting a blade strike isn't covered! <grin>  Well, ok, I'd probably fix it anyway. ha!

Yeah, I'd fix someones mug if they deflected a blade strike with it.....thats fairly impressive, epsecially if they lived to bring it to you to get fixed....:-)