English Oak Wooden Platter, 14" (PL27)

Beautiful wooden serving tray or platter made from an urban Colorado English Oak tree. There aren't very many Oak trees where I live, and this was the first English Oak I've run across. English Oak (also called European Oak) has been rated as having very good resistance to decay, and is commonly used in boatbuilding applications. English Oak falls into the White Oak group, which makes it excellent for kitchen items (bowls, plates, platters), as far as durability and it is a tighter grained wood than Red Oak. As you can see in the pictures there was a crack in the rim. It was a tight crack (as opposed to open or separated), but to stabilize and secure the crack I used several Quartersawn Sycamore "Pewa" or Butterfly patches. Pewa is a Hawaiian word meaning "tail of a fish". The Hawaiian's of old have used Pewa to repair bowls and vessels for hundreds of years, and to them when an item was repaired the item meant more to them or had higher value to them since the owner cared enough to have it repaired. The owner could continue to use that item for years instead of throwing it away. Only the most skilled craftsmen were allowed to repair items which no doubt added to the value. The Pewa patches strengthen the crack and keep the wood from moving or cracking any further. The repaired area is just as strong as the surrounding wood, but is also adds a decorative feature that now sets this serving tray apart from any other. One of the Sycamore patches must have been made from a different piece of wood as it is much darker in color than the other patches. The dimensions are 14-1/8" diameter x 1" tall. The rim is 1-3/4" wide with the center recess being 10-1/4". The foot design is a large bead that is wide and stable, and an added benefit is the bead gives your fingertips something to hook onto for a secure grip. The underneath side of the rim is a wide gentle curve which gives plenty of room for your hand to fit underneath while carrying. Finished with Odie's Oil, which is a food safe oil that doesn't have any toxic solvents, driers or hardeners. Odie's is so durable that it's also commonly used as a finish for wood flooring. If it can stand up to that then a platter is no problem. To me quality is not just in how the bowl is made or what type of wood is used, quality also means using the best finish you can if you want your bowl to last and look good for years. Use and care instructions are provided.