My favorite lumberyard (where I get most of my bowl blanks) specializes in curly/fiddleback/birdseye maple, all of which I love for their holographic/chatoyant qualities.
Because I'm a beginner, I've been finishing everything first with mineral oil, then with beeswax. I like these because they're organic, foodsafe, and easy to apply.
However, as I revisit my oldest works (seeing them, for example, in a friend's house), I'm struck by how badly the finish ages - they become dull, start showing scratches easily, and generally lose their luster. Especially sad with the great figure that comes from curly maple!
What's your recommendation for a durable, foodsafe finish that will help my bowls retain their chatoyancy for as long as possible? (It would be great if the end-user could refresh the finish themselves, as they can with butcher-block finish, etc, but I find my recipients rarely do this).
Thanks!