Boiled linseed oil....

D

d.weglarz13

Joined
Jun 4, 2008
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Okay, this might sound weird....I really don't like the smell of boiled linseed oil.:foot:
Maybe its the brand i have? Or perhaps regular linseed oil smells better and is good for the axe too.
Am i the only one? Is there something similar that you guys use?
Or should i just get used to it. Its not that bad, but i don't know, my axe makes my room smell, well, just weird. Any suggestions?
thanks guys

dave
 
Boiled linseed oil doesn't smell very pleasant but it will slowly dissipate. It isn't really 'boiled'; rather, it has chemical additives to speed up its drying after application. It's mainly those chemicals that you smell. During the application process, best to keep your axe or whatever tool in a garage, basement, on the porch, etc. And yes, open the windows.

Regarding application, this may be obvious to you but someone always comes along and asks, so: Apply generously and wipe off the excess before it dries. Otherwise you'll end up with a gummy mess. If you want a nice shine, you can rub it with a soft cloth after wiping off the excess. Apply several coats. The old-school rule was to apply once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, then once a year thereafter. With the modern 'boiled' stuff, however, that's probably overkill. But once a day for a few days, and then once every few years for well-used tools, is probably more than sufficient to keep your handle weatherproofed and beautiful for its working life.
 
Apply one coat. Wipe off excess. Let absorb/ dry. Use axe. Reapply if needed as needed. You don't need 19 coats.
 
If you don't like linseed oil you could always use walnut oil. I use it on all my kid furniture, cutting boards and some handles.
It's food safe, fairly neutral in ph, and does not stink.
Walnut oil will penetrate better than linseed and hardens instead of getting gummy.
 
Oh, and btw don't leave towels or rags laying around saturated with the stuff. As it dries and oxidizes it can cause towels and rags to spontaneously burst into flames.
I've never had it happen, but there are woodworkers out there that have.

My suggestion is to keep your workplace clean and to take them out to the trash once you are done with them.
Making firewood for your house is more productive than making you house into firewood.
 
If you're using really old linseed oil, that could be the problem. The really old stuff can smell terrible. If you're oil is new and you still don't like the smell then you could just let the axes sit in an outbuilding until the smell dissipates a bit.
 
Cicatriz said:
Have you had any problems with flax seed oil going rancid and growing fuzzy things?
Click to expand...


on the axe? not as of yet, only starting to try it. seems thinner and as such seems to penetrates more. I use it sparingly though, if I was using it in thick coats I left on I could see it going rancid perhaps?...
 
klammer said:
on the axe? not as of yet, only starting to try it. seems thinner and as such seems to penetrates more. I use it sparingly though, if I was using it in thick coats I left on I could see it going rancid perhaps?...
Click to expand...

I was just curious since the bottle I have says it has to be refrigerated after opening.
It would be a better smell though.
 
storyville said:
Flaxseed oil and linseed oil (not 'boiled') are one and the same.
Click to expand...

Yes sir, that is very true.
While flax seeds are used for both, the way they are processed makes two very distinct products. One is very often consumed and the other will kill ya.
I was just wondering how the raw, cold pressed version performed as compared to the heated/treated version.
 
Cicatriz said:
...I was just wondering how the raw, cold pressed version performed as compared to the heated/treated version.
Click to expand...

I've been using raw flax oil (the same brand I use on food) as a wood finish for years now. If it goes rancid, it's bad for you to eat it but it still makes a good finish. No problem at all noted with mold/mildew.

Without the chemicals found in BLO, raw flax oil can be applied directly by hand, which eliminates the problem of flammable oily rags. It seems to soak into unfinished wood pretty well, but it does take longer to harden. For a deeper finish, I apply it morning and evening for a week or so, then I try to give it at least a week to harden.

Some people use a 50/50 mixture of turpentine and flax/linseed oil, which soaks in faster but then smells like turpentine as it slowly evaporates.
 
ok, thanks for explaining all that. So, nobody puts this stuff on the head also? I would think since its oil its great for the steel too, but what do i know.
Oh, and my BLO that i got on that camping trip that day, was from an old hardware store, and the can is badly rusted, so yea, mine is old. Perhaps a new bottle of the stuff is in order asap to see the difference now.

and, ive been applying this stuff with my hand and fingers, and pretty heavy. I guess i will have to adjust that too. Thanks guys

dave
 
Steve Tall said:
I've been using raw flax oil (the same brand I use on food) as a wood finish for years now. If it goes rancid, it's bad for you to eat it but it still makes a good finish. No problem at all noted with mold/mildew.

Without the chemicals found in BLO, raw flax oil can be applied directly by hand, which eliminates the problem of flammable oily rags. It seems to soak into unfinished wood pretty well, but it does take longer to harden. For a deeper finish, I apply it morning and evening for a week or so, then I try to give it at least a week to harden.

Some people use a 50/50 mixture of turpentine and flax/linseed oil, which soaks in faster but then smells like turpentine as it slowly evaporates.
Click to expand...

Good information right there.
Thanks!
 
Not to be a pest but just to clarify: No, linseed oil is not for the axe head -- for wood treatment only. For the head or any carbon steel, you can use mineral oil, which is food-grade and widely available. I carry a small soaked cloth in a ziplock bag if I'm out for more than a day.

Linseed and flaxseed oil are two names for the same thing. It has multiple uses, including as a food/nutritional supplement and as wood treatment.

'Raw' linseed/flaxseed oil has been used as a wood finish for centuries. As Steve Tall notes, it does take a LONG time to dry and harden, which is why...

'Boiled' linseed oil has chemical additives to speed up the drying process to a couple of hours rather than several days. Either way, the finish looks the same, although boiled linseed oil seems to polish better with a soft-cloth rub. Turpentine 50/50 mix stretches out the oil but, in my experience, makes no real difference in the end finish.

You can apply either 'raw' or 'boiled' linseed oil by hand or with a cloth. Cloth seems more efficient to me for either. But in either case, the rags will be flammable since linseed oil is combustible.
 
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