Linseed and tung oil ??

[Alain M-D]

What is the diference between linseed oil, boiled linseed oil,
tung oil and polymerized tung oil ? What is the best for finish a
(not stabilized) wood handle ?

Some are better for oily wood or for porous wood?
Or some are better against moisture and wear?
Do all give the same type of finish ? (matt or glossy finish ?)

Alain M-D

 

[Mundele]

I'm no expert, but i have read that raw linseed oil takes about 6 months to dry. Boiled linseed oil, in my experience, takes about a week. I used to use boiled linseed oil cut with mineral spirits, but I've recently started using Danish oil. It dries much faster and seems to be good stuff. I've found that if I only do a couple of coats and leave then on thin, then I get a matte finish. If I keep adding coats, eventually it gets to be a more glossy finish. (Not super glossy though).

I like it. I've not had the opportunity to carry and use these knives in rough conditions yet, so I can't say how it will hold up over time though.

--Matt

 

[Mike Hull]

In reality, linseed oil is not really good for wood at all. I dont know how it got so popular as a gun stock finish. Either of the Tung oils would be good. Another good one is Watco Danish oil.

 

[J. Neilson]

Watco danish oil is what I use on my satin finish hunters. Several coats can be done in one evening after I'm out of the shop and reading a book in the den. Relax and work at the same time, boy I love making knives. A bit of white rouge buffing seems to bring things up a little briter if you want.

J.

www.mountainhollow.net

 

[Fox Creek]

There is a great deal of misinformation or lack of information about linseed oil out there. Most "hardware store" RAW linseed oil is very impure, full of sticky non-drying components and not much good. "Boiled" oil is the same thing with metallic salts added as sicatives. Artists grade linseed oil is another matter entirely. Most folks have never has any decent linseed to work with, and good quality oil is hard to find anymore with out buying the artist's grade oil. You can also buy "stand Oil" which is partially polymerized in an oxygen excluding atmosphere, and sun thickened oil, which is an ancient product. It used to be a few years ago you could buy food grade raw linseed oil in health food stores, and it was very fine quality. I believe this was under the Bain brand. If you ever come across any on the back shelf BUY IT. Bain also packaged rice oil and sesame oil, and other hard to find food oils. You can also refine the nasty stuff into some very good oil too, but it's a long process. A good grade of oil is wonderful to work with, especially when modified with varnish resins to add hardness, speed build up, etc.