Linseed Oil: Soaking handles vs Applying in Coats?

[DeadFall27]

Hey all,

I came across some folks saying that they soak their handles in linseed oil for a week or two instead of applying it in coats from the get-go. Then, after they mount the head, they soak the head for a few days to a week and let it all dry; they wipe the handles with a rag after they soak each time. They still apply coats every now and then over time after they soak it, but they skip the old once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year rule. They usually hit it once or twice a year.


I'm curious to see how everyone else here does it. If I am beating a dead horse here, I apologize. I never actually met anyone who soaked their handles before. I think Gransfors Bruk soaks theirs, but im not sure if they do it before or after they mount the head.


Are there any advantages/disadvantages to either that I should be aware of? Or is it merely a different way some folks do things from others?



Have a good one folks, be safe and take care.
-Jim

 

[garry3]

Nothing crazy here. A secret formula of turpentine, BLO and pine tar unmeasured and no doubt different each time I mix a batch. Followed by a paste wax made of BLO and bees wax when the pine tar mix has dried. That's it.

 

[David Martin]

Do you heat it to move it from a solid to a paste? DM

 

[RayseM]

BLO is a penetrating finish. The wood will only absorb so much and then it can't. Soaking open pore woods (that has NOT been sanded to polished) is not a bad idea but 12 hours +/- should be more than plenty. Closed grain woods would not benefit from a soaking. Then there is the dry time. A soaked handle, even after being wiped down, could be oozing oil for several days. Real dry time several weeks or more. Hand applied BLO in thin coats will dry sooner of course. In any case BLO is a two or three coat process - more than that just make you feel good. The more and finer sanding of your handle is what will achieve the smooth shiny effect.

Ray

 

[David Martin]

Some good information. DM

 

[Camillus72]

The way I always did it was just mixing BLO with a little mineral spirits to thin it down, wipe on a thick layer with paper towels, let it sit for maybe 15 mins, and wipe off the excess. I do this three times with increasing amounts of time between coats to allow for soaking in and drying. Seems to work well for me.

I still think the old timers had the right idea with the once a day for a week, once a week for a month, etc. rule.

 

[Wormil]

The once a day thing was busy work for soldiers. Wipe it on, give it a minute, wipe it off; or soak it over night.

Sent from my KFGIWI using Tapatalk

 

[serotina]

I like to soak for a day or so once the head is on. I can see the difference where the soak line is vs wiping on the rest of the handle. I don't know if it's any better or not, but my dad was one of those guys who'd soak an axe in a bucket of water to "tighten it up" -- yes, shudder! Ever since seeing that (and the results) the first time, I figure the more water repelling the better, so I soak 'em. I have a 5 gallon bucket with 2 gallons linseed and 2 gallons mineral spirits. I wouldn't bother with all that for just axes, but I use it for dip finishing other stuff too.

Last week I re-handled the last three axe heads I have - everything is now on a nice new handle. Going to have to find another evening hobby I guess - or start buying axe heads

 

[garry3]

Do you heat it to move it from a solid to a paste? DM

No I just mix the two until I get the consistency that I want.

 

[300Six]

These idealistic and recreational opinions are getting out of hand!
You soak the butt end and eye end of a wood handle in oil in order for it to penetrate and displace moisture in end grain fibers. This serves to stabilize against cracking/checking and loose heads due to changes in humidity. Doing this every spring and fall (setting the butt or head end of the tool in a hubcap full of linseed oil, furniture oil or what-have-you for a day or two) has a marked effect. Routinely brushing or rubbing of an oil finish on to the haft every now and again reduces the effect of sap stains, weathering, sweat and sunburn.

If 'pretty' is solely what you're looking for (ie re-sale, wall hanger or ceremonial use such as chopping the annual Christmas tree) go with a spar varnish coating instead of oil finish.

Forestry, parks workers and construction fellas I worked with many years ago (back before axes became fashionable) did this with used motor oil, transmission fluid or chainsaw oil whenever a freebie pan full of some happened to be handy. Wiping a handle down with some wasn't detrimental either. And it sure helped to keep porcupines from being attracted into turning sweat-stained handles into wood chips when you were asleep.

 

[Square_peg]

These idealistic and recreational opinions are getting out of hand!
You soak the butt end and eye end of a wood handle in oil in order for it to penetrate and displace moisture in end grain fibers. This serves to stabilize against cracking/checking and loose heads due to changes in humidity. Doing this every spring and fall (setting the butt or head end of the tool in a hubcap full of linseed oil, furniture oil or what-have-you for a day or two) has a marked effect. Routinely brushing or rubbing of an oil finish on to the haft every now and again reduces the effect of sap stains, weathering, sweat and sunburn.

If 'pretty' is solely what you're looking for (ie re-sale, wall hanger or ceremonial use such as chopping the annual Christmas tree) go with a spar varnish coating instead of oil finish.

Forestry, parks workers and construction fellas I worked with many years ago (back before axes became fashionable) did this with used motor oil, transmission fluid or chainsaw oil whenever a freebie pan full of some happened to be handy. Wiping a handle down with some wasn't detrimental either. And it sure helped to keep porcupines from being attracted into turning sweat-stained handles into wood chips when you were asleep.

I love this post.

 

[garry3]

I love this post.

Ya it's classic 300six.
And it made me think about all the junk I have laying around and not a single hubcap. Not sure I will get the same results with out it. Dumping snow on me again tonight but come spring I will take a short drive out in the desert and no doubt be able to locate a hubcap.

 

[Ripshin Lumberjack]

Hi Jim

I just coat my hickory axe handles very heavily time after time until they will not soak up the boiled linseed oil any more. I then come back in six months or so and coat them again. Then once a year or as I think is needed. It seems to work alright. When he oil will not absorb into the wood anymore I just wipe the excess off the wood with a cloth.

ripshin

 

[300Six]

Ya it's classic 300six.
And it made me think about all the junk I have laying around and not a single hubcap. Not sure I will get the same results with out it. Dumping snow on me again tonight but come spring I will take a short drive out in the desert and no doubt be able to locate a hubcap.

250 and 350 series commercial Ford vans and trucks to this day retain 'dog bowl' (that's what Ford calls them) hubcaps, which are aluminum and not painted or chromed steel. I love em!