Very quick Linseed Oil question

ShelterMe

ShelterMe

Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
103
Hi all, soaked a handle project in boiled linseed oil overnight (I know, I know) and then let it evap in the sun for the next few days. While waiting for it to evaporate, what I thought was still wet had actually polymerized and hardened shiny with a few bubbles so it just looked wet. It's only a small area but *what is the easiest way that's least damaging to the finish to get rid of this polymerized oil so the overall finish is even?* I'd rather not sand it off because I feel like doing so will ruin the treatment I've soaked in already. I'm not a pro with linseed oil and I would have much rather used raw than boiled (I don't like the heavy metals) but that's what I had on hand. Thanks much for any quick suggestions.
 
Raw linseed oil would take a long time to dry. Boiling helps it to dry faster, something about oxygen but i dont claim to understand the chemistry, though boiled oil bought in a store often has additives. If you dont like the additives it may be worth boiling yourself.
 
You usually have to do several coats.

When I use it, the directions I had were to dilute in mineral spirits, but that was very slow to dry too.

I started diluting in Acetone fairly thin - I like to believe it soaks in deeper and drys faster.


I scuff the layer with steel wool, or scothbrite, or fine paper between coats
 
Thanks for the advice. I used to go with "boiled" linseed oil but the additives (lead, heavy metals etc.) are something I can do without. The time it takes for the wood to absorb raw linseed oil is not that much more to wait. I would rather soak overnight, and then take the piece out and leave the remaining oil on it to evaporate for a few days than do a hundred thin coats every 10 minutes so the oil won't polymerize before you want it to. This way it's done, you know it's done when the wood won't absorb any more oil, and the wood will be waterproof and look and feel nice for a long time.
 
If you can get pure tung oil and thin it way down for first coat or a tung oil danish oil mix for open pore woods (darken pores in oak for me). I then like equal parts tung oil, spar varnish and thinner for topcoats. The spar varnish adds uv protection if you need it. Was my go to for kitchen cabinets and found it works good for knife handles. And as always properly dispose of towels so you don’t have a fire.
 
The oil polymerizes in contact with air. When you soak it into the wood all at once, the oil inside will never dry properly.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
The oil polymerizes in contact with air. When you soak it into the wood all at once, the oil inside will never dry properly.
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And can seep out weeks later due to temperature change, etc.
You will be a heel when your fancy knife stains Moms tablecloth...
 
Well oops then. Hopefully this (and another) project are not completely ruined. I've never heard of linseed oil leaking out of anything weeks or months later when you least expect it... I presume this is also why it has clouded over a little as well? Handle is completely dry on the outside and not tacky to the touch at all, just the slightest bit cloudy when you look at it from an angle... Well you live and you learn. I don't understand however, there are video instructions where some reputable knife makers plainly tell you that they soak their handles in a jar of uncut boiled Linseed oil. Does this mean that the oil will leak out? I would hate to pay upwards of $300 for a custom knife that will develop a leaky handle. So what do I do now? And any suggestions as to the cloudiness? The oil was never opened and it is before the sell by date.
 
I thought this would be a simple thing not easy to @#&$ up, instead it's a careful process with the need to use many added ingredients and mix this part with that part and sand and scuff and use a different top coat and a varnish and if you don't do it exactly right then you're left with garbage. Nobody ever tells you this, it's always "soak it in a jar and let it dry, it will polymerize all the way through and almost be stabilized." or "I just wiped it on with a rag and it came out great, it's a lovely finish." Nobody tells you that you need to cut it with tung oil or spar or Danish oil and thinner and varnish etc. I never thought it would be this easy to screw it up because I hadn't mastered the process before I tried. Well, this is something I'm never going to do again, more of an all-too-precise art to get it right than I want to deal with and apparently more trouble than it's worth. Glad I didn't try on any expensive knives...
 
Most linseed oil uses "dryers" such as cobalt .I doubt you'll find any that is actually boiled. The oil will both oxidize and polymerize. To properly do that ,patience is the word !!
Apply generously , wait an hour or two then scrub off excess with something like burlap .Repeat this each day for as many thin coats you want . Rushing the job will only cause problems !!!
Don't let rags with the oil collect as you risk spontaneous combustion !! They make special cans to hold those rags .
 
In all fairness, only have leakers on axehandles & such.
Thats wood more pourous and sometimes holds voids at edges or wedge than the typical hardwoods I use for knives.
At any rate, leaks are confined to a little seep whats insignifigant on an shophammer, but still enough to be icky on nice cloth.
Normally I soak a knife 1/2 hr or so, then wipe off excess. A day or so later light scrub with 4-0 steelwool & linseed oil.
Its not rocket surgery.
 
ShelterMe said:
I thought this would be a simple thing not easy to @#&$ up, instead it's a careful process with the need to use many added ingredients and mix this part with that part and sand and scuff and use a different top coat and a varnish and if you don't do it exactly right then you're left with garbage. Nobody ever tells you this, it's always "soak it in a jar and let it dry, it will polymerize all the way through and almost be stabilized." or "I just wiped it on with a rag and it came out great, it's a lovely finish." Nobody tells you that you need to cut it with tung oil or spar or Danish oil and thinner and varnish etc. I never thought it would be this easy to screw it up because I hadn't mastered the process before I tried. Well, this is something I'm never going to do again, more of an all-too-precise art to get it right than I want to deal with and apparently more trouble than it's worth. Glad I didn't try on any expensive knives...
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just need to know where to look. you finish a wood knife handle like you finish any piece of wood. here is a guide that tells how,why, what to use and also rates about 100 different "oil" finishes. http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com...-and-abrasives/penetrative/oil-finishes-pt-1/ nothing magical or complicated, just finding a product that you are happy with.
 
Randy3000 said:
Raw linseed oil would take a long time to dry. Boiling helps it to dry faster, something about oxygen but i dont claim to understand the chemistry, though boiled oil bought in a store often has additives. If you dont like the additives it may be worth boiling yourself.
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Boiled linseed oil is not boiled at all.

It has metal salts added which act as catalysts. Linseed oil is what is known as a drying or polymerizing oil, that is to say that over time it will chemically change with oxygen to become a solid plastic. The addition of these metal salts makes the linseed "Boiled." They are also known as drying agents. Linseed and most oils are a poor choice for a handle as they will generally darken the finish and mute fine contrast in wood.
 
ShelterMe said:
Thanks for the advice. I used to go with "boiled" linseed oil but the additives (lead, heavy metals etc.) are something I can do without. The time it takes for the wood to absorb raw linseed oil is not that much more to wait. I would rather soak overnight, and then take the piece out and leave the remaining oil on it to evaporate for a few days than do a hundred thin coats every 10 minutes so the oil won't polymerize before you want it to. This way it's done, you know it's done when the wood won't absorb any more oil, and the wood will be waterproof and look and feel nice for a long time.
Click to expand...


The metal salts are generally chromium or cobalt salts. There is no lead, cadmium or other really dangerous elements in boiled linseed oil.

The oil also does not evaporate, it polymerizes in a reaction with oxygen from the air. That is why it will not cure in wood that is very oily, oxygen can not diffuse in to polymerize. It is also as i mentioned above, a poor way to finish a handle. If the wood cant absorb any more oil, no oxygen can get in to cure that oil.
 
WC53 said:
If you can get pure tung oil and thin it way down for first coat or a tung oil danish oil mix for open pore woods (darken pores in oak for me). I then like equal parts tung oil, spar varnish and thinner for topcoats. The spar varnish adds uv protection if you need it. Was my go to for kitchen cabinets and found it works good for knife handles. And as always properly dispose of towels so you don’t have a fire.
Click to expand...

I would not really advise this. Poly finishes are curing and tend to dry on rather thick, leaving the wood feeling plasticy. It is smarter to use a wood that does not need a finish, something like rosewood or a stabilized wood to avoid this issue.
 
mete said:
Most linseed oil uses "dryers" such as cobalt .I doubt you'll find any that is actually boiled. The oil will both oxidize and polymerize. To properly do that ,patience is the word !!
Apply generously , wait an hour or two then scrub off excess with something like burlap .Repeat this each day for as many thin coats you want . Rushing the job will only cause problems !!!
Don't let rags with the oil collect as you risk spontaneous combustion !! They make special cans to hold those rags .
Click to expand...
The two handles I've done were soaking overnight, then left in the sun to dry for a few days. One is still tacky, the other is dry and I have already hit up with 0000 steel wool to remove the excess. I guess time will tell. I thought of putting them in the oven on low heat, or even leaving them in a container with desiccant... Maybe a fix? After so many opinions that the way I went was clearly not the way to go, I don't understand why some knife makers soak their wood. I've even heard of old timers leaving their axe handles soak throughout entire off-seasons. I just don't understand why some swear by it but others point out the problems this method causes (insides never fully drying and polymerizing, leeching oil with temperature changes, plus raw oil takes a lot longer than oil with drying additives [I don't want to overuse the term "boiled" because it's misleading] etc...)
 
Greenberg Woods said:
Boiled linseed oil is not boiled at all.

It has metal salts added which act as catalysts. Linseed oil is what is known as a drying or polymerizing oil, that is to say that over time it will chemically change with oxygen to become a solid plastic. The addition of these metal salts makes the linseed "Boiled." They are also known as drying agents. Linseed and most oils are a poor choice for a handle as they will generally darken the finish and mute fine contrast in wood.
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What do you recommended that will least alter the look of the wood? Tung oil? Tru oil?
 
Yes I hate the term boiled. It's very misleading if you don't know anything about the product. I guess it's used because it makes it sound better than "oil with mystery stuff in it. " it's nice to know that lead isn't used. I had all these fears about lead, and mercury and arsenic etc after some reading. Also Greenberg, the handles I picked to try this out were on Svord knives. Very inexpensive two-piece slabs bolted together. I didn't want to start off with any expensive knives or scales that were permanently attached to a tang in case I had problems (like this). It was more of an experiment to see what result I got. I'm not a knife maker, and I don't currently buy fancy woods and make my own knife scales mostly due to lack of time between family and work, but predominantly because I don't have the expertise to do it. In fact I don't even know what wood these Peasant knife handles are made out of, something with an interesting grain (though I seriously doubt it's burl at $30 or so for a knife) and then stained by the manufacturer. I'll try to find out but I doubt it's anything exotic.
 
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