Linseed oil

[Memmeddu]

Hi everyone
First time using it and probably already made a mess .
So bought this morning and used like normal boiled linseed oil.
No instructions .
Now seeking for advice about time between passes I've discovered few things.
First it will never cure because I should have had little bit of paint thinner that's what the seller said once I've called him.
Second it's flammable but no dangerous symbol on the can .
They said it can self combust with UV (which is very likely to happen because here in Sardinia there's always sun and I'm on this forum because I produce UV light as everyone here do)
Back to the oil , I've applied it at circa 11 o clock this morning and it looks already dry but now I don't know what to do .
They said that it's an ancient solution that as been replaced by wood paints .
They suggested to use nitro paint thinner and clean it off , but I don't trust too much this option.
It's not boiled linseed oil just linseed oil.
I wouldn't like to have a oily handle for ever or cause a fire at home
We easily reach 40°C during summer , and the hachet is supposed to be used outside probably under the sun.

I've read that linseed oil reacts with cotton in presence of UV rays
I didn't use cotton rags ,I've used a natural brush and latex gloves .

I'm concerned about burning my storage room

 

[Seadog]

The self-combustion normally happens with oil-soaked rags in a bin. I don't think that you need to worry about it on wood. It will dry off.

 

[Munkul]

I've used boiled linseed oil for quite a few things, including as a moistureproof coating on my jig table.

I've been led to believe that raw linseed oil is just slower drying than boiled linseed oil?

It will cure, it just takes more time to do so. It won't cure like a lacquer, but it dries out. You don't need thinners, you just need time (and warmth will help). Solvent thinners will not help!

It can warm up as it dries - this is where the combustion risk comes in. It's where the exothermic reaction happens faster than the heat can dissipate. Essentially - don't bundle up linseed oil rags tightly, leave them seperated, loose and open on a concrete floor to dry out. Or burn them straight away.

It's not particularly flammable of itself. Not any more than any other oil anyways.

EDIT: This has been useful... I had to look up a few things to check, and I realise that my concept of raw and boiled linseed oil and what it was and how it "dried" were way off!

 

[Memmeddu]

I've used boiled linseed oil for quite a few things, including as a moistureproof coating on my jig table.

I've been led to believe that raw linseed oil is just slower drying than boiled linseed oil?

It will cure, it just takes more time to do so. It won't cure like a lacquer, but it dries out. You don't need thinners, you just need time (and warmth will help). Solvent thinners will not help!

It can warm up as it dries - this is where the combustion risk comes in. It's where the exothermic reaction happens faster than the heat can dissipate. Essentially - don't bundle up linseed oil rags tightly, leave them seperated, loose and open on a concrete floor to dry out. Or burn them straight away.

It's not particularly flammable of itself. Not any more than any other oil anyways.

EDIT: This has been useful... I had to look up a few things to check, and I realise that my concept of raw and boiled linseed oil and what it was and how it "dried" were way off!

I just came back to see how it's proceeding .
It looks and feels dry to me , I think that I could try to apply little bit more during winter , there's little bit left in a glass I've used maybe 20ml
I've read the can and it Says

ready to use
Petroleum NAFTA and natural Lin seeds oil .
Storage at 10 to 15°C
Use ABC powder in case of fire

I'll need both to use it prior the end of the winter or make an insulated container.

 

[Arc Tourist]

To me Linseed Oil is a pain, takes too long to dry and leaves a residual smell. If you can get it where you are, a good protective finish which dries very quickly is " Formby's - Tung Oil ". I've used it to seal and finish gun stocks, hammer handles, furniture and guitars. Wipe it on with a cloth, but be careful not to leave fingerprints in the finish, unless you want them there.

 

[Memmeddu]

To me Linseed Oil is a pain, takes too long to dry and leaves a residual smell. If you can get it where you are, a good protective finish which dries very quickly is " Formby's - Tung Oil ". I've used it to seal and finish gun stocks, hammer handles, furniture and guitars. Wipe it on with a cloth, but be careful not to leave fingerprints in the finish, unless you want them there.

I can get it but it's enough expensive

 

[pedrobedro]

I use Linseed oil to preserve my garden tools after cleaning them. I use it on wood handles as well, wipe them down with white spirit then apply a thin coat of linseed oil and wipe it down. I love the smell of it so no problem there.

 

[ronan]

Danish oil is good too, Rustins make it. Truoil is great for gunstocks and things like that, Beretta use it, or used to. I never had any luck with linseed oil, it never seems to dry, and i normally use the boiled stuff, which isn't boiled i don't think but has dryers in it.

 

[jerrytug]

What they said ^^, if it doesn't say 'boiled' on the tin, it forms a skin and takes ages to dry and to soak in.
I only use linseed oil if I'm expecting it to soak into the grain, probly no good for dense rifle stocks etc, although any wood protection is better than none.
I love the smell also, but Stockholm Tar is the best, it affects me almost like catnip!

 

[malcolm]

Linseed oil and linseed oil paints are fab. I've painted all the woodwork on the outside of my house with the stuff. The advantage is it will never crack like modern paints or varnishes. So no need to spend days stripping or sanding every few years. Just splash a bit more on. It offers protection to wood by moisturising it, but needs pigment for UV protection.

Disadvantage is it takes a long time to dry. Linseed oil season in the UK is only a couple months in the summer and even then it takes 2 or 3 days to dry. Also it goes matt fairly quickly.

But it's 2020, so people have to scaremonger about everything. Don't soak rags in the stuff and leave them around as they can self combust fair enough. But otherwise fairly harmless being a natural oil, that when refined in the appropriate way is used in food!

 

[jerrytug]

Yes they sell expensive flax seeds (source of linseed oil) in health food shops for mugs to munch.

 

[ronan]

Linseed oil and linseed oil paints are fab. I've painted all the woodwork on the outside of my house with the stuff. The advantage is it will never crack like modern paints or varnishes. So no need to spend days stripping or sanding every few years. Just splash a bit more on. It offers protection to wood by moisturising it, but needs pigment for UV protection.

Disadvantage is it takes a long time to dry. Linseed oil season in the UK is only a couple months in the summer and even then it takes 2 or 3 days to dry. Also it goes matt fairly quickly.

But it's 2020, so people have to scaremonger about everything. Don't soak rags in the stuff and leave them around as they can self combust fair enough. But otherwise fairly harmless being a natural oil, that when refined in the appropriate way is used in food!

It does go dark after years though, it oxidizes with the air. If you ever see old guns, the stocks were finished with a linseed oil concoction, they go as black as a gorilla's nether regions after a good few years.

 

[Seadog]

Boiled linseed has anti-oxidants added to stop it going off. That's the reason why you shouldn't drink it. Raw linseed oil is fine.

 

[ronan]

Boiled linseed has anti-oxidants added to stop it going off. That's the reason why you shouldn't drink it. Raw linseed oil is fine.

What about drinking castor oil

 

[Seadog]

Why not. Just stay near a toilet

 

[Memmeddu]

Boiled linseed has anti-oxidants added to stop it going off. That's the reason why you shouldn't drink it. Raw linseed oil is fine.

Well can't say that for sure.
Raw linseed oil I've bought has petroleum as solvent

 

[Turbo]

Are you applying the linseed oil correctly? You brush or rub it on with a cloth, leave it to soak for 20 mins then wipe off the excess with a cloth. If you leave out the last step it will never dry fully but leaves a sticky mess that's hard to remove!

I use hard wax oil on tool handles, it's a mixture of wax & varnish that soaks nicely into the wood but leaves a nice finish that's still grippy and resistant to dirt. I apply it like linseed oil but leave a day between coats.

 

[DennisCA]

Dispose of linseed oil rags separately from the rest of your trash, like throw them in a place where they can safely burn if they self ignite (this is not UV related but related to the oxidation of the oil which is exothermic, BLO is much more likely to do this because it oxidizes faster than raw linseed oil and hence develops more heat). It's a very low risk but why take it if you don't have to.

I've never heard of BLO having anti-oxidants and as far as I understand the process, that would be counterproductive. BLO is supposed to oxidize faster since oxidation is curing, that's what the accelerants that are added to BLO are there for, to speed up oxidation. Treat BLO much more carefully than raw linseed oil I say. And it's definitely not food safe, the additives (called siccatives) are metal based and not conductive to health. In the past they where also based on lead.

 

[DennisCA]

Speaking of UV, linseed oil is sometimes sun bleached, that is using UV to bleach it, this causes a linseed oil that yellows less as it ages.

 

[Seadog]

Well can't say that for sure.
Raw linseed oil I've bought has petroleum as solvent

In that case it's not pure linseed oil.