# Linseed Woes



## Jolli4688

Does any one else find boiled Linseed oil makes them feel a little crummy after using it?

I can't stand the smell & even applying it outside gives me the start of a headache.

What other finishes do people suggest?

I'm working on a natural hazel fork atm and would really like to make it pop...


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## dan ford

I have the same problem with linseed oil ,I'm not a big lover . You can use olive oil which works well also camellia oil works really well although its a little harder to come by . A lot of the guys on here use tru oil and have had some pleasing results , I brought some today from the local gun shop (its a gun stock oil) but havn't tried it yet . Hope this helps


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## Jolli4688

Phew, I'm not the only one

Cheers, I'll have to see if I can get any of that for next time. wonder if I can get away with returning the linseed oil not liked I've used much =/


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## All Buns Glazing

I love the smell and haven't had any problems, but I can see how someone may not like the smell - it's very aromatic.

Perhaps it's the brand you're using? Are you mixing it with a solvent?

As far as I know, olive oil, etc doesn't polymerize like BLO does, which means it doesn't soak into the wood then turn to absolute awesome, begging for successive coats of compound awesome.


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## Btoon84

Something is wrong with your linseed oil..... it should leave you wanting more.... not wanting to get away from it. Unless of course your olfactory settings are wrong


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## Sherman

maybe you are allergic to linseed oil? or the chemicals in BLO. anyway, i would suggest pure tung oil. it hardens in the wood (polymerizes) like boiled linseed oil and is just as easy to apply. it's more expensive (at least in the US), but doesn't have the added chemical dryers that BLO has.


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## Lacumo

If the odor of it (or anything else) gives you a headache, that's a definite warning sign. Something is wrong. You need to wear breathing protection or get far better ventilation going or use something else. Above all else, do NOT ignore headaches, pooh-pooh then or write them off. Mother Nature is sending you a (loud and clear) message here...


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## Withak

+1 on the tung oil and the tru oil. Linseed doesn't bother me, I just finished two slingshots with it. It may be that you are sensitive to that particular product. I have a particular aversion to fennel and anise - they both make me feel ill just smelling them, tasting them makes me feel nauseated. But I know a lot of people like them.


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## VillageSniper

You would hate working with me in the summer, laying down 50+ gallons of gym finish per day sometimes more. You might try some water-base formulations, although the have their own fumes, they typically are not as powerful (low voc). I have enough finish to coat about 1 million slingshots to a high gloss, with excellent grip and traction. Typically, blo is very mild compared to most finishes. The Tru-oil and Waterlox are great for small projects, although you probably are sensitive to fumes. Some people use super glue, but I haven't tried that one yet. I would get some water-base poly if I were you. Water pop the wood a few times, sand smooth and then seal twice, sand, finish out. Done.

VS


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## Jolli4688

Lacumo said:


> If the odor of it (or anything else) gives you a headache, that's a definite warning sign. Something is wrong. You need to wear breathing protection or get far better ventilation going or use something else. Above all else, do NOT ignore headaches, pooh-pooh then or write them off. Mother Nature is sending you a (loud and clear) message here...


I won't be making the same mistake twice, second coat I did out in the garden and left the fork in the shed. Out the way, along with the bottle of oil.


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## MagicTorch100

Hi Jolli, I don't mind the smell but what I sometimes do is put a few tablespoons of BLO in a freezer bag stick the fork in and then seal it, you can rub the oil in without it going everywhere and smelling. Leave it for a while (outside) and then open it up.

I also use Danish Oil which is a lot less whiffy than BLO, similar in its properties to some that the guys have mentioned.

Failing that bees wax on natural wood can't be beat, although I'm not sure it technically seals and hardens like an oil finish.


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## flipgun

Do you have any allergies? Peanut or some legume?


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## Stophel

I am a flintlock gunsmith and have done a lot of study and experimenting with linseed oil finishes. The problem with modern "boiled" linseed oil, is that it is not. It has had a solution of rather innefective drying agents added to it to help it dry (some). It has not been boiled at all.

250 years ago, Linseed oil was boiled, with a drying agent like lead carbonate added. When boiled and white lead added, it turns dark brown-red, the smell definitely changes (not for the better), and the longer you boil it, the thicker it gets (and the faster it will dry)

Modern linseed oil will dry.... eventually. You cannot be in a hurry for it. It would be better to use a HIGH quality oil, but regular "store bought" hardware stuff will work after a fashion, but I don't recommend it. Forget any finishing instruction you have ever read or heard that includes the phrase "flood and soak". Modern, slow drying linseed oil MUST be applied in VERY LIGHT COATS. Put it on the wood lightly, then wipe off all the excess from the surface. It also requires LOTS of sunlight to dry. Each light application will take several days (even a week or more) in the sun to dry. I can tell by the smell of it whether or not it is dry... then I leave it in the sun for another day or two to make sure! Whenever I'm discussing this with gunstockers, who usually are bemoaning their flooded and soaked linseed oil finish which ran off in the rain, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how each THIN application needs to be put in the sun to dry, Dry, DRY.

If the first applications are not allowed to dry, the later applications, even if dry, will do no good. The oil will wash out in the rain or from sweat, and if you happened to stain the wood with some kind of modern aniline stain, it will wash out too. When linseed oil is truly dry, it is nearly indestructible to anything other than very strong stripping solvents. Water/vapor will pass through linseed oil, but it slows the transpiration down to a level the wood can more easily handle.

The addition of turpentine supposedly aids in drying (not much), and adding aged turpentine will help a bit more (aged turpentine is easy to make. Just take some turpentine, pour it into a jar, cover it loosely, and let it sit for six months or a year or so.... It will get thick and orange in color).

You do not want ANY linseed oil left on the surface of the wood. It is an "in-the-wood" finish. Linseed oil never dries hard, but it dries to a gummy consistency. You slowly fill the grain, and build it up, wiping it all off the surface. With the last application or two leaving a little standing on the surface, let it dry, then cut it off with burlap (the "hand rubbed" part of a hand rubbed boiled linseed oil finish... lots of fun!).

Too late to make a long story short  but, without going into making your own, there really isn't any good quality, finish-worthy, truly boiled linseed oil available ready to go that I have found and tried. I do have a couple of recommendations, though. There is GB Lin-Speed oil, which I have not yet tried, but want to, and supposedly it is a refined linseed oil that dries nicely. What I have used, and can recommend, is Tried and True Varnish OIl, which is linseed oil that has been heated a bit (which polymerizes it some, but not as much as boiling), and some rosin has been added. Unfortunately, it's not enough rosin to make for a good surface varnish (still too soft), but it does work well for an in-the-wood linseed oil finish. (On the advice of another gunsmith, I have recently added some more rosin to my Tried and True and am testing the finish now.)

Whatever linseed oil finish you might use, remember sunlight is absolutely key and required. Lots of it. 

Oh, and frankly, I find the aroma of linseed oil (before boiling and lead added) to be quite pleasant. I can't imagine anyone getting sick or dizzy from smelling it. Maybe there's some other nasty solvent or something in it that people are getting sick from. 

And I would NEVER recommend anyone EVER put any kind of non drying oil (like olive oil, or lemon oil, or motor oil) on wood. Non drying oils soak into the wood fibers, turning them into mush. Anyone that's been given an old shotgun to work on that has been propped up in a corner for years with gun oil soaking into the wood stock knows what non-drying oil will do to wood.


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## Imperial

you must have a flax seed allergy to the blo. i drink the stuff by the gallon, j/k. just do like a previous poster did, put it in a enclosed bag for a time limit, one hour or a day or however long you want, then just leave it outside in the shade. dont put it out in direct sunlight, or feed it after midnight. just put some sort of breathing mask on and also use gloves. or thin it out with some mineral spirit, 50/50 or whatever other ratio appeals to you.


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## All Buns Glazing

That's interesting, Stophel.

The general consensus from the crew around here in their experiments that soaking in BLO for 24 hours (some even put them under strong atmospheric pressure to soak it in further) and let dry, is the preferred method for finishing a fork with BLO.

I even remember someone saying that direct sunlight on BLO drying, turns it funky 

Aah, nothing like strong opinions that completely conflict to... destroy people.


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## Spectre

Thanks for the post Stophel! :thumbsup:


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## Jolli4688

Glad I started this post now, first i thought i might look like numpt, but learning a fair bit from every one cheers guys =)


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## NaturalACE

Stophel,

An excellent rendition to the problems with BLO today. As a question have you ever used Tried and True. It is an old world prepared linseed oil that I have used for many re-finishing of original antiques. The have several blends, and like you stress the THIN coats to allow the finish to cure in the wood, not on top and then slowly cure within. And the hand rubbed part is the most important (use a little rotten stone in the burlap and go to town!) A finish that is hard to beat...

But not to forget the question from the post...another option that is a curing oil that is less reactive for many people is hemp oil (I know, I know dont get on the soap box)...but I just finished a SS that I did a hand rubbed finish just as Stophel described and it does glow, but the thin layers and curing are a MUST, followed by a good rub down. I finish it with a oil wax blend to give additional resistance and a wearable coating that can be re-applied. (Picture to be posted shortly)....


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## Imperial

All Buns Glazing said:


> I even remember someone saying that direct sunlight on BLO drying, turns it funky


i once left a fork out in the sun in 100 plus summer weather, it gave it a burnt, light smoke type of appearance. instead of me saying or admitting that i goofed up, i just say i did it as a lil "trick" to give it a "patina".


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## Stophel

Yes, in my post I listed Tried and True Varnish Oil as a good quality stuff that I have used and would recommend. The only place I have seen it for sale so far is Woodcraft. I've got some of the Tried and True oil and beeswax product, and put it on a wooden bowl. It is a very "velvety" finish, which does look kinda neat, but I am unsure of the durability. I've never even used the bowl! 

http://www.woodcraft.com/search2/search.aspx?query=Tried%20and%20True

Ooh, I see they have "Danish Oil", which is just purified polymerized linseed oil and nothing else... why haven't I found that before??? 

Now, I'm sure that most people's slingshot frames are not going to be exposed to weather and rough handling nearly as much as a riflestock, so the dryness of the finish may not be as critical.

I have also messed around a little with some Daler-Rowney purified linseed oil (very high artist grade pure oil), and what little I have done with it, it has dried surprisingly quickly. The purer the oil is, the faster it will dry. I got a couple of bottles of it a year or so ago at walmart, of all places, where they used to sell it in their arts and crafts department. I don't really know why, since they weren't selling any oil paints or pigments... I haven't found any there lately, though now they do have oil paints! 

I think some of the "Danish OIl" finishes that are readily available would probably work better for most people. These have linseed oil in them, and who knows what else, but they do seem to dry well enough. I have only tried Tung oil once, years ago. It does dry rather more easily than linseed oil, and it does dry harder, but as I recall, the appearance was somewhat dull and lifeless. But again, that was years ago.

I don't mean to barge in as a newbie and begin pontificating!  I can offer zero advice to anyone yet about slingshots. But traditional wood finishing I've worked with quite a bit.


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## MagicTorch100

Hi Stophel, all info welcome in my opinion, that's why this forum works because people kindly share their experience.

+ 1 on the Danish Oil, I use it quite often and find it dries quicker than BLO, I put it on in the catties I make with a fine painters brush, helps limit my natural enthusiasm to rush to the end product


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## Jako

Never had a problem with linseed oil myself but most of the time i use a nice varnish instead


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## Sharker

I use this: https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.php?option=com_oscommerce&osMod=product_info&cPath=99_70&products_id=1498

It works well.


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## DogBox

I know this is an old posting, but very interesting... When I was a young bloke, linseed oil was THE oil for the cricket bat. I too complained about the amount of time it had to spend soaking - stood up in an inch of the stuff- when some said: "Put some Methylated Spirits in it... Helps it "dry" quicker" and that was with Raw Linseed Oil which only smelt a bit weirder than olive oil to me. We were forced to have a teaspoon of Castor oil! Yuk!!! It 'tasted' horrible! couldn't imagine any other use for it...!!! So, the old "Metho" may help as a drying aid 'not too offensive'?


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