Linseed oil

[CallsignSam]

Hi everyone,

Please forgive me if this is an obvious question, but do I want boiled or raw linseed oil?

Any help appreciated,

thanks,

Sam.

 

[decorum]

... do I want boiled or raw linseed oil?

Depends on what you want to do ... Care to give us a clue as to the purpose?

 

[Clouston98]

I believe you can use both but boiled has a quicker drying time. Hope this helps!

 

[CallsignSam]

Depends on what you want to do ... Care to give us a clue as to the purpose?

Ahh yeah, that might help!

It will be for protecting axe shafts as well as finishing craft projects.

 

[CallsignSam]

I believe you can use both but boiled has a quicker drying time. Hope this helps!

Thanks Cameron!

 

[Baelfore]

With reagards to your other craft projects, I think I read on here at some stage that boiled isn't nessecarily food safe due to potential contamintion by other stuff during the boiling process.

Hope this helps.

 

[CallsignSam]

With reagards to your other craft projects, I think I read on here at some stage that boiled isn't nessecarily food safe due to potential contamintion by other stuff during the boiling process.

Hope this helps.

Ahh okay, I think raw is what I need then, thanks!

 

[Monikieman]

From what I've read boiled has heavy metals in it and that helps it dry slightly quicker and makes it non food safe.

If it's for outside like tables or just work handles you can make it 50/50 boiled and meths. This acts as a drier as well and being thinner it soaks in quickly. Don't make up too much, just a wee drop. It's also apparently self igniting so don't leave cloths with oil on them (apparently throw them in some water first).

Hope this helps. If all else fails sneak some walnut oil in the trolley when shopping. Food safe and smells nicer.

 

[decorum]

Ahh okay, I think raw is what I need then, thanks!

BLO would be better (read quicker) for tool handles as the commercial stuff has additives with allow the oil to penetrate the wood more quickly and dry more rapidly than the raw version ~ but the additives in BLO aren't food safe.

So raw for food* related items ~ allowing extra time for penetration and drying ~ and boiled for tools, fabrics etc


For the price, both


* Lots of other oils can be used for food related items. Depending on your own circumstances you might need to make allowances for folk who have nut allergies.

 

[CallsignSam]

BLO would be better (read quicker) for tool handles as the commercial stuff has additives with allow the oil to penetrate the wood more quickly and dry more rapidly than the raw version ~ but the additives in BLO aren't food safe.

So raw for food* related items ~ allowing extra time for penetration and drying ~ and boiled for tools, fabrics etc


For the price, both


* Lots of other oils can be used for food related items. Depending on your own circumstances you might need to make allowances for folk who have nut allergies.

Thanks a lot, as you say, for the price I may as well get both.

 

[ozzy1977]

I have never read of blo having adatives in, it does dry slightly quicker. To enable both sorts to penitrate better dilute with white spirit.

 

[Monikieman]

I can't claim to have written this

http://www.sydneywoodturners.com.au/site/articles/finishing/oils.html


"...Driers are oil soluble metal salts of organic acids. When these driers are dissolved in aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, they are known as siccatives. When driers are added to drying oils, they are known as Boiled Oils. In order to increase the viscosity of the Boiled Oil, air is sometimes "blown" through the oil at 60-100 degrees Centigrade.

Rags soaked with drying oils (treated with siccatives) present a significant danger of exothermic autoxidation, which could lead to spontaneous combustion. Therefore, when working with boiled oils (or other oils treated with driers or siccatives) you must pay careful attention to the safe disposal of any oil soaked rags. The rags should never be folded, crumpled or otherwise compressed, until the oil has fully dried. Proper disposal according to manufacturer's recommendations i.e. fireproof containers, should be used if possible...."