Oil for wooden shafts

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October

Member
Mar 20, 2024
19
1
57
Leyland
Hi all, I'm just wondering what oil if any you folks use on wooden shafted tools.
In my case axe shafts.
I'm looking at linseed and Tung.
Any advice greatly appreciated
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,064
7,856
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I have loads of different specialist wood oils, but now I just use one combination for all my woodwork, food grade, bows, or tool handles. I use mineral oil with beeswax - I don't want a slippery axe handle so mine aren't polished as finely as many. I make up a number of mixes so some are oily others more like wax polish. If I really want it to penetrate deep (and it doesn't need to be food safe) I dilute with a little paraffin for the first couple of applications.

For example:

 
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Jan 15, 2024
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LLanrwst
I have loads of different specialist wood oils, but now I just use one combination for all my woodwork, food grade, bows, or tool handles. I use mineral oil with beeswax - I don't want a slippery axe handle so mine aren't polished as finely as many. I make up a number of mixes so some are oily others more like wax polish. If I really want it to penetrate deep (and it doesn't need to be food safe) I dilute with a little paraffin for the first couple of applications.

For example:

I concur, and have done likewise - it's super easy to make and I make a number of pots at the same time, as it's really cost effective for the volume you get. A little goes a long way.

This mix has so many other uses - it's a basic hand / nail / dry-skin 'cream', it nourishes wood and works as a simple wood finish, you can make a rudimentary candle if needed, and it's also the formula for my fire-lighting wax discs:
Dip cotton make-up pads into the liquid-state wax/oil whilst it's still hot. Set them aside on greaseproof paper to solidify and store a couple in a tin. The discs can be pulled apart to reveal the cotton fibres and roughly shredded into a waxy birds nest that takes no effort to ignite.
 
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