wooden handles and tools

[phil harold]

What is the prefered way to maintain wood tools an handles
I used to use boil linseed oil but that seems to take to long to dry and some tools seem to get moldy

What do you folks use?

[Bill Houghton]

Mostly, I seem to use perspiration.

If I were more orderly, I'd probably clean them with mineral spirits and wax them, buffing out well.

[glenn bradley]

Yard tools get BLO. Shop tools could too. I use a thinned shellac as a sealer and I'll just touch them up if the need arises. I have saws, files, awls, jig handles and such that have had the same shellac job for at least 5 years . . . . still going.

[Mike Henderson]

Mostly, I seem to use perspiration.
LOL - I guess I do the same, along with some glue that was on my hands. I have a plastic mallet I often use when gluing up and I noticed the other day it has quite a glue build up on the handle.

Mike

[george wilson]

We used tung oil. It does not support mold. It takes longer to dry than BLO,but you can keep tools in an unheated shed,and they won't mold. In Williamsburg,some of our tool users,like the housewrights had to use an outdoor shed. That's when we went to tung oil.

[Frank Drew]

I can't remember the last time I renewed the finish on any of my shop tools, but for newly-made stuff like turning tool handles and garden tools I'm like George and use tung oil. Works well, dries fine, I've got it around (unlike linseed oil).

[phil harold]

Tung oil straight?
or tung oil varnish that you find at the borg?

The mold will stop if I clean them with _________(fill in the blank) and wipe with tung oil?

thanks!

[harry strasil]

I use neutral Danish oil on everything but my tool chests, on them I used marine polyurethane.

[Jim Koepke]

I use the Tung oil found in the borgs and most other stores that sell painting supplies.

It is a mix with mineral spirits. I think it is Formby's brand.

jim

[John Keeton]

Jim, from some postings from regulars in the Finishing forum, apparently Formby's has no tung oil in it notwithstanding the name. The posts indicate it is a varnish blend. FWIW.

[phil harold]

Jim, from some postings from regulars in the Finishing forum, apparently Formby's has no tung oil in it notwithstanding the name. The posts indicate it is a varnish blend. FWIW.

That answers part of my question

If I cant find tung oil I will try Danish oil

[David Keller NC]

Phil - You can get real tung oil (as opposed to an oil/varnish blend that usually doesn't contain any tung oil at all) from Behlen's - it's the "Old Master" line, and I think Woodcraft carries it.

To get rid of the mold, I would suggest just washing it in warm water and hand dishwashing detergent, then thoroughly drying it. Don't immerse the tools, which might allow the wood to take up too much water and split.

There are plenty of other solutions to killing mold, but most of them involve bleaching the wood (chlorox and hydrogen peroxide are two good sterilants, but both will bleach your handles).

[george wilson]

Woodcraft supply sells straight tung oil. I do not mean tung oil varnish,I mean straight tung oil,or I would have specified tung oil varnish. I try to be specific so as to not confuse the reply.

[Eddie Darby]

Try a penetrating oil, and then after it dries apply a carnauba wax coating.

You can read about it at the Beall Tool site.

http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php

This is how musical instrument necks are finished, so the hand can move smoothly on it without any grab to it, that you would get with any surface coating that builds up.