camelia oil on tool question

[tim langford]

One of my catalogues has 8 oz camelia oil and a japanese applicator for about $29 shipped. Does anyone have experience using these and/or suggestions for a cheaper or better alternative? I'm not opposed to the price but figured I would ask before spending the money. It looks like a neat system and easy to use. I'm not that happy using paste wax. Thanks

[Pam Niedermayer]

I use camelia oil on all my hand tool metal. It is very good; but I don't know why I'd need an applicator, or even what that would be. Why not spend the applicator money on more camelia?

Pam

[Michael Perata]

Get the oil and pass on the applicator. It is very easy to apply with a clean cloth.

[Alan Turner]

I have one of these applicators, but only becuase I bought an estate and it was there. It is a pice of bamboo, closed at the bottom, and open at the top, into which is a rolled up piece of denim like material, frayed, so the fraying cloth acts sort of like a brush. I took a visit from Joel Moscowitz to tell me what it was. I use it, but wouldn't buy it.

[tim langford]

Thanks for the replies guys. In looking at the link Rick sent, I noticed the applicator comes with oil that also has mineral solvent in it while the larger bottle, sold alone, appears to be oil with no solvent. Can the oil be used straight or does it need to be cut with a solvent to work properly? Thanks again.

[Gene Collison]

I used Camelia Oil for a long time by wetting a small piece of cloth and keeping it it in a small plastic container. Now I saturate a similar piece of cloth with WD 40 and use it. I honestly feel I am getting the same protection at a fraction of the cost. When the solvent part of WD 40 flashes off, the remaining liquid is about the same viscosity as Camelia oil. Two spray cans for 4$.

gene

[Dan Moening]

Tim,

Please take into consideration that the rust prevention techniques required in the watershed of the Cheasepeake Bay area are significantly different than those of the California Bay area and even those of the hill country of Texas.

Here in the Cental Valley rust isn't much of an issue. Unless you take into account perspiration droplets during our 100°+ days.:p I have been successful with paste wax for planes, saws, and big iron; whereas TopCote/DriCote hasn't been successful in these applications {though works for drill bits/router bits}. Everyone has different experiences, though I suspect the microclimate in your shop is the driving force.

I haven't used Camelia oil personally; and it is the price primarily that has kept me from doing so. I am with the general consensus here: forget the applicator.

What is it about paste wax you don't like? The application or its effectiveness?

[James Biddle]

Highland Hardware - 3.3oz Camellia Oil for $7; paper towels, next to nothin.

[tim langford]

Hey Dan,

NC is humid, so I keep my shop climate controlled and rust has not been the issue for me. I'm more interested in slickness when planing. My only complaint with the wax is in the application. I leave the planes set for cutting and I'm tired of getting sliced by the exposed blades when applying the wax and buffing. I tend to get in a hurry and, for some reason, blades that aren't spinning don't attract my attention like they should. Dumb I know - I've got the scars to prove it.

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Hi Tim. Camelia oil will do nothing for the slickness that you are looking for. It is used only for the reasons of rust prevention.

[Dan Moening]

Oh, I see, Tim.

Let me suggest using either:

- a candle. Ready made stick will keep your hands off the iron.

- block of parafin. Easily and cheaply purchased at your local grocer {canning supplies}

[Doug Shepard]

I picked up the David Charlesworth handplane DVDs recently and noticed that camelia oil is what he's using. Don't have any experience with it myself though.

[Terry Beadle]

I use camelia oil from Highland Hardware. I don't use the applicator. I use a digital system...my finger..hehe. The use of WD40 is not recommended as it contains a carcenogin. I use WD40 for certain work but use rubber gloves. The camelia oil is vegetable based ( as I understand it ). It seems to stay on the tools longer than WD40 ( petro based products evaporate ) and if absorbed by the wood doesn't affect the finish as I can detect. Very little is required. Just a couple of drops on a side of a plane, rub it, and as Frank Klauz might say .." und vee bee dun!"

[Gene Collison]

I use camelia oil from Highland Hardware. I don't use the applicator. I use a digital system...my finger..hehe. The use of WD40 is not recommended as it contains a carcenogin. I use WD40 for certain work but use rubber gloves. The camelia oil is vegetable based ( as I understand it ). It seems to stay on the tools longer than WD40 ( petro based products evaporate ) and if absorbed by the wood doesn't affect the finish as I can detect. Very little is required. Just a couple of drops on a side of a plane, rub it, and as Frank Klauz might say .." und vee bee dun!"


Sorry, not true about WD 40 containing carcinogens, go here and find out all about it. You can read the MSDS, you don't need the rubber gloves.

http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_faqs.html

Camelia oil is good for sure and comes from flowers, it's also used for cosmetics among other things. WD40 is an engineered product designed to do a specific job, prevent rust! According to a Popular Woodworking article by Christopher Schwarz, WD40 is a better rust preventative than camelia oil. The mag. ran extensive tests on rust prevention products. It is not a carcinogen nor is it harmful. One really nice benefit about WD40 is it's about 1/10 the price and you can buy it anywhere. :-)

gene

[Terry Beadle]

Thanks Gene! I checked out that url and that's quite a releif. I believe I saw that WD40 was a carcinogen in a FWW user reply...

WD40 is a whole lot cheaper than cameila oil for sure but I don't think it stays on the plane as long as the oil. But the planes don't stay on the shelf much either!

Thanks again for the info.

[Gene Collison]

Thanks Gene! I checked out that url and that's quite a releif. I believe I saw that WD40 was a carcinogen in a FWW user reply...

WD40 is a whole lot cheaper than cameila oil for sure but I don't think it stays on the plane as long as the oil. But the planes don't stay on the shelf much either!

Thanks again for the info.

Terry,

Once the solvent flashes off, the two are actually very similar. I use camelia too, but tried subbing the WD40 just because of its availability and low cost. I saturated a small cloth with it , let the solvents flash off and found it to work much the same. If you think about it, a lot of research went into WD40 for rust prevention. It's a well proven product that's been around for a long time.

gene

[Mitchell Scrivener]

I bought some camelia oil and have compared it to Kroil. I like the Kroil a great deal more and so do my tools. I have been using it for numerous shooting applications and for general rust prevention here in the humid Mid- South. It is doing what it is advertised to do. I got mine from Brownell's Gunsmithing supply but more info is here http://www.kanolabs.com/.

Mitch

[Christopher Schwarz]

Gene is right that WD-40 outperformed Camellia Oil in our test (I assisted with the test; the article on the topic was actually written by Michael Rabkin). But it's important to note that the test was done on a cast-iron plate left outside (no rain). It was a brutal test of the rust preventatives.

I use WD-40 in my shop on mechanisms that don't touch the wood (eggbeater drills and other gizmos). I've found that WD-40 will stain wood.

So for edge tools, I use Camellia Oil exclusively and have for many years. I also use it as a lubricant for my plane soles, though I also use parrafin.

Just a quick clairification and an endorsement for Camellia Oil.

Back to lurk mode!

Chris

[Chris Thompson]

I can attest to the protection of WD40. in 2000 I bought an old car, a 1973 MGB, with really lousy paint job. I took some 220 on the random orbit sander and sanded down to bare metal in a few places (as the body panels were mismatched.)

After verifying 14 layers of paint/primer, I needed to protect the bare metal. I grabbed the nearby can of WD40 and gave the bare spots a shot.

Five years later, when the car rolled out of my garage and onto a truck to a new owner (because I never did, and probably never would have gotten around to fixing it) those spots were as clean and bright as they ever were.

Granted, sitting idle for five years isn't hard use, but the garage was always damp, and I had tools rust in that time.

[Les Spencer]

I attend a David Charlesworth sharpening class. He wiped down all his planes with camelia oil at the end of each day. He even took them apart and wiped all the pieces. He used what looked like an Altoid tin with a pad in it to apply the oil. I have used camelia since with good results.

[Gene Collison]

Gene is right that WD-40 outperformed Camellia Oil in our test (I assisted with the test; the article on the topic was actually written by Michael Rabkin). But it's important to note that the test was done on a cast-iron plate left outside (no rain). It was a brutal test of the rust preventatives.

I use WD-40 in my shop on mechanisms that don't touch the wood (eggbeater drills and other gizmos). I've found that WD-40 will stain wood.

So for edge tools, I use Camellia Oil exclusively and have for many years. I also use it as a lubricant for my plane soles, though I also use parrafin.

Just a quick clairification and an endorsement for Camellia Oil.

Back to lurk mode!

Chris

Chris,

Your statement on WD40 staining wood surprised me for 2 reasons. I haven't noticed any staining in my usage of the product, the other reason, it is a clear liquid, even more so than camelia. Just to prove it to myself, I took a scrap of clear popular and sprayed a pretty good size puddle of WD40 and next to it another pretty good size puddle of camelia. I let them set for about an hour and planed both of them off. I didn't really see any difference. Both I would say are pretty non reactive liquids, maybe less reactive than some finishes. I admit this isn't a very thorough test of either, but I would not want people to think they have to use expensive Camelia oil because it stains wood. Do your own tests.

gene

[Christopher Schwarz]

Gene,

The wood staining is indeed from my own experience, especially with cherry (I've never sprayed it on poplar). I didn't make this up, nor did I simply repeat it. Perhaps it is a result of the petroleum in the product.

Check out the MSDS: http://www.wd40.com/Brands/msds_usa.html

Yes, WD-40 is mostly inert mineral spirits, but it also is oil.

Chris

[Gene Collison]

Gene,

The wood staining is indeed from my own experience, especially with cherry (I've never sprayed it on poplar). I didn't make this up, nor did I simply repeat it. Perhaps it is a result of the petroleum in the product.

Check out the MSDS: http://www.wd40.com/Brands/msds_usa.html

Yes, WD-40 is mostly inert mineral spirits, but it also is oil.

Chris

Chris,

!/16" cherry veneer front and back after two hours.

Gene

[Christopher Schwarz]

Maybe my WD-40 is contaminated, but mine left a dark spot when it dried when I tried that last year. Honest.

Will a film finish stick to the board after WD-40 has been applied?

Thanks for the interesting photos.

Chris

[Gene Collison]

Maybe my WD-40 is contaminated, but mine left a dark spot when it dried when I tried that last year. Honest.

Will a film finish stick to the board after WD-40 has been applied?

Thanks for the interesting photos.

Chris

Yes, an oil based finish will go right on over but the stains remain. I honestly do not feel there is much to be be concerned about either product as far as staining goes considering the light film required to prevent rust. The most you can get from either is a slight oil discoloration similar to BLO. I have had no problems so my choice is the most available and effective rust preventer at the least cost. I have learned something from this thread too.

Gene

[Elliott Cameron]

One of my catalogues has 8 oz camelia oil and a japanese applicator for about $29 shipped. Does anyone have experience using these and/or suggestions for a cheaper or better alternative? I'm not opposed to the price but figured I would ask before spending the money. It looks like a neat system and easy to use. I'm not that happy using paste wax. Thanks


The best for rust is Boeshield. Everything else is...well, everything else !!

Elliott

[Ed Breen]

WHOOPS!!

When I see WD40 mentioned as a carcinogen it reminds me of the times when at least two M.D.'s (g.p. and a skin man) advised me to spray my arm and leg with wd40 at night, wrap with saran wrap (keep the sheets clean) and cure my aches and pains.
Sometimes I wonder how I've lasted this long.
Ed:p