How to remove Linseed Oil finish?

[Steve Mathews]

The bowl shown below was recently finished with linseed oil but I would now like to remove it after realizing it wasn't good for contact with food products. I tried rubbing it with mineral spirits and then acetone without avail. It seems sanding it is the only solution unless someone has an alternative. Suggestions? I don't want to trash it since it is a nice size and shape bowl.
490640

[Christopher Herzog]

I had a project with BLO go south once, sanded it. I would think you could sand the bowl and be fine. My two cents...

Chris

[Reed Gray]

Maybe wet sanding with a solvent, or if you are going to use a solvent based finish that could work too. I always use the walnut oil finishes, specifically from the Doctor's Woodshop.

robo hippy

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have thought that linseed oil was a good choice for things like your nice bowl. Raw linseed oil is non toxic (I think). I would give it a rub with scotchbrite and a coat or two of an oil you feel better about. I like Watco butcher block finish for wood that will be in contact with food.

[Richard Coers]

I have thought that linseed oil was a good choice for things like your nice bowl. Raw linseed oil is non toxic (I think). I would give it a rub with scotchbrite and a coat or two of an oil you feel better about. I like Watco butcher block finish for wood that will be in contact with food.
Raw linseed oil is usually marketed as flax seed oil. That is recognized more as a food product compared to a wood finish. Any use of solvent for removal will take the oil deeper into the wood pores. I assume the OP means boiled linseed oil, but clarification would be nice. Today, boiled almost always means metallic dryers have been added for the oil to cure. Often common to see a little resin added to wood finishing products marketed as BLO.

[Steve Mathews]

Yes, it was boiled linseed oil. Looks like the only solution is sanding. I'll finish it afterwards with walnut oil, my new go to treatment for bowls and such.

[John Keeton]

Another option is to simply seal in the BLO as I doubt you could ever truly remove all of it. Shellac will seal the bowl and is food safe. You could put on a coat, steel wool it back, add another coat, etc. After 3-4 coats you should have a fairly nice finish. I know it isn't the "oil" finish you want, but it will be a LOT faster than sanding and makes for a nice finish that is safe. The shellac will dry in less than 30 minutes if the humidity isn't terrible.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

This is when a lathe with a vacuum chuck would be nice. Dear Santa...

[Steve Mathews]

Another option is to simply seal in the BLO as I doubt you could ever truly remove all of it. Shellac will seal the bowl and is food safe. You could put on a coat, steel wool it back, add another coat, etc. After 3-4 coats you should have a fairly nice finish. I know it isn't the "oil" finish you want, but it will be a LOT faster than sanding and makes for a nice finish that is safe. The shellac will dry in less than 30 minutes if the humidity isn't terrible.

Appears to be a better plan than what I ended up doing which was sanding or scrubbing the BLO off. Impatience got the better of me and so I forged ahead without seeing John's post. I started with 120 grit sandpaper but quickly realized that it loads up too quickly. I then tried using some fairly course Scotch Brite strips. Maurice's idea. That worked pretty good. The removed gum can be easily flicked off the pad and reused. Once most of the BLO was scrubbed off I went back to 120 grit sandpaper until all I could see was fine wood dust. I followed up with finer courses to 400 grit. I doubt all of the BLO was removed but I'm satisfied most of it is gone. I then followed up with walnut oil. Hopefully what results is a safe bowl to use for foodstuffs.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

It is a very graceful bowl! The wheels and axle from what must have been a mine cart are fun to see too!

[Peter Blair]

I think John has the best solution, BLO soaks into the wood and will go deeper on the end grain and be very difficult to get all sanded out.

[Steve Mathews]

I think John has the best solution, BLO soaks into the wood and will go deeper on the end grain and be very difficult to get all sanded out.

Now I'm a little worried about the imbedded BLO if any. Can I shellac over the walnut oil?

[Peter Blair]

I think Shellac will pretty much seal most anything.

[Reed Gray]

Well, I don't use shellac. I think it is a surface finish. If the walnut oil has any wax in it, that could cause problems with the shellac sticking to the wood. I use the Doctor's Woodshop stuff, and it has carnuba wax in it.

robo hippy

[Mel Fulks]

I think Shellac will pretty much seal most anything.

I agree. It’s a good surface finish. Don’t really want oil filled salad bowls …unless Martha Stewart says “it’s a good thing”.
There are different kinds of shellac . Talking bugs not brands. The orange shellac is the most durable and water resistant. I’ve tested it by
putting 3 thin coats on wood and weighting them down under water for days. Yes the orange shellac bugs are the smartest kind.

[John Keeton]

On numerous gallery quality turnings I wet sanded with BLO to fill the grain, followed by applications of shellac with the same cloth used to apply the BLO. It worked very well. I have never had adhesion issues with shellac over oil.

[Steve Mathews]

On numerous gallery quality turnings I wet sanded with BLO to fill the grain, followed by applications of shellac with the same cloth used to apply the BLO. It worked very well. I have never had adhesion issues with shellac over oil.

Interesting ... Mike Mahoney mentions briefly in one of his videos wet sanding with walnut oil. I think it was for a similar reason if not the same. Come to think of it he speaks highly of oak for woodturning. Maybe it's filling this open grain structure he had in mind. Regardless, I'd like to try this technique to see its effect.

[John Keeton]

Steve, the one important thing about BLO is that it will darken over the years more so than other oils. One needs to take that into consideration, especially on lighter woods. That said, it seems to enhance the contrast on figured maple.

Also, did you get the PM I sent you?

[John K Jordan]

...linseed oil ...wasn't good for contact with food products...

I've read a lot over the years about wood finishes suitable for things meant to be used for food. There is much controversy. From the finish experts I respect the most I heard the same thing: nearly any finish is fine for wood things intended for use with food IF the finishes are completely cured, even so-called "boiled linseed oil" which, as pointed out, is no longer boiled but chemically treated.

For example, this article (https://www.woodsmith.com/article/facts-about-food-safe-finishes/) makes the statement:
Nearly all finishes are considered non-toxic after they’re fully cured — even those that use metallic drying agents containing cobalt, zirconium, zinc, or manganese. So in some respects, all finishes are “food-safe"

The author continues, indicating in spite of this he'd rather be on the safe side. It's a personal choice. Personally, I'm trying to visualize just how much of the wood of the bowl would have to be scraped away and ingested to get a toxic amount of anything, given that most of a penetrating finish has done just that, penetrated sometimes deeply within the wood. I'd like to read a science-based study on this. I don't know but I suspect most of the opinions I hear are just that, based on feelings and guesses and not data.

That said, I've been happy with pure beeswax on things I make for the kitchen and dining room. I often heat it so it penetrates somewhat. It's not as long lasting as polymerizing finishes where water is present, but blended with mineral oil it does a reasonable job. BTW, when I give people things that use a specific finish I often give them a bit extra in a small container so they can restore the surface occasionally.

BTW, Richard Raffan once said things like turned salad bowls intended to be used need no finish - the daily use, scraping with the spoon, washing, and drying quickly give them a satisfying patina. Not something to sell in a gallery, but hey.

JKJ

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I buy raw linseed oil and boil it myself. When I want to avoid stickyness I add Japan Drier.

[Brice Rogers]

Japan Drier?? Hmm.... maybe wet sanding with Japan drier would cause the BLO to harden?

Use nitrile gloves.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Unfortunately Japan drier brings nasty inedible's back into the recipe.