Boiled Linseed Oil

[Stew Hagerty]

Does anybody use boiled linseed oil as a finish???

Please give give me your opinion as to using as a finish. I have never used it but I heard that it leaves great results.



do you layer it,or cover it with another such as a poly?

Thanks in advance
Dean

I use it on probably 75% of all my projects because it makes wood beautiful. Although I almost never use it alone, but rather as one step in my finishing process. Some other things I often use as parts of my process could be Shellac - 60%, water based dyes - 40%, water based poly - 30%. If you want to keep it simple, just use BLO and give it a nice coat of a good wax. If you use BLO and want to top it off with water based poly just give it a light coat of shellac first and then you're good to go. You can also modify the look of the project by using Amber or even Garnet shellac instead of Blonde if you want.
There are many many combinations. Get yourself a couple good books and/or videos on finishing and do a little experimenting on your own. It won't take long before you figure out what YOU like.

My $0.02. It looks really nice and is a good finish. BUT: Depending on where you live, it could take days for it to "dry". The application rags/cloth, if soaked, is a spontaneous combustion hazard. Leave it outside or in a flameproof container. No finish is worth burning down your shop and/or house. I had a near fire, rags started smoking. Tossed the rags out followed closely by the BLO. I no longer use it. Just my OPINION.

Rags used with BLO are highly flamable and subject to spontanious combustion just like Kyle says. I still use it, but I respect the potential. The best way I know to handle BLO soaked rags is to follow this simple procedure: First of all, I always wet down my BLO rags with some water. Second I bought a simple flame proof oily waste safety can and now I don't worry about it anymore. I put anything soaked with any other kind of solvent or oil based product in the can too.

Always work safe.

[paul cottingham]

I use it as a bottom coat under shellac. Put it on thin. Rub the dickens out of it with a cloth. Throw the cloth out carefully!
great stuff.

[Bob Wingard]

I slop it on my shovel & wheelbarrow handles ... I will never allow it in my shop, though.

Too many negative properties and absolutely nothing positive that can't be accomplished in a safer, more sane manner. Tome, BLO is worthless in/on/under anything that I'm ever going to finish.

[John TenEyck]

I slop it on my shovel & wheelbarrow handles ... I will never allow it in my shop, though.

Too many negative properties and absolutely nothing positive that can't be accomplished in a safer, more sane manner. Tome, BLO is worthless in/on/under anything that I'm ever going to finish.

I'm with Bob. BLO was used "back in the day" because that's all that was available. Sure, it makes wood look nice, but so do countless newer products which actually dry/cure in a reasonable time, offer real protection to the wood, and don't have a habit of immoliating your shop/house.

John

[Mac McQuinn]

Depending on the application, I tend to like BLO although I only use "Tried and True" or another Non-Toxic formula. IMO I'd rather deal with the combustible aspect of BLO than a product with solvents, dryers or other cancer causing chemicals. You can also use Non-Toxic specific Tung Oil which has it's own benefits if the application warrants it.
Mac

[Bob Wingard]

Ummm .. you may want to reread the label on the BLO ... or Google it ... it is full of metallic dryers/salts AND has been determined to contain known carcinogens.

Appearance: yellow to brown liquid.
Caution! May cause allergic skin reaction. Aspiration hazard if swallowed. Can enter lungs and cause damage. May cause eye and skin irritation. May cause respiratory and digestive tract irritation. This is expected to be a low hazard for usual industrial handling.
Target Organs: None.


Potential Health Effects
Eye: Contact may cause transient eye irritation.
Skin: Prolonged and/or repeated contact may cause irritation and/or dermatitis. May cause skin sensitization, an allergic reaction, which becomes evident upon re-exposure to this material.
Ingestion: Aspiration hazard. Ingestion of large amounts may cause gastrointestinal irritation. Aspiration of material into the lungs may cause chemical pneumonitis, which may be fatal.
Inhalation: Causes respiratory tract irritation.
Chronic: May cause allergic skin reaction in some individuals.

Boiled Linseed Oil 09-Dec-2009
Cobalt driers
CA. Alberta OELs
TWA
0.05 mg/m³
as Co
Cobalt driers
CA. British Columbia OELs
TWA
0.02 mg/m³
as Co
Cobalt driers
CA. Quebec OELs
TWA
0.02 mg/m³
as Co
Cobalt driers
US. ACGIH TLV
TWA
0.02 mg/m³
as Co
Linseed oil (Mist.)
CA. Alberta OELs
TWA
10 mg/m³
Linseed oil (Mist.)
CA. British Columbia OELs
TWA
10 mg/m³
Linseed oil (Respirable mist)
CA. British Columbia OELs
TWA
3 mg/m³
Linseed oil (Mist.)
CA. Ontario OELs
TWA
10 mg/m³
Linseed oil (Mist.)
CA. Quebec OELs
TWA
10 mg/m³
Linseed oil
US. NIOSH Guide
IDLH
-
Linseed oil (Respirable fraction.)
US. OSHA Z-1 PEL
TWA
5 mg/m³
Linseed oil (Total dust.)
US. OSHA Z-1 PEL
TWA
15 mg/m³

[Mac McQuinn]

My mistake, I was thinking of a couple Polymerized Linseed Oil based finishes I use.

Mac

[james bell]

i do a lot of scroll saw puzzles, and usually dip the pieces in blo and put on a screen to drip and dry. takes a while to dry, but definitely does a great job.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I do use BLO as a finish-finish for some types of projects, particularly for decorative items. But it's also the finish on my wife's desk (with wax) which was constructed in 1998 and still looks like new.

[paul cottingham]

I'm sorry, are you saying that tried and true contains all these bad things? That flies in the face of what their website says. Not to say that companies don't lie, but I am struggling with what you are saying if you are referring to tried and true, which is supposed to be basically just polymerized linseed oil.
If I am wrong, please correct me.

[Scott Holmes]

It appears that Tried & True original is in deed polymerized linseed oil. They also sell one mixed with varnish which would be cassified as a danish oil (aka oil/varnish blend)

T&T has been around for ever, that doesn't make it better. It does not dry "hard" when compared to varnish of any kind. Polymerization speeds the drying/curing process. It may produce a very slightly harder finish. I suggest you leave some on a piece of glass or plastic for a few days and see just how "hard" it really gets. Dried and fully cured regular old BLO is about the same as an art gum eraser, maybe not even that hard.

[Bob Wingard]

I'm sorry, are you saying that tried and true contains all these bad things? That flies in the face of what their website says. Not to say that companies don't lie, but I am struggling with what you are saying if you are referring to tried and true, which is supposed to be basically just polymerized linseed oil.
If I am wrong, please correct me.

Tried & True says : How is it made? Linseed oil is a drying oil. Polymerization is an internal process in the oil which changes the oil from a liquid to a solid. After the impurities are removed, the oil is processed to accelerate its drying properties, creating a polymerized linseed oil. No petroleum distillates, or other solvents, or their derivatives are added. No heavy metal driers are used. The methods we employ are adapted from 18th to early 20th century varnish making.We combine quality control, current technology and traditiional formulations to enhance the inherent properties of this natural resource.

One falsehood there is that Linseed Oil changes from a liquid to a solid ... I've seen pieces finished with REALLY old fashioned Linseed Oil, circa 1920-1930 where, once the top coat was stripped, we saw Linseed Oil oozing from the pores ... and this after 80-90 YEARS of "curing". Linseed Oil DOES NOT HARDEN ... period ... it's resistance to moisture penetration is nil ... it stinks ... it molds because it is an organic compound ... it will set itself and anything in it's vicinity on fire if mishandled, even slightly. Now ... tell me again, just WHAT it is that Linseed Oil does for you that makes it worth of taking the risk ???

Fine Woodworking evaluated it against 14 other wipe on finishes ... and rated it DEAD LAST ... http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolG....aspx?id=25516

Their own MSDS sheet says it contains NOT MORE THAN 0.1% KNOWN CARCINOGENS ... http://www.johnnyseeds.com/Assets/In..._DanishOil.pdf

If they say they do not use chemical driers, I can't prove or dispute that statement ... I simply choose to not use their product based on a few projects that I used it on.

[paul cottingham]

What does it do for me? It has no VOC's that set off my daughters autism like every other finish I have tried other than shellac.

[Bob Wingard]

I would suggest you try dyes & finishes that are true waterborne ...still better than a mold-feeding, self-igniting, carcinogen-containing Linseed Oil.

[Sean Hughto]

Bob, I obviously don't write this for your benefit, because you obviously have very strong views on BLO. I write for those reading along who may not have used BLO before and would consider it.

Bob is exaggerating the drawbacks of BLO in my experience. I've used BLO plenty in my shop. On tools handles, my bench, shop cabinets, etc. I often use it under shellac on projects as well. It's a useful product. With reasonable care not to wad up soaked rags, it does not self ignite. As with any other oily rags or oil based finishes with driers, you need to take some care to dispose of/handle rags properly, but this is hardly difficult. I've never had anything I've put BLO on grow mold, ever. Maybe if you live in a swampy or humid area and have an outdoor shop or something, it could happen, but it certainly is not something that is routine or that I have ever seen in twenty years of using the stuff. As for carcinogens, most any petroleum based finish you use has some tiny quantities of dangerous chemical. Wood dust is a carcinogen, I believe. So is the Sun. My point is that we should be careful about carcinogens, but they are all around us.


I like BLO especially for tool handles as it doesn't create the same sort of film that something like varnish or shellac does. A BLO handle, feels good in the hand and is easily renewed - growing more attractive with age. The tote and knob on this 5 are an example: