Applying Linseed oil to a knife handle.

[KenThis]

I use pure tung oil which is similar.

I heat the oil in a water bath till it's 100C (I checked the flashpoint of the oil it's much higher), I let the knife handle warm up near a stove.
I use old clean cotton rags and apply an overly generous coat to the knife handle, and then stand the knife up and leave it 30 mins or so. I come back with my hot oil rag and rub in as much of the oil, rubbing with the grain, as I can. I leave it another 30 mins and come back in and buff off the excess with a clean rag. I leave it somewhere warm for 2/3 days and repeat 5/6 times.
The oil doesn't 'dry' exactly, it cures in the presence of oxygen apparently, chemically hardens.
I find after 2/3 days the oil has 'dried' for all intents and purposes, the handle doesn't smell (the 'wet' oil is quite aromatic) or feel at all sticky and water beads right off it.

For my axe handle I tried a 50/50 mix of tung oil and beeswax (by weight), as I wanted to both protect the handle and improve grip, and had some unneeded hot tung oil to hand.
I must say it was a nightmare to get on as it wanted to solidify on contact, but with a lot of elbow grease and some warmth it finally went on as I wanted.

I have only used my new tools in the garden and haven't put them through their paces properly so to speak but I was very pleased with how they are now far more waterproof. I am very knew to axe work and I also very much appreciated the extra 'grippiness' on the handle.
Unfortunately a medical condition/medication mean I perspire freely which had me worried about using the axe and it slipping. But I feel the beeswax mix has definitely improved grip and my confidence..

Oh yeah I burn the rags in the stove when I'm done.

 

[forrestdweller]

not sure if this applies to the oils mentioned in this post, too: when working in a carpentry workshop we used orange oil to polish the table tops. after use the soaked rags were dropped into a bucket of water to prevent spontaneous self-combustion......

(i used the oily rags togo over my knife handles, too- just a quick wipe for a nice finish and smell)

 

[trade axe]

Raw linseed oil takes longer to dry than the boiled stuff. It can take weeks to dry properly. The boiled oil isn't boiled at all, it has chemical additive in it that speed up the drying process and makes it a better product for preserving things like tool handles, furniture, etc.
.

I suppose different folks can have different experiences. I never saw the once a day for a week application as feasible, for myself. But then I really gave first applications of boiled Linseed oil a pretty wet slathering. Not dripping, but a liberal application on my Hickory handles. This first app. usually took about a week to soak in well, Then after a week I would do it again. When I applied another application before a week was up I found that I had a sticky handle that basically didn't want to dry. I had to sand it off once. The second time that I rushed an application was on a Husqvarna hatchet, which did eventually dry, but it took a month or so. What I found was a good wet application once a week for three weeks did the job for me. Now I do them once a year. Just my experience. If it is rushed, the under coat does not dry, and you get a sticky mess. I have never sanded a handle prior to soaking, which may explain my longer absorption times. But then, it really didn't seem to matter with the end result.... Just give the handle some decent drying time. Initially I wanted to get some kind of deep burnished wood grain look through multiple applications and some rubbing. Then you see them later and they are wood ash dirty and dinged/nipped from use. It was a waste of time to get them all pretty. I just use the BLO now to prevent cracking.

 

[scarfell]

Just finished shaping the handle on my TBS boar, its olive wood, wondering if anyone can recomend an oil for it? Not sure if particular oils are better for certain woods?

I quite like the idea of danish oil darkening, but my main concern is sealing the handle up properly, so if its not the best for this wood i'm open to suggestions...


Also i'm a little concerned about some of the additives i see on the oils i have, linseed and teak, both have things like naptha, will that (or others like turps) compromise the epoxy?

(also i have very sensitive skin, i'd prefer to use something with as few additives as possible, and an oil that is safe to be handled...(re a comment o saw about some oils not intended to be handled))

 

[Fadcode]

Most oils wont effect the adhesive on most woods, Olive wood being a very oily wood is sometimes hard to get to stick properly, the other thing I have found with Olive wood is that you have to be very careful it doesn't get dirty once you put the oil on it, make sure the rag you use is very clean and don't use the same spot to put it on twice, make sure its in a clean warm environment whilst it dries, don't put too much oil on and wipe the excess off, Olive wood isn't very porous, so it takes time for the oil to soak in, its also not a good wood to stabilise again because it wont take the juice in very well because its quite oily, its also not an ideal wood for knife scales, although it is a very beautiful grained wood, it is a wood that you have to be careful with.