Thread: Finish for old garden tool handles

Boiled linseed oil.

Don't worry about combustibility - that only applies to the rag you use to apply it with (leave them outside, clear of anything else combustible, and un-scrunched - or throw them into your woodburner). I use BLO a lot, and have never had a rag self-combust - though I understand it can happen.

Cheers, Vann.

I have been using this for years, I use it on just about anything that is made from timber and is going to be exposed to weather
Deck Oil | Timber Finishes for all exterior hardwood | Preschem

+1 for BLO.

Instead of sanding try using a deck reviver; this is usually oxalic acid based and removes the silvered coating of the timber without removing too much wood. Looks more natural as well.

+1 on BLO for tool handles.

BLO spontaneous combustion is very real, however it requires the "right" conditions to do so. Unfortunately those conditions are easily created. It has been recorded as the ignition source / primary cause of fires. There have been many renovated homes lost on the "home stretch" due to owners / contractors not handling or disposing of oil soaked rags, "mops" etc correctly. I can recall two here in Townsville in the last decade.

I have easily created "smoking" BLO contaminated waste rags & wood shavings in controlled experiments here in Townsville in summer. Not that hard to create I might add.

Warning - if you spill BLO into saw dust / wood shavings - they and any rags / paper used in the cleanup must also be disposed of correctly. Do not leave any BLO contaminated waste or rags in or near combustible containers, material, or waste. Once the BLO is fully cured the waste can be disposed of normally.

DFES-Home-Fire-Safety-Info-Note-Linseed-Oil.pdf some quotes below.

"In many cases of spontaneous combustion of drying oils the cause has been a pile of oil soaked rags. As the oil oxidizes it generates heat. The rags act as an insulator, allowing the heat to build up until the cloth smokes and eventually ignites. The bigger the pile, the greater the possible heat and the greater the risk.

Ambient temperature is also a factor. The warmer it is, the quicker the rags can reach ignition temperature."

&

"Rags or other applicators used with linseed oil should be allowed to dry completely in a safe place, away from flammable materials. The best way to achieve this is to lay the rags out flat on a concrete driveway, or other non-combustible surface, and allow them to completely dry off"

Another +1 for BLO.

The way I do for wood working tool handles it is as follows,

1) Sand the handle smooth.
2) Liberally wipe on a coat of BLO with a rag, let BLO soak in for a few hours then wipe off any excess
3) Repeat previous step
4) Leave Over night.
'
Then if you want a super tactile finish
5) make up a shellac solution and using the same rag as above,
6) dab some BLO onto the rag and add 1-2 drops of the shellac soln,
7) Wipe onto handle and rub it in.
8) Leave overnight '
9) repeat steps 6-7-8 a few times but using increasing amounts of shellac solution on every repeat, 2-3 drops, then 3-4 drops etc.
10) rub with clear dry cloth

For gardening tools you may want to jump from step 4 to 10)

For the BLO on tool/axe handles.

My dad taught me to apply it,

once a day for a week,
once a week for a month,
once a month for a year,
then once a year after that.

It's always worked well for me.

Mick.

Thank you to everyone for your comments. I'll give BLO a try. Now I have to find some. It's out of stock at all Bunnings within 100kms of me. Diggers have told me that they have a "country wide" shortage at present.