# Boiled Linseed Oil



## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

Question for anyone, was watching a video on Youtube. This guy would take boiled linseed oil and wet the wood then sand lightly with a very fine sand paper and let sit for couple minutes then wipe the excess off. Let dry 24 hours then do it over again for 4 to 6 coats. After that was dry would put a wax paste on and looked really good. 

Wondering if anyone has done this before or any insight. Kind of the finish I'm looking for and will try on some scrap. Can this be done over a stain as well?


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

I sand in BLO all the time on white oak using 400x wet/dry paper. I only do one coat though and then finish with poly. I wouldn't do this over stain as you will remove some of the stain with the sanding. A while back someone here posted a finishing schedule using progressively finer wet/dry sandpaper with multiple coats of tung oil. Do a quick search and you should find the thread.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I've done this as well, only with a top coat of another finish (usually varnish). The technique is sometimes called "slurry sanding" and I do it to fill the pores of the wood and get a smooth surface on table tops. Works really well on oak, and works even better if you mix a little varnish with the BLO (IMHO).


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

I did the first coat today on the small island I made. Like the way it still feels like wood and not like plastic you get with some poly's and kinda like Waterlox. But some people like that too. Think it gives it more of an old feel to it. Looking forward to the end results.


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

So with four coats of BLO and sanded in all four. Would I be better off putting a couple coats of poly on it or a couple of paste wax? Depends on the look I guess. Like the wax but the poly would give more protection?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

harvest said:


> So with four coats of BLO and sanded in all four. Would I be better off putting a couple coats of poly on it or a couple of paste wax? Depends on the look I guess. Like the wax but the poly would give more protection?


IMO, wax doesn't belong on wood. I would use a film finish.:yes:








 







.


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## JohnK007 (Nov 14, 2009)

When I was into collecting old military rifles this was the preferred method of restoring the stocks. It was time consuming but the results were often stunning. The use of BLO and wax closely duplicated the original arsenal finish. Actually, more so the BLO. The wax offered a sheen that I found pleasing.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

You called it a "small island", I would think you would want more protection than the wax would provide.


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## bob123 (Nov 22, 2012)

Howdy, first post here, hope yall are well.

Anyway, boiled linseed oil is a drying oil, and a natural protectant. You don't need anything further to protect the wood. Anything further is purely for cosmetic purposes. Poly, urethane, nitro, whatever, would ADD to the protection, but after several coats of BLO, you are simply putting "more for more's sakes".

BLO is difficult to get a high gloss finish, the wax will add some sheen, but only if it was finished properly. Else, it will make defects more noticeable, just something to consider. If your finish is uneven, you can add some poly and wetsand/polish to a high gloss shine.


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

Going to go with a satin poly on it, maybe two coats and then will be done. Think will give it a little more protection and the look that I want. Watched a video where a guy did 4 to 6 coats of blo sanded in and then put a paste wax on it and buff. That was done on a chair and looked good to. Just think it will be look I'm after and protect a little more with polly too.


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## Jophus14 (Aug 21, 2012)

I believe I know which video you are talking about. He is a professional finisher so of course his finish is going to look amazing. I'm sure your finish will turn out nice. Just take you time between coats.


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## Charles Neil (Oct 21, 2007)

the old timers called this "making gravy", and they did often use BLO.

This works well on semi open pore woods like walnut or mahogany , but not real well on heavy grain woods like oak and ash . They need a good grain filler.
I will further submit that today with alot of the BLO , actually being just LO and some japan drier, it dries slower and much softer. Shrinkage when it does dry is far greater. Using a good oil/varnish , the dry time is far less and the fill much harder and less shrink back.

I have used Seal a Cell, Formbys tung oil ( not tung ,varnish), as well as Arm R seal , with better results than BLO, additionally the better drying products, make it easier to to sand, and much faster.
Just my .02 , having done it a time or 50 :yes:


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## COBOB (May 23, 2012)

I will second Charles recommendation. The General Finishes brand, Seal A Cell (sealer filler), the Arm R Seal is a High Gloss finish, Gel Topcoat (basically Arm R Seal in a Satin finish). All of these Urethanes are selfleveling and very tough. I use Gel Topcoat on Dulcimers. Three coats sanding with 320 between coats, very natural looking and strong.
Bob


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

I'm learning alot since joining this forum. Finishing seems to be a whole other thing to learn from woodworking depending on what kind of finish you want. Everyone seems to have there own little tricks. Will keep working at it, thanks for the help.


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

Went with a satin poly on top of the four coats of BLO and sanding them. Not sure if from all the sanding before and then when putting on BLO and sanding that each time but first coat of satin poly and really looks smooth. Will try this again on something else. One more coat of poly Saturday.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Glad to hear it's working well for you and you like the look/feel. Now show us some pictures!!


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

Will take some in the am and post them, promise.


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

A few pics of the top done, will be putting it on the island later today.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Nice job harvest. It turned out just beautiful.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

That's a good looking top! I don't know what the coffee table underneath looks like, but I like it right where it's sitting


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## harvest (Nov 7, 2012)

The so called coffee table under it was a tool chest my grandfather made way back when. No one was useing it so we cleaned it up and striped it, I put some feet under it and there it sits. Weigh's a ton all oak.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

The oil in most oil finishes in BLO. The boiling starts and speeds up the polymerization of the LO. Most modern finishes add some "agents" and Japan drier to further speed up the process so you don't have to wait so long for the project to be and feel dry. It also gets rid of the smell quicker.
Minwax Antique oil finish has a good balance(I have no connection) and works well with this method. The first coat or so I use 220 or 320 paper then when a sheen is forming telling you the woo is filled then I use 400 on the show surfaces. 
They probably are getting tired of me saying this but it has the advantage of touch up in future up to years later. 
The old bars were finished with BLO this way. A coat a day for a week, a coat a week for a month ant annually thereafter. They kept a brick to wrap with a cloth to rub on the finish as needed. They developed a glow and were pretty resistant to water and alcohol if wiped.


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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

The one thing that others have not talked about was the first step of taking a damp cloth and rubbing it across the raw wood to raise the grain. The fractured wood fibers swell and stick up. When dry, they are still pointing up and can be sanded off with a very light sanding. If you use a course sandpaper or sand more than just a slight amount, you will be back at step one needing to wet the wood again. Wetting the wood and sanding the open fibers off prevents from having fuzzy wood in your finish. It is just another step, like using a tack cloth to help keep the finish smooth and clean. 

Boiled Linseed Oil comes from the seeds of the flax plant. Flax grows tall, has string like stalks, golden in color, and has an almost clear oil that comes from it. It is not actually boiled but has chemicals known as metallic driers added to speed up the absorption of oxygen, which is how an oil finish cures," (Fine WoodWorking December 2012). Putting on the BLO creates a deep finish with a slight shine. Putting on a past wax and buffing it increases the shine.

Sent from my iPad using Wood Forum


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