2:00

It took me years to recognize a few simple principals in handle oiling that make a big difference in the finished product. For more on oiling handles and on drying oils, watch the long version of this video here: • Why These Oils Are Bes...
Read the blog post accompanying this video: skillcult.com/b...
this is the oil I bought recently. It was the best price I could find. I may have ordered it directly from Pipping rock though. I can't remember: amzn.to/2hTgOY7
Support on / skillcult has been critical in keeping me experimenting and making content. If you want to help me help others, this is probably the best way to do it. Thank you Patrons for supporting the mission!
Donations can also be sent via PayPal @: www.paypal.com...
Buy less, but buy it through my links! Shopping through my affiliate links generates revenue for me, at no extra cost to you, click links here, or go to my Amazon Store page: skillcult.com/a... But seriously, buy less, do more.
Standard gear I recommend. I either use or have used all of it.
Council Tool Boys Axe: amzn.to/3z0muqI
Bahco Farmer's File: amzn.to/3Hbdhij
King two sided sharpening stone: amzn.to/32EX1XC
Silky f180 saw: amzn.to/3yZzM71
ARS 10 foot long reach pruner: amzn.to/3esETmM
Victorinox grafting/floral knife: amzn.to/3Jki1E9
Wiebe 12” fleshing tool: amzn.to/3sB0qSl
Atlas Elbow Gloves: amzn.to/3FwB5g6
BOOKS:
The Axe Book, by Dudley Cook: amzn.to/32kx7sN
Bushcraft, by Mors Kochanski: amzn.to/32q2rpT
Subscribe to my channel for more insightful Self Reliance related content: www.youtube.com... Click the bell icon to be notified of new content. Subscribing doesn’t mean that much on it’s own.
Blog and website: www.skillcult.com/blog
Instagram and Facebook @SkillCult
When oiling axe and other wooden tool handles, you can nourish and fill the wood with drying oil for a long lasting, well sealed protective finish. The keys are to use raw linseed oil and to apply it steadily and repeatedly for a long period of time. I usually apply it as long as the handle will still soak up oil. I'm pleased to say the Dudley Cook recommends the same in the axe book. I'm currently oiling a haldle that has probably been in progress for nearly a week and is still slurping up oil, even though I oil it about 3 to 6 times a day most days. When it is finished, it will be deeply penetrated and the rind near the surface will be very saturated. Once the drying linseed oil cures into a tough plastic like substance, you have something like a compound substance of stabilized wood. This is entirely different than occasional coats of linseed oil or danish finish. It is not a surface finish it is a deep seal filling the woods pores where there was once water in the living tree. See my blog post for this video for more.

[@SkillCult]

I got a fresh bottle of oil and it soaks in much deeper and cures slower because it is so thin and light. It's okay to take a longer approach, or pause oiling for a while if the handle is absorbing alarming amounts of oil and it's taking forever. Allowing the oil to cure in the handle a little bit might allow you to saturate the outer rind without just losing tons of oil to the interior of the handle. To me, saturating the outer rind of the handle is the goal. The surface finish is not important if the wood is saturated it's like a finish that is inside the wood 1/8 of an inch deep or whatever. Once that happens, surface finish is fairly irrelevant, even if it looks cool.

[@mikedoro6461]

I've been doing this for 40 years and your's is the first video I've seen doing it the right way. FYI... I store my oil soaked rag in an old recycled glass food jar to keep it from hardening.

[@SkillCult]

Excellent. For me it just evolved over time as I realized that saturation and depth were the real keys v.s. a surface coating. Was just thinking of doing a short video on that. Cheers!

[@andreyz94]

Question: Is it a special kind of linseed oil, or does the pharmacy one work just as well?

[@SkillCult]

@@andreyz94 It's the same as food grade flax oil. Any raw Linseed or flax oil should be fine.

[@HighColorado]

I have watched all your axe-handle-linseed videos, (some multiple times) and want to share with you my appreciation and satisfaction of doing this myself. I am working over a hatchet, hanging/drying its 7th coat of oil in front of my fireplace right now. The grain is beginning to really show character ... and I have no worries about (toxicity to pets) leaving a little bowl of linseed oil sitting on my kitchen counter during this process. Ty! Be Well!

[@andrewturner1974]

Every other channel I have seen says "I like the boiled Linseed oil because it drys faster" seemed to me that it kinda defeats the purpose. If it is drying faster, that means the oil is evaporating before it saturates into the wood. I thought I was the only one that thought the slow time of raw oil made more sense. Fortunatly for me, I can buy the raw linseed oil at my local hardware shop. Glad I watched your video.

[@SkillCult]

That is because the thinking is primarily around coating and mine is now around penetration and saturation. I have another video digging into that more. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5a5mpKEhMeWn5I As I understand, the drying oils actually become heavier (bulked up maybe?) from reacting with or absorbing oxygen. But after a certain curing level, oil doesn't get past it anymore. Cheers.

[@lolatmyage]

My local hardware store sells "cold pressed" linseef oil, and I've been using it to finish all of my recent wood projects and wood handles. I've only been putting one coat to give it some kind of a finish but you have a good point about thoroughly saturating the wood, I'll try that next time.

[@ts694]

Your use of light, perspective, sound, and timing in this video makes it a work of art. Your skills as a videographer have also progressed to the expert level. Thanks for the effort you put into it.

[@SkillCult]

Thanks! I guess I don't see myself that way, but maybe that's why it's good ;)

[@OutdoorLonghair]

I will second that motion!

[@aussiecue]

I still use BLO, but I thin it with turps and put the axe in sealed plastic vac bag and let it soak a few weeks. Once it's saturated through it don't matter if its raw or boiled. I prefer the drier feel of BLO

[@LawAbidingCitizen117]

Yeah, I also don't like the oily feel of raw or food grade linseed oil.

[@jamesgroves5294]

Nice video!

[@garybenedict3673]

Thank you. Well done.

[@bigoldgrizzly]

I use 50/50 mix of raw linseed oil and turpentine. this thins the oil and seems to aid faster penetration. In the final stages I add 3 or 4 drops of Terebene driers per spoon of linseed oil to speed the curing process. [Terebene is a 'drying' agent made from raw turpentine ]

[@diamondflaw]

I know this is a year old video, but I just found it and wanted to throw out there that this is how my grandfather and great-grandfather treated rifle stocks too. I still shoot my grandfather's well-used .22 he got as a kid in 1926, and I absolutely love the almost satin feel to the finish that close to 100 years of raw linseed oil saturation has given it.

[@SkillCult]

Neat.

[@davidparker3346]

Nothing like an oil finish on wood. Great work. Who the hell gave you a thumbs down.

[@SkillCult]

There's always someone.

[@kingdavidapple]

@@SkillCult ...too drunk to realize he hit thumbs down instead of...

[@ScottHead]

Didn't know boiled linseed oil had metals in it but knew it had some volatile solvents. I'm oiling up some handles now but unfortunately already started with the boiled linseed oil. Do you have any suggestions for a handle that has a coat or two of BLO rubbed in?

[@coachgb]

I appreciate your videos so much. What I appreciate more is your approach of teaching us how to think vs what to think. This piggybacks off of one of your other videos, but you’re spot on about people’s craving to “know” the right answer. Your approach makes me wonder if you’ve drawn inspiration of non-attachment from ancient wisdom like Buddhism or stoicism. From your own words I don’t think you’d heavily believe in any one thing, but I’m wondering what influences your thoughts. Thanks for what you put into the world!

[@congamike1]

I love your videos. I've re-shaped, and am oiling an axe handle now. Can't wait to start using it. Nasty humidity here... What is a good oil for protecting the metal part? Seems to me that any kitchen oil would be too thick.

[@SkillCult]

Cool, I think you'll like this. I don't worry about corrosion, but it's dry here. Any thin coating of oil should do well to protect the metal. You could just always have an oil rag in your kit to wipe down with when you're done working.

[@SurvivalSherpa]

I keep adding your stuff to my ax playlist. I use walnut oil on my spoons and kuksas and tool handles and have found it works well. I used BLO on a bed sheet tarp mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits and it worked okay. But for stuff I'm handling regularly, BLO is a no go.

[@SkillCult]

I just stay away from BLO since it always gives me heartburn. You can also leave raw linseed/flax oil out to thicken and then it will cure faster. It's fastest to leave it in the sun till it's like a honey consistency. that can also be cut with a solvent as needed of course. The metals will still speed it up further I'm sure.

[@Vendraxus]

very informative...other youtubers try to say BLO is the only way i like this method much much more.

[@SkillCult]

I know some of the preference for blo is just because it's faster drying, which it is. The other concern seems to be that it won't dry, but it definitely does. Been using it for a while now.

[@justinsane11]

How much heavier does a tool become once you’ve achieved the level you’re happy with typically? I’m in the process of oil treating an Austrian scythe for grass cutting, but if it’s going to add significant weight it defeats the purpose. For reference they are about the same dimensions as a hockey stick, so floor to chin height with a modest narrow handle throughout.

[@bobw1901]

My paternal grandfather started his working life as a carpenter at a time when then had to make a lot of their tools e.g. jack planes. He told me many years ago they used to soak their wooden jack planes in barrels of linseed oil to help preserve them. He died many years ago so I cannot discuss this topic with him or check which wooden planes and possibly some of his saw handles he made or inherited from other carpenters. My father has all his tools, my father also passed on earlier this year so this information has now been lost to the family. Apart from enjoying the feel of my oiled axe handle much more oiling it helped me appreciate that not all 'improvements' e.g. plastic handles are necessarily improvements. Thanks for the videos and the information.

[@SkillCult]

Neat story. I'm not at all surprised. It's really great. I'm soaking the wood handled awls I just made for 48 hours before I sell them. to get this effect. I wonder what happens over time, but I feel pretty sure it will prevent a lot of the age cracking and shrinkage often seen in old handles.

[@hanginlaundry360]

This was beautifully done. I watched your video about oils and have selected hemp oil only because I happen to have a big jug of it ! Am in the process of oiling my recently acquired (after considering your advice) Council Tool Sport Utility boys' axe handle. BTW the axe has a metal tube pounded into the top for a wedge. Gotta say there is no residual ridge of wood under the head. Nice and flush! Thanks for all of your great teaching! Going to make biochar with my brush piles next!

[@SkillCult]

The sport utility is an improved version of their boy's axe. I think probably influenced by axe enthusiast Craig Roost. It seems to have better fit and finish.

[@aussiehardwood6196]

I'd love to know your thoughts on using 'non drying oils' for handles. As an avid chainsaw user with over 20 pro saws, I looked for both a cheaper and better bar lube for use in urban garden/yard environments. I process around 30ton of firewood per year which would lead to a LOT of petroleum type oil being sprayed around my yard. Also I do tree work so its not nice when pole sawing branches above someones fish pond not to be dumping bright color swirls of oil into their fish pond habitat. I settled on canola oil as i could get it free. Also amount I save a year can afford me an expensive pro grade chainsaw & the resident dog usually licks it up should I spill some. But being a 'drying' oil it has its downsides once it leaves a bottle or oil reservior. It turns to gel then hard gummy muck that siezes up chains, breaks oil pump worm gear, seizes up hedge trimmer blades etc. Olive oil is a MUCH better choice given it doesnt dry out. Anyway, in my spare time I restore wood handled tools like ax's, sledge hammers, shovels, miners picks & other striking tools. I had no linseed oil and used olive oil on some long shovel hardwood handles I reconditioned (sanded away any fine cracks back to natural wood. These handles were very weathered after years perhaps decades outside in the UV. . After well over a year its protected them well, not gone rotten and stunk and Ive generally been impressed with it. But you make a good point that the 'drying' aspect of say linseed is what seals and fills voids within the wood structure to really protect wood. I agree with this but should we disregard non drying oils all together? Is there some 'possible' benefit to an oil NOT siezing up and perhaps acting a little more like the water did originally in green live wood? Could non drying oils possibly allow better flexibility in handles? I might be way off, just given I've tried this and watched things for well over a year on tools I use often, it seems not a 'bad' idea to use an oil like olive oil. I also think once those drying oils dry the wood may lose its porous nature and perhaps other natural qualities. Im not advocating for what I've done, just sharing my experience using olive oil. Any thoughts? Love the channel brother, from down under.

[@SkillCult]

Probably not the best idea. I could do a follow up vid stimulated by this question, which I'll think about....

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Thanks for sharing, good information. Take care.

[@SkillCult]

Thanks :)

[@TJHutchExotics]

♥️

[@dighsx]

I've seen a couple old timers up by me char their handles. They say it preserves the wood and makes for a good finish. I've never had the guts to try it on one of mine own thou. haha All the best, Jay

[@SkillCult]

That is becoming more popular now. I don't do it, but it looks cool. I was always afraid it would make the wood more brittle, but no one seems to think it's a problem. It usually causes checking when I do it on other stuff. Im a big fan of charred wood. I did a saw handle recently and it's jet black. It cracked, but it looks awesome!

[@dighsx]

Well you're hitting on a bigger issue really. There are a lot of tool "collectors" out there. I have several friends that have all the cool gear but never get anything dirty. But man they can go on for hours on the best way to sharpen an ax or the best way to char a handle.... that they never use. That'd be a good topic for one of your vids. "The balance between learning/knowing and actually doing" Lots of great info out there (like your vids) but unless you get outside and actually put it into practice the knowledge does you little good. Take care, Jay

[@SkillCult]

I'm constantly temped to go on that rant believe me. Especially regarding axes re the cordwood challenge. Book learning is essential in this day and age, but it's mostly just information until it's tested in the crucible of experience. Most people are too quick to accept information as knowledge. A better system is to accept some information as working assumptions and go from there. It's an important distinction between belief and cautious acceptance of something on a working basis. A lot of people think they need to accept something as truth before proceeding, or just in order to have a firm position so they seem like they know what they are talking about. That might be comforting psychologically and make you look cool, but it's a closed door. The modern scienceism is becoming more like that. Where science should be constantly open and skeptical, the new attitude is more like science can prove everything for us, so we can accept things as absolute fact and then proceed. That's dumb. Rant over :)

[@dighsx]

Amen. And at the end of the day swinging the ax is a lot more fun then reading about the best way to swing it. Or as I often say, less talking more working.

[@SkillCult]

I don't think it is fun for a lot of people though. I was out yesterday chopping and I'm starting to get warmed up for the season. It gave me a chance to reflect on how much fun it is and how much funner it is the better you get at it. I just want to go back out this morning and cut down another tree! I only quit because it got dark. Most axe users now are very casual and it's hard to get a flow going and get to the point where it starts to become more comfortable, fun and effective. I watched a video recently by someone that reviews and sells axes and he couldn't chop his way out of a paper bag. The gist of the video was that chopping is really hard and you have to be in great shape. Yeah, it's pretty hard and not very fun if you suck at it :)

[@pilesofpoodles4954]

Your macro shots are always amazing bro.. Pleases me you haven't gone full blown hipster with the shit.. something terribly sinister about all of those shell people. I like to think I wouldn't press the big button, but I might press the big button. I still think for the work and time involved finding and old head and fixing it up that it's hard to beat a gransfors though ;) I would love to see your take on a multi use EDC knife/grind for everything around the stead. The grind on that opinel is pretty rare for production knives and is a clever choice.

[@charbelkaram3269]

Hi, can I use vegetable oil instead, since I live in Beirut and can t find these nearby. Thanks

[@SkillCult]

It won't work the same. Linseed (same as flax), poppy oil, walnut oil, tung oil and hemp should work. You might have walnut or poppy oil there maybe? soybean is partially drying, but it doesn't have the same drying power as these others.

[@charbelkaram3269]

i found a shop selling flax seed oil. thanks for the help. poppy and hemp oil might get you in jail around here :)

[@NCWoodlandRoamer]

Beautiful pile of tools you have there. Where do you get your raw linseed oil at? I'm having trouble finding anything besides the "boiled" stuff.

[@SkillCult]

I just went on amazon and ordered the cheapest flax oil I could find. Sunnyside sells "raw linseed oil", but it smells like solvent to me. It is avaialble on amazon, but uncommon in stores

[@SkillCult]

I ended up ordering this stuff from pipping rock. They have about the cheapest prices on supplements and health food stuff like this. amzn.to/2i0AGrP It's a bit more than the industrial stuff, but I get it all over my hands all day long and don't have to worry about it.

[@NCWoodlandRoamer]

SkillCult Thanks for the info. I'll order some of that.

[@patgray5402]

Should you put oil on the part of the shaft where the axe head slides onto before putting the axe head on? Or is it best to leave that area unoiled?

[@SkillCult]

I never have and probably wouldn't some put it on the wedge, that makes more sense.

[@WestcountyWill]

After the wood is fully saturated about how long does it take for the flax seed oil to fully cure?

[@davidwaytwolong5369]

thanks again

[@erikfogelmark4476]

When I applied raw linseed oil (on a GBA and Hults Bruk axe), they got sticky. Not fun. 50% linseed oil and 50% terpentine/white spirit works so much better.

[@SkillCult]

I've never had that happen except maybe temporarily. Not just with linseed, but with any reasonably drying oil. If you try to layer it on the surface super thick without allowing it time to set between coats, maybe. Otherwise, any excess should wear off quickly with use. A few hours of use and they start to slick up and smooth out.

[@SkillCult]

Or, if the oil is partly set already, so it is hanging thick on the surface and not soaking in. That can happen if it is old and exposed to air too much.

[@erikfogelmark4476]

Coalcracker bushcraft has the same experience as I. I applied it and let it dry overnight. Then it was sticky. I removed it by applying a 50/50-layer (with terpentine), a LITTLE bit of heat from a heat pistol and scrubbing it off with the coarse side of a dishsponge/scotch brite.

[@firewoodwarrior4396]

So you guys only have the 'boiled' linseed oil with chemicals in it? At this part of the world we only have the real natural linseed oil that has been boiled twice to aid in drying.

[@SkillCult]

As far as I've seen. That is somehow what ended up under that common name in the trade.

[@frozenthunderbolt1]

Try making a tall vacuum chamber and fill with oil, or an oil turps blend (thinner) + your handle, pull a vacuum till bubbles stop then remove and dry. Repeat as desired. It should get you even greater penetration of the oil. My father in law worked in the mines in Rhodesia and swears by leaving sledge handles to sit in a bucket of thinned linseed to 'drink' (capillary action I guess) for a week or two then removing them to let them cure.

[@SkillCult]

That's a little high tech for me I think. It's been suggested a lot though. Cool anecdote about the hammer handles!

[@chrislucas3451]

I know this is old, but could a handle be lightly sanded to encourage it to soak in more raw linseed oil, I feel like I could have kept going, I only stopped because I thought it was enough, but we know what thought, thought...

[@SkillCult]

I think it helps to have a rougher surface, but only so much. If nothing else, it keeps the oil on the handle a little better while it soaks in.

[@chrislucas3451]

SkillCult thankyou very much for your reply! I’ll do a light sand on one that I think could have accepted more, I’m just trying to open the pores back up. I have 2 that I think could take more, I’ll try it out. Thanks

[@SkillCult]

@@chrislucas3451 Don't obsess. If it doesn't want to take more it's proably good enough. A rough sandpaper might get more to go in though.

[@lennaertsih7434]

What are the signs that your wood is fully saturated? Than I'll know when I can lower the amounts of oil that I put on my handle.

[@SkillCult]

It just won't want to soak in anymore or will take a very long time. best watch this one.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5a5mpKEhMeWn5I

[@oxbowfarm5803]

I've been using linseed/beeswax 50/50 for the last 5 or so axes I've hung and I'm really happy with the feel. I will try your protocol for an oil only finish sometime when its warmer. Right now I don't have a warm spot that is secure/undisturbable enough to do this.

[@SkillCult]

You could also use the raw stuff for a while and finish with the beeswax/oil mix.

[@oxbowfarm5803]

I do usually do 2 coats straight linseed ( i cannot bring myself to by food grade flax oil $$$) before I do the lin/wax. I'm interested in how much really nice handles are actually benefitting from sebum more than any finish we apply. I was noticing on the bow of my ox yoke how beautifully polished the insides are where they bear on his neck and shoulder pocket, and that bow has never been polished at all.

[@DocHoliday596]

For how many days would you say this should be repeated? Thank you!

[@SkillCult]

sometimes it is very fast and sometimes it just seems to never stop soaking up oil. If it goes on too long, I'll let it cure a while then start again, so that absorption will slow.

[@DocHoliday596]

@@SkillCult thank you!

[@uiop545]

as ever, many thanks; very nice to know :)

[@cfishel15]

Thank you for an informative video! I've begun treating two new axe handles, one with boiled linseed oil, and the other with teak oil. Can I switch to flax oil now? If so, should I sand or scrape the handles again or just apply the new flax oil over what has already been applied?

[@SkillCult]

I dont' see why not. Either it will soak in or it will be too sealed up. I'd just put it on and see if it soaks in.

[@mvblitzyo]

Straight into the point this is a much simpler video. you have posted but honestly I don’t remember ever not being not educational.. on any of your videos there’s always great information thank you for what you do. Joe

[@SkillCult]

thanks buddy :)

[@Sultan-fn4bv]

Hi Skillcult, I am most likely going to be using Raw Linseed Oil but am not sure if my handle will be stick after applying it. Do you know how to avoid a sticky handle?

[@SkillCult]

It just takes time to cure. If you soak it pretty good, it doesn't matter if you have any oil on the outside, so I'll take a handle that I'm in the middle of oiling, and just wipe off excess and go use it, then go back to oiling. but that is with the goal of penetration and saturation vs coating. watch this one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5a5mpKEhMeWn5I

[@Sultan-fn4bv]

SkillCult Thanks I appreciate the response 👍

[@fritz6377]

Hey steven! I recently decided to give barktanning a try, so i chopped up a bucket of willow bark an boild the hell out of it. i ended up with a solution way deeper in color than yours in the last tanning video. I put in a dry scraped rabbithide(thats all i have) and left it in, stirring around as You suggested . A week has gone by and so far NOTHING has happend, besides the hair starting to slip. Any ideas what to do? Thanks steven and a merry christmas!

[@SkillCult]

If the hair is slipping, then it's not tanning. Not sure, but here is some possibilities. Some tannins are destroyed by heat. If in doubt extract for a longer period of time at 120 degrees. Some materials do not extract well unless ground finely. I dont' think willow bark would be one of those. But, it would probably extract much better if dried first and not boiled fresh. Willow bark is thin and light. it takes a lot of bark to tan anything, so you may just need more. Every material is different and color is not a broadly transferrable measure of strength, just a reference point for a given material. did the skin take any color? you might join the facebook group on traditional tanning. I know there are people on there that use willow bark. I don't have any real experience with it yet because I'm spoiled with all this oak bark.

[@fritz6377]

SkillCult thank you . I will consider Facebook

[@diskgiant5060]

Been binge-watching your channel here and there for the last couple of days, and I just went over to the website -- I'd love to see more Paleotechnics content!

[@SkillCult]

Someday. There is so much to cover and so little time and energy. I"d like to though.

[@PrimeTime345]

Is raw flax oil capable of dissolving the polymerized 'boiled' linseed oil in my axe handles? Is there still a benefit to switching to raw flax oil after I've been unknowingly clogging up my handles with 'boiled' linseed oil? Could be an interesting experiment to find out.

[@SkillCult]

I'm quite sure it will not to any major degree and probably not at all. You may find that the raw oil still soaks in though, it depends on how much the handles were oiled etc. if going for a surface finish, the raw will take longer to cure. It also may not cure as hard, but it cures hard enough in my experience.

[@PrimeTime345]

Thanks. Also here's a tip I've figured out. Apply some oil using a pipette or other dropwise instrument into the handle at the eye (top) of the axe blade. Also works okay at the bottom of the handle. The handle loves to take the oil lengthwise with the grain, and this may be the perfect place to build up the polymerized toughness you've described in your other video. I'm fairly certain that this method has gotten me excellent penetration, though saturation is likely not quite as uniform as applying it with a rag. I've used a combination of both techniques, and I'll certainly try the flax oil as a substitute for 'boiled' linseed oil. Thanks for your great insights.

[@tshusker]

Any issue with the flax oil going rancid? Is that something we should even be concerned? I'm considering using food grade flax oil as a finish for an old hand saw handle. Thanks!

[@SkillCult]

Don't worry about that. Just don't eat the stuff.

[@tshusker]

That's what I thought. Just thought I'd check. And no plans to eat off my saw handle. >Ha!

[@veshtitsacraftsandtunes4693]

"boiled linseed oil" is not boiled linseed oil. good to know. I was about to boil linseed oil.

[@SkillCult]

you actually can and it is a product, but the stuff you buy as is not and has different properties. They used to have linseed oil, boiled oil, stand oil etc and would add something called Japan Driers, which are metals that cause the oil to polymerize much more quickly and set harder. Lead was the most important from what I've read. Now they use something else.

[@samhansen9771]

Be very careful when boiling linseed oil: it can be very dangerous as it's boiling point is just below its flash point. Some of the additives in commercial BLO increases the gap between the boiling point and flash point for ease and safety of production.

[@mdwdirect]

Another great video. Thanks!!

[@Master...deBater]

I just finished doing this very thing to my True Temper Flint Edge Connecticut axe handle...I was amazed by how quickly it drank the first few coats!!! I too used the food grade flax oil in my fridge...wonderful stuff!!! I've only got a few coats on it so far...so I'm glad I found this video...now I won't be afraid to keep adding more as long as it will drink lt...thanks!!!

[@SkillCult]

If the oil is very thin, it can take up huge amounts. If you get tired of it, you can let it cure for a while and then start back at it. I think as the oil cures it slows down as doesn't go as deep, but it will still completely saturate the outer rind. That is my theory anyway. That's what it's all about to me. It's one thing to have a coat or have oil in the handle pretty deep, but to have that outer rind fully saturated and then cured is a different animal. Pretty awesome. I noticed that once I started using the fresher flax oil, it's thinner and the handle seems to absorb more for longer. it thickens some as it sits around in storage oxidizing.

[@Master...deBater]

I've been keeping the handle warm to open the pores...I then gently heat the oil to about 100 degrees before application...the oil thins slightly...so the wood drinks it up right before your eyes!!! This is working wonderfully...thanks again!!!

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, heat makes a huge difference.

[@makeamericagratefulagain]

Excellent!!! I have a new axe on its way and had already decided decided to use the organic lignan flax oil I Am using on my cast iron cookware. I searched and searched on the net but couldn't find anyone who had tried it. Still, I just KNEW this was the right thing... Today your video popped up on my feed and I got the confirmation I was looking for. Thank you for sharing! Sure it's going to take longer this way, but I do have all winter to watch linseed oil dry. Are there major advantages to scraping--rather than sanding--the factory finish from a new handle?

[@SkillCult]

Scraping is usually faster. But most axe handles are also too thick, so I always do my thinning first, then oil. The drying time isn't important. It just takes a while to get the penetration. it might take weeks. You might want to watch my other vid on penetration, saturation and coating handles. Also, this one deals with thinning axe handles. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6XclIZ4itmDZtE and I have other vids on axe handle shape and design. it's a bit of a rabbit hole, but axes are rarely as simple as get it from the factory and use it. Don't be in any hurry to oil the handle, it's fine, take your time getting it how you want it first. As long as it's not getting wet over and over or baking in dry heat, it will be fine.

[@makeamericagratefulagain]

@@SkillCult Some very good points. Also toying with the idea of adding a little pine tar in with the flax oil. Maybe waiting until a bit farther along with the penetration process. Any thoughts on this?

[@SkillCult]

@@makeamericagratefulagain pine tar probably just isn't necessary. The only thing I can possibly think it would help is it might last longer than oil before breaking down, but I think if practical terms that's a non issue. and unless you keep it hot the whole time, it's going to inhibit penetration

[@makeamericagratefulagain]

@@SkillCult More good points. Thank you. If I Am to be perfectly honest, I was probably thinking along the lines of getting a head start on a nice patina. But that would be disingenuous, wouldn't it? 😂

[@gabrielnavarro8721]

Technical, practical, earth stuff is too rarely mixed with life philosophy. But it is, really everything is always about both pratical and intellectual. I really enjoy that you connect these two dots, all the time. I'm discovering your channel step by step, and I can't say how happy I am to listen to you. It's a little bit like when I discovered Machine Head after 10 years of metalheadism and wondered why I didn't hear about them before haha ! I hope your work is getting known better as time goes

[@SkillCult]

I don't like philosophy just for the sake of it as an end in itself, but we don't act without motivation and our values and personal philosophies have everything with what we decide to do with ourselves and how we treat people. I'm here to infect people with ideas as much as the practical stuff. Never listened to Machine Head much. I'll have to dial up some playlists on youtube. Best album?

[@gabrielnavarro8721]

Infection is spreading, you're a good pathogen, no doubt about it. "Burn My Eyes" is the initial and raw machine head stuff. "Unto the Locust" is more melodic, I love it, but with old groups like this there is so many albums and styles explored... New album coming in january, worth checking I think. I realized I posted my comment on the wrong video by the way, but who cares, it's still relevant.

[@SkillCult]

Thanks, I'll check it out. My brother has spun some Machine Head for me a long way back.

[@J3N2]

No sanding?

[@SkillCult]

Sometimes a little. if they axe is used, it will smooth out unless it's very rough. Oiling is easier if it is a little rough. The oil holds on better.

[@Moostery]

What about ballistol?

[@SkillCult]

I had to look that up, but thanks, I ordered some! I have literally thought about compounding my own gun/general lubiricant that doesn't smell like a petrol factory or make me want to always wear gloves when I use it. That stuff sounds awesome. Any lubricant or oil of that nature is made to never gum up or "dry". That is the main criteria. The oils I would use for handles, linseed, hemp, poppyseed, walnut, tung etc, are "drying" oils and are chosen for the exact opposite effect. Over time, sometimes rapidly, they form a plastic like material in a process called polymerization. The reaction is a process of oxidation that happens spontaneously by exposure to air, but can be accellerated by the metals used in the product known as boiled linseed oil. That phenomenon is the basis for oil based paints, which are usually made with linseed oil. You might watch some of my other videos on oiling tool handles for more on oils and my rationale for doing this.

[@allansmith6140]

Ballistol has many good uses but I would not recommend it for wood. Ballistol is mineral oil with an emulsifier added making it soluble with water. As such if used on wood it will not provide protection from water or moisture, it will mix with it. Also, wood may become slippery with sweat or when wet.

[@tomiodinson7875]

where is food grade flax oil available?

[@SkillCult]

People take it for omega 3s, so you can find it in stores. It's going to be cheaper to order online though. Cheapest source I found before was Pipping rock.com, but I got some for cheap recently at the local food outlet where they send overstock and stuff that is going to expire. It's not as cheap as the industrial stuff, but if you shop around it's not horrible. Check Amazon for prices.