How To Strip Varnish From Tool Handles | Wranglerstar

Many of our videos are comedic & satirical & not intended to cultivate antisocial or unlawful behavior. Thank you for supporting our Channel through the below affiliate links. No price increase for you but we may receive compensation.
-Amazon - our store - wranglermart.com
-Jk Boots - www.jkboots.co...
-Radios Made Easy - radiomadeeasy....
-Amsoil - www.amsoil.com...
-GoDark Bags - godarkbags.com...
-Premier Body Armor - www.premierbodyarmor.com/wranglerstar
-Vertx - shareasale.com...
-My Patriot Supply - www.preparewithwranglerstar.com
-Eden Grow Systems - edengrowsystem...
Become A Wranglerstar Member For Exclusive Content and Perks
/ @wranglerstar
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/2btWfQR and turn on notifications to get them
#Proho #wranglerstar

[@user-ci4yd5zn4q]

When I was a boy my Aunt was refinishing an old wooden chair, she took an old drink bottle or jar not sure which but it was glass and she broke it and used that to scrape the varnish off, worked very well, she did not have any tools so this did the job for her.

[@dharr123]

Hi Cody, I know 50 mexican pesos is not very much, but I just wanted to support your channel in some little way. Thanks a lot, your videos are something I always look forward to, and I really enjoy them.

[@OldSneelock]

I agree completely Cody. Varnished handles are there to make the buying public notice the tool. There is an old saying that $10.00 worth of paint will add $200.00 to the price of the tractor. Also manufacturers of tools are mostly offshore these days. Shipping for 90 days via boat leaves lots of time for wooden handles to absorb water and check. Even though the handle has been dried it will still absorb water. After a few cycles of swelling and shrinking even kiln dried wood will warp and check. Varnish is a water proof barrier when it is new. Boiled Linseed Oil, which is also a favorite of mine, is water resistant but water will pass through the layer of BLO and damage the wood if not cared for. Most clear finishes such as BLO, varnish, shellac, and polyurethanes, unless they have a UV blocker added, will let UV light through. The UV will break down the wood and cause the finish to loosen. Between the water and the UV the finish breaks down. That's why barns and outbuildings that have been kept painted can last hundreds of years but fence posts rot away from the top down. By renewing the BLO yearly the damage from UV is minimized and compensated for. It also focuses your eyes on the tool. Damaged tools can be fixed before they become useless. A Proper maintenance program indeed.

[@matthoward1174]

Agreed! Go down the pine tar rabbit hole,.. its worth it!

[@ritterdrjr]

Old wood workers secret. 2/3 boiled linseed oil & 1/3 turpentine. Could also go 3/4&1/4 if you wanted. The turpentine thins the linseed and helps pull it deeper into the wood. It's my favorite oil finish for wood.

[@nathanchandler18]

I always add a little pine tar to my mixture

[@AlexanderMason1]

@@nathanchandler18 exactly! As well as a small amount of beeswax. I like to add a tiny amount (1 tea spoon per quart of mixture) of carnauba wax. It is a very hard wax and also gives a nice shine.

[@jrocks1971]

Love it man -- I'm a huge convert to the stripped down and boiled linseed oiled up tool handles these past few years. Just refurbed an old limbing axe today and hung a new handle on 'er -- found a perfect one, took my time and did it right -- fits like a glove. Keep up the good work -- love the channel!

[@WAVETUBE84]

Gota respect a man who cares for his handles. I think that the reason for the factory varnish is primarily to protect the handle prior to sale. Also, it sure makes them look pretty...for a while.

[@WulfGar]

I got a lot of value from your video on how to strip old varnish and treat the handles of your tools. Thank you.

[@USCAVprepper]

Cody, Having been a carpenter/woodworker for over 30 years I would suggest a card scraper. The card scraper is a simple tool and there is no setting blade depth. A sharp card can take off super thin layers in a very controlled manner. Thanks so much for all your videos and honesty. God Bless!

[@CyPhi68]

Broken glass work well. I have used it to shave wood down and to shave finishes for over 60 years. Cheap and usually available at a hardware store for free. Once you learn, you won't cut yourself. Always pull, don't push. Then sand around the handle to develop small ridges that help you grip.

[@JayjayWalkers]

They put Varnish on the handles because, in general, people don't take care of their tools.

[@benjamins7229]

No, they put varnish on handles because they don’t properly dry their wood, in the modern speed/production/bottom-line craze. The varnish locks in that moisture and prevents the wood from warping. So, in order to not be hit with constant lawsuits concerning flying axe bits, they varnish the wood so it doesn’t loosen as quickly. It’s a terrible practice, if a company cuts corners like that, I don’t trust their wider business practices regarding tool quality, either. So, a varnish handle tool is generally half-assed, lazy, and not built to last.

[@irritablearchitect]

That's a shop table full of happiness, sir.

[@unrulygooley1247]

The wood handle on my axe has lasted me over 20 years now. Besides applying linseed oil to the surface I drilled a small hole a couple of inches deep into the butt end of the handle. I filled this with linseed oil and set the axe aside, head down, refilling it whenever I noticed the level of oil dropped. The wood absorbed a lot of oil over a few weeks and I think this gave the handle a little bit more spring and prevented it from cracking or breaking when I missed my target and the handle, instead of the axe head, struck the wood.

[@budmoore8144]

THIS VIDEO REMINDS ME OF AN OLD SCHOOL WRANGLERSTAR VIDEO SOME GREAT TIPS LIKE THE ONE ABOUT THE CONCRETE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT

[@cpickler387]

Fall is by far the best season, living in the south as i do the hot summer gets old and i look forward to spending time outside without sweating just walking out the door. Great videos and i am jumping into my new homestead next week making the move from suburbia out to the country and cant wait to get the projects rolling. Thanks for teaching

[@kennethbounds6696]

I actually have slept with my gransfors bruks under my pillow

[@borealis9842]

Now this, is a man I can respect.

[@runner4life1984]

I used a small Palm sized hand planer (Kobalt) yo strip of varnish. It was very handy and sanded the handles. I'm currently using motor oil (obviously "used") instead of B.L.O. It's been 2 months, and so far the handles are looking better. The oil goes on thick and drips into a few buckets to collect to recoat again. I now only coat them 2-3x a week depending on how dry it gets, maybe more over winter. The handles are looking better and are basically saturated. I'll see how well it worked when spring comes. Thank You Wranglerstar, I'm now more into taking care of my tools. I replaced many handles in years past and it added up. Looking forth to keeping current handles for many more years to come :)

[@1USASOLDIER]

Wow! The handle on that chisel is beautiful.

[@kuneefay]

Spoke shave has been on my list for a long time and i keep putting it off. But not any longer, im sick of wasting sandpaper to de-varnish handles. Nice video cody, those old handles look amazing after all the years of care and use you put into them.

[@aleblanc3547]

Good advice on getting a vice and locating it on something solid near the corner of a workbench. I never thought much about storing good tools inside verses where they are normally stored. It just makes sense to keep them in a consistent environment. As always, your last video is the best one yet. Thanks, Cody.

[@michaelhutin5451]

We're having a fantastic Autumn here in the UK, still warm, dry weather with beautiful colours and loads of Berries, Rose Hips and the like everywhere.

[@prescribedfire1953]

Great video Cody! Back when I was a firefighter we had several wooden ladders. To strip the finish we used pieces of broken window glass. When one cutting edge was dull just turn the glass or throw it away or break it again for a new edge. On tool handles it was glass, then a torch, and lastly steel wool. Boiled linseed oil was our finish. Not anymore though. Just throw the tool away and buy another. Thanks again.

[@TheDroopYJ]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this, I'm very far behind on my video watching as I am trying to cut back on technology and I have A LOT of subscriptions! Anyway, I noticed that you are sharpening away from the edge of the tool which tends to draw the metal out toward the edge creating a wire very easily. Ever since I was taught to sharpen tools toward the edge of the blade, I have very little wire forming. I use this technique on both knives and implement type tools. I also notice that you pick up your file between stokes, this is a good thing to do because, depending on the quality of the file, drawing a file back will round off the file edges and dull a file very quickly. I notice this especially on chain saw files which will dull even if you do this on one tooth of the chain. Just some thoughts, Great videos, wranglerstar! It is good to have someone out there publishing how to care for things PROPERLY! There is some much incorrect information out there, we need to point out the good stuff, and A LOT of it is right on this channel!!

[@daleplant3037]

As a proud new owner of a Husqvarna Carpenter's Axe, I am disappointed to have to store if out in the garage. Thank you Mr. Wranglerstar for the knowledge

[@wyattoneable]

Fall is my favorite time of year. I'll be getting to my tools very soon.

[@michaelhutin5451]

You make it look easy Cody, I spent an hour or two today sharpening and servicing my axes and decided to strip the varnish off one. I tried a spoke shave at it's thinnest setting, but it just seemed to dig into the handle and remove chunks. Ended up scraping the varnish off with a sharp blade, then sanded and oiled.

[@HBTwoodworking]

Thank you for the encouragement and guidance. I just spent several hours working half of my tools. I will do the other half tomorrow. I used a card scraper, but tomorrow I am going to go after it with the spokeshave. I heard that varnished tools sell faster and better than non-varnished tools, so it appears varnish is simply for better marketing.

[@mjallenuk]

It's great to see this yearly task come round again ...

[@krenov72]

Second on the card scraper... Just redid the handle on a Collins splitting maul.. Faster than 80 grit and is easy to sharpen

[@tikkidaddy]

A dear old blacksmith friend of mine, former USN demo engineer built his own power hammers etc. used to torch off the varnish carefully, and then BLO the handles. The only thing that screams craftsman louder is a properly seated and cared for blacksmiths hammer set with mirror polished faces. Those handles lasted 30 years or more. Gorgeous work. His number one gripe was the varnish blistering his hands.

[@dhall5634]

swing an axe for 6 hours with no gloves and I don't care if it's wrapped in velvet..your still gonna get blisters

[@m2hmghb]

My suggestion is for the first coat or two of BLO to thin it with mineral spirits so it absorbs deeper. As for the manufacturers using varnish, most consumers won't take care of their tools like we do, they don't want the work of an oil finish. Varnish will protect well enough for them and is quicker and easier to do then oil.

[@shilohramon474]

I enjoy the moutons during fall they are the most beautiful when the colors start to change

[@stevehenkel354]

I did not know that about varnished tool handles. I’ll have to start gathering some supplies (boiled linseed oil, spokeshave, sandpaper, etc.). It might even end up being around Fall before I get started. I can see the efficiency of just making one big project out of it. Also interesting to note that this was before you preferred to cut the round end off of your long handled tools. One thing you said is that it would drink in the BLO better. Great video!

[@jjh9355]

I like this video. This is also one of my favorite rituals. Especially when I work on the hoe I recieved from my grandparents farm. Its a good connect to the land and my roots.

[@Desertkitfox93]

I wish I had a spokeshave. I ended up using three full sheets of 10 grit to remove all the varnish of a new handle, for my Pulaski project. Thanks Cody for another useful video.

[@joeybeninghove]

Great tip on the spokeshave, thanks! I actually just received the Rogue 115FR (rake) a few days ago and love it! But you're right, I need to get rid of that varnish and this was another great way to do it. The 70H (hoe) is on backorder, but hopefully that'll arrive this week. These Rogue tools rock!

[@paulwastaken]

Fall (or autumn, where I come from, is one of my favourite seasons) but it also leads into winter, yes winter is also nice, but here in Hokkaido, Japan (The 2nd snowiest place on the planet - apparently?! - we do get a LOT of snow) winter, or at least snow lasts for around 5+ months!... it gets tiring... anyway enough about me (Hokkaido) I have recently started getting everything ready for winter, and had bought a few pitch forks, shovels, etc from the local hardware store earlier last year, they were all varnished, and after just shy of a year the varnish is peeling, cracking and becoming unsightly (and a problem) I do have a small spoke shave and will employ this method. I was going to try to sand them all back... this is much smarter! thanks again Cody!!!

[@williamhoward9730]

I love fall! I just got a crkt woods chogan for light camping, and I just finished stripping the varnish off the handle... So frustrating but totally worth it

[@kylebates3627]

Great video cody. When I sharpen up the knives I make I like to keep a small brick of a really soft wood near me to take care of that burr. Once the edge is placed on it, a quick few slides through that will take off most of the burr enough for most tools. If it's something like a knife or an axe or a machete, you can easily just finish up with a few passes on a whetstone. Also, really looking forward to part 2; I use an all in one leather dye, but that tends to be iffy in places, so seeing how to properly protect a sheathe will be very useful. Thanks again, All the best.

[@TheAWilloughby]

Lol, do you know how I know it's fall? Cody is wearing his red and white flannel shirt. Like someone else commented, Cody, thanks for the reminder. I have a bunch of tools that are the cheap big box store brands and I'm debating whether to put this off until I get the nice tools or if I should just go ahead and get into the habit now. I think the proper thing to do is get into the habit now and take the best care of what I have to make it as useful as possible. As usual great video, take care my friend.

[@OperTator_1022]

I have been using some old shim stock brass as a scraper just to make what I have work.

[@jaredjregular1974]

I've noticed you mentioning the importance of certain tools for new homesteaders (vice, skill saw). Maybe a full video about your most important and most used shop tools would be nice!

[@chipwright6193]

Using the spoke shave to get varnish off really cuts to the chase. There's no beating around the bush with that method. I guess I had better get to it with prepping my tools. I really enjoy all of the seasons too. I usually hate to see the previous season go, but look forward to the coming season. Fall is beautiful here in Ohio with all of the different colored leaves.

[@nevahenuf]

I actually found myself jealous of all the sharpening you get to do when you panned over the tools.

[@tattedupdaddy1]

It's my understanding that they are varnished to keep them from absorbing moisture or loosing moisture depending on storage and location. Also to help keep them from warping. Also in the age of throw away purchases like someone said most people don't store or perform an upkeep on their tools. So axes, shoves, rakes, whatever get left out in the sun, rain, whatever may be. I start with 60 grit sand paper on an orbital sander, then 150 and 320 by hand when I take the varnish off.

[@houseblacksmithing9836]

I've never owned a spokeshave, but I do strip all the varnish off my axe handles. I use a heavy bladed knife as a scraper, if its sharp it takes curls of varnish off. Just hold it perpendicular to the wood, and draw towards yourself to prevent chatter.

[@southronjr1570]

There is a product used by gunsmiths called linspeed that is linseed oil with drying agents in it that cuts the applications in half. I generally apply it once a day for 5 days then once a month for 3 months and it gives you the same finish you get after a year with boiled linseed oil. I also hit it with 000 steel wool before the next application but that is for wood gunstocks to give them that mirrored look. btw, when you use your bare hands to apply either products the wood is heated with your hands better and seems to penetrate better for me, I just use goop to clean up my hands.

[@angelopecora1]

well nice tip and since I don't use my spokeshave enuf you gave me an out. nice as usual. From NW Montana happy Fall. No maples here but the Larch will start shedding soon and the horses and mules are shagging up.

[@Scandoboy1000]

I have no experience with boiled linseed oil, but wondered if thats one where rags with it on spontaneously combust, so you have to store those rags in sealed container. Your final gloves cleanup and maybe rag cleanup did not not seem to show any fear of that happening. Love the reddish aged effect of that oil over time.

[@danieldelapena8369]

I use a scraper for this and find it works very well

[@twestcase]

Thanks, your comment kept me from giving up as I have a scraper on hand. I was able to remove all the varnish with 10-15 minutes of scraping followed by sanding.

[@danieldelapena8369]

@@twestcase no problem, glad my comment was useful to someone. Also for stubborn varnish/ polyurethane finish that is particularly thick if you heat it up with a heat gun or blow dryer it comes off even easier. Just have to be careful not to char the wood.

[@ZombieSC]

The reason manufacturers put varnish on tool handles is three-fold. First, it prevents the handle from absorbing moisture and warping during transit and storage. Second, it looks good (because it's shiny). And third, it's cheap to do so. Linseed oil is better for obvious reasons, but it takes a while to dry and doesn't have a really glossy finish unless you put on at least 4-5 coats. That's extra time, material and handling that would add to the cost of the tool. And let's face it, Mr John Q. Public is only worried about one thing: price. Removal of varnish can be difficult without a spoke shaver, but I've used 60 grit sandpaper on a random orbit sander to remove the majority of it, then switched to 80 grit and hand sanded with the grain and finally 120 to smooth things out (again hand sanding with the grain). 120 grit is fine for the finish sanding because the linseed oil will fill in any minor scratches left. And don't just put on one coat of linseed oil after sanding: put on a coat, let it dry for a day or so, then put on another one.

[@Wrecked_em69]

I've listened to your personal views and have experienced others views. None of them are right technically. We see as we wish to see. I see your views as tolerable. I'm not a religious man but, I am a spiritual one. I continue to support you because you don't enforce your views onto others. Never do so. Your neighbor will always be there...probably. Your followers will always be here too. Take solace in the fact that we all move forward. You've helped many of us to do so. Christian, atheist, or in-between. We all move forward together and learn together. A higher being walks among all of us when we stop to listen, look, or let him in. It's a bit beyond our control when you think about it. Just a thought and keep up the great work. Thanks.

[@jasonturlington866]

Well of course it's a good video Cody! There are no bad videos on the Wranglerstar Channel!!! God Bless Keep up the good work!

[@RaindanceBushcraft]

I just blew a tonne of effort on a new axe handle with paint stripper, which worked -- sorta.. I'm going to get out the spokeshave and give it another go, especially because I hadn't thought about getting down below the surface of the wood.

[@Kolajer]

I'd recommend a cabinet scraper, or better yet, a scraper spokeshave. Works perfect and will never go too deep on you.

[@GetGood5]

I think they put varnish on them cause it looks nice new. I have a few tools like that that have been cracking and it just makes me think they're cracking cause I haven't taken care of them well enough. Guess it's a little of both. Nice video!

[@cowsofsuffolk2297]

Another great video. Thanks for the tips. I started following your recommendations on tool care and it works great. Thanks again.

[@w056007568]

I am used to standing or hanging tools directly above a shallow trough filled with white wood shavings - any excess oil drips onto the shavings and is retained and helps to prevent rust on metal tools that touch the shavings.

[@cowsofsuffolk2297]

These tool videos are great to watch and so informative.

[@Growgirl65]

I am really glad you share so much knowledge with us! Who taught you these things? A grandparent? Thanks again and keep up the good work. May the Lord Bless you!

[@JCtheROD]

I have used denatured alcohol with steel wool to take off shellac and varnish with much success.

[@isaacwallace6783]

I heard once its for when they're in shops, so when people pick them up and stuff they don't get dirty when displayed in the stores

[@DavyCrosier]

That and I think it’s for the people who don’t take care of their tools as well. Because it does make a huge difference in the life of the tool handle, even though it is not that comfortable.

[@BigJ8k]

Loved the tips at the end of the vid! Please let me know if you need help splitting wood! I hope your famliy is feeling better! Godspeed!

[@MaineHomesteadProject]

We need to sand down and coat all of our hand tool handles. They are all in disrepair I am sad to say. Thank you for this reminder :)

[@davidmiller9211]

Definitely looks like the simplest way to do it. I also agree on varnish period. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@Glaswalker1001]

Never heard Cody curse that much in one of his videos! Kidding aside: great tutorial/reminder; first thing in the morning: maintenance

[@Femmpaws]

Very good video Cody I can see where the spokeshave would works very well, but if you don't have one what do you do? I like using denature or solvent alcohol and steel wool to strip varnish off tool handles and gun stocks. Of course you use different grades of steel wool depending on the job you are doing.

[@DavidTheDefender]

Any sharp piece of steel that can scrape works. I use a pocket knife.

[@OldSneelock]

I like to clean saw handles with alcohol and steel wool. The alcohol doesn't raise the grain and softens the varnish so I can scrape it off easier. I sometimes use a knife blade or hand made scraper to reach into tight spots or carving to get the gunk out of them. Do you have a suggestion for removing finish from checkering on gun stocks? I've always pretty much left that alone because it seems to screw up the checkering no matter what I do.

[@Femmpaws]

Old Sneelock's Workshop What I found was a soft brass bristled suede brush works very nice. Dip the brush in the alcohol, brush with the major checkering and them with the bias pattern of the checkering. The big thing is keeping the checkering wet with alcohol.

[@OldSneelock]

Kriss Femmpaws Thanks Kriss. That sounds like a great idea. I'll have to try it on my next one.

[@DanMooreNCF]

When I was in blacksmith school the old timers took my new hammer and torched the varnish off. Just a quick blackening of the wood indicated the varnish was gone in that area. I was horrified to see a new handle burnt but it very quickly took on a great feel in the hand and wore in very nicely with use. Now that is my preferred way to treat a new hammer. I'm not sure I'd do it on a long handled tool like Cody was showing. The tool certainly isn't as pretty as the boiled linseed oil that Cody showed but it's pretty in it's own way and it certainly has a unique finish.

[@Amithrius]

Your videos are awesome. You really do help a lot of people. Thanks brother

[@unclebob8311]

Hi Cody, thank you so much for all your hard work. I gleen so much from the detailed info. Loved the file sheath your grandfather made. I use cut up cardboard folded over and wrapped with duct tape. Blessings from Tehachapi, CA.

[@vonguido1]

Super excited for an Apple Pressing video like you have done in the past!

[@jmester_atc]

Another way to clear off the varnish is to use a piece of broken glass, like a mirror or window pane. You would need to wear gloves but works very well. If it stops peeling well you can break a little more off and have a fresh edge.

[@brentday5953]

I know this is kinda off topic but I use old motor oil on a lot of my steel tools I use a little dropper bottle works like a champ

[@averyt4926]

Thanks for another informative video! I need a spoke shave in my tool collection. They seem very useful!

[@MrShack2011]

This is really cool. So simple and quick. Once again, thanks for the tip.

[@tammymurphy1268]

i am going to try the spray flexseal this year on a few if my handles..thinkin it would keep the elements off the wood and it would give some better gripping . but i do love the wood look

[@warmachinegaming-zf2tn]

I understand the whole thing about varnish, I still want to put it on a tool handle. I did rubble layer of boiled linseed oil on it, I just can't find anywhere online that tells me a definite time to wait before applying polyurethane.

[@abs0lutezer007]

Have you ever thought about trying some copper tools? They are slicker and move easier in the ground. They are especially good for gardening tools. The edges can be peened instead of sharpened and trace elements in the copper are deposited in the soil as apposed to rust being deposited, which can hurt soil in large quantities.

[@bobWsterguy]

I once learned while reading that the best way to avoid a wire edge is to file totally from the opposite direction so the wire edge never forms. What do you think of this suggestion? I learned to do this especially when using a grinding wheel. Holding in one direction will make a wire edge, while the opposite direction will not. Comments? Tx. Bob C

[@samueltorres6939]

Why BLO versus other drying oils such as Tung Oil? I’ve used Tung Oil on various projects for a long time. Don’t have anything against BLO, except that it’s a darkening Oil versus Tung Oil not being so. Thanks for the knowledge shared.

[@dylancollins9563]

Ahh thats the trick with oiling handles thanks a lot for that little piece of info

[@TheFlatlander440]

I agree with your methods Cody however, I can't afford those special planes so I have to resort to sandpaper and Boiled Lindseed oil. Nice vid and thanks for sharing.

[@Scandoboy1000]

From comments below- a cabinet scraper can be fantastic, but it cannot work fantastic. It could work fantastically. It is an adjective verses an adverb thing. Told you it was catching.

[@MrJeffdahmer]

thanks for the early morning content

[@Sparrsex]

Good stuff Cody, learned alot of new things :D Nothing is like a early cup of coffee.

[@enscribe]

Try mixing your Bees Wax with the Boiled Linseed Oil, I bet you'll like the result. Thanks for sharing.

[@scottrossgirvan8009]

Great tips, thanks. LOVE Fall, best time of the year.

[@DavidKirtley]

The spokeshave is not a bad solution but the most general tool to use for that is a card scraper. A little bit trickier to sharpen but not that hard. You can shape them to get into hard to reach places. I keep blades from disposable blade saws to cut up as scrapers. Also you can go old school and use a big glass shard for scraping. It is harder than steel and will last longer. Well, a piece of flint is also good but I don't think you want to go *THAT* old school.

[@thenorthwestpreppers4457]

thank you so much for this! I am working on editing a tool building video were i mention how arduous a task it is to get that pesky varnish off! This will help greatly in the future! I know you are a busy man, but if you could point me in the right direction for the best place to obtain one of those tools for getting that off, I would appreciate it greatly...

[@jcknives4162]

My two preceding posts were off a blog site for woodworkers. Here is another post on making your own. Edible linseed oil is not polymerized,and I don't know if it would effectively dry or not. I started using edible linseed oil(flax oil) in my varnish since it is a LOT clearer than the hardware grade oil. BUT, it needs to be polymerized. This is dangerous if you aren't experienced. You MUST work out doors. Use a DEEP container. Oil can get too hot and suddenly foam over the top in an instant,turning into a LARGE ball of fire before you can get the pan off the hot plate. I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THIS AS IT IS DANGEROUS,TOO,but,I used to saw the top off of an EMPTY,EMPTY propane bottle to get a real tall container. You can blow up the container if any gas is left in it,so I cannot recommend it. I'd carefully SIMMER the oil and not let it get past simmering for about 20 minutes. It would turn a rich,golden color(from the pale color it was before). Then,the oil was polymerized,and would then be a drying oil. Do not eat it after it is polymerized!!!! After the oil was golden,I'd add the resins,and carefully simmer it till a drop gotten on the end of a longish stick,would make gossamer cobwebs when touched and pulled away from a bottle. That means the varnish is done. I'm not getting too technical here.

[@leathertoolz]

Thank you so much for your info. I really thank you for the tool videos!

[@jcknives4162]

If you want plain boiled linseed oil with nothing else in you can always pick up a can of Tried and True "Danish Oil". Don't let the name fool you - this is not an oil varnish like watco - it is the simplest finish the company makes. Just moderatly polymerized linseed oil. They also make their "original" which more polymerized and has beeswax in it, as well as an "oil varnish" that I believe uses some type of sap that allows it to build and harden a little. I keep a can of the original around. None of their products have any driers either. This does however mean you need to apply light coats and rub the finish out. As far as end result, I don't necessarily think it looks any different then hardware store BLO, but I like the company and I like what goes in (or doesn't go in) to their products.

[@mikebunero6147]

hmmm going to need to buy a spoke shave!

[@plinko46835]

A very effective way to remove varnish is to take an old knife that is a throw away to a belt sander and grind the back of the blade flat and grind the edge dull. Scrape with back of blade and it will remove just like the spoke shave does. An old skinner knife curved works amazing cause it follows the wood curve.

[@jtscustomcutlery317]

Best eye candy on the internet!!!

[@derekguard5371]

I use the 3m medium sanding sponges. Takes 5 minutes to clean off an axe handle.

[@dodge8802]

Cody I just seen one of your videos featured on Powernations website

[@DEWW]

For those of us whom do not have a spoke shaver, I use a hand sander, or orbital sander.

[@lucaslarson430]

Hey Cody, have you ever heard of razorback tools, or even used one? These have been by far the best hand tools I've used

[@frankcirino578]

I do enjoy fall very much.

[@Mman399]

I love the fall

[@77skipsskippernic]

I started using a good sharp pocket knife to scrape varnish off.