Do they really boil linseed oil? (And other oily answers)

[@StumpyNubs]

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[@georgeholt8929]

James, had you researched how the carriages for cannons as found on ships prior to the invention of the modern naval ship cannon 1890-Present. The wood carriages were soaked in raw linseed oil that were heated in large metal tanks for the term of 30 calendar days straight. This process kept the wood free from bugs that could attack the wood and kept the wood stable from sea water. Of course the wood parts were drip dried then given several coats of an paint. Then the carriages were assembled.

[@davidhawley1132]

“It doesn’t come from the tree’s tongue but from its nuts” hahaha.

[@jlw35cudvm]

David Hawley So I’m not the only one to laugh at that line. Bunch of sickos are we!.

[@ludwigbarnes3058]

Glad someone else posted this. lol Yes, nuts. 2:13

[@mikecurtin9831]

@J Dial me too.

[@PGSchroe]

That was effin hilarious!

[@CaretTheGnome]

Paused immediately after that line to see if someone commented about this. First comment I see. KZbin you don't disappoint 😂

[@akesq01]

“...not from its tongue but from its nuts.” Delivered with a straight face. Amazing control! Kudos!

[@JeffSolenberg]

If I continue drinking coffee when watching your videos I'm going to need a new computer screen.

[@dustythejones]

The mineral oil discussion had me laughing pretty hard. “And I eat a lot of cheese.”

[@NavinBetamax]

.......while shopping for the computer monitor......toss in a couple of keyboards too.......Lol !

[@jerrybobteasdale]

Mineral oil can be bought in gallon jugs at farm supply stores. It's used as a lube for certain veterinary purposes.

[@ElTurbinado]

"Certain veterinary purposes"

[@halsonger1317]

You've been saving some of those lines up for a long time I'd bet.

[@kdouglaslee]

Today I learned that I can eat as much cheese as I want, as long as I use mineral oil as a finish.

[@TonatiuhMellado]

🤣

[@dlwatib]

I can't. Too much cheese gives me the runs. No mineral oil needed.

[@davidhawley1132]

The calcium is good for producing kidney stones. Drink lots of water too

[@georgevantuyl5837]

That's a Gouda joke.

[@dwighthapeman6590]

Awesome video in typical James Hamilton style. I am such a fan! THIS GUY SHOULD HAVE HIS OWN TV SHOW.

[@rockdog2584]

Back in my high school days (about a half a million years ago), I spent a lot of time in wood shop. My favorite toy was the lathe and I used to carve up a lot of Myrtlewood. Al;so made a number of Myrtlewood cutting boards. That was where I got clued in to using Walnut oil on cutting boards and salad bowls. It provides a great finish that is food-safe and it never goes rancid.

[@jmtx.]

Pure tung oil is my go-to coating for all my work handles and such. Great durability but does take many coats and time to properly cure. A bit of UV from the sun also helps for the final layer.

[@AncientApparatus]

I haven't watched too many wood workers channels but after watching yours I wouldn't even bother. Thank you for giving very complete information & for your very extensive library.

[@jeffcarr392]

That was the funniest video on woodwork I've seen in a while.

[@442jetmech]

excellent mix of solid information and great humor. I've learned so much from this channel!

[@danstark3341]

I really like these explanation videos that you do. I'm new at turning and watch a lot of KZbin videos for learning new skills or ideas. I wonder if you might do a video talking about all the finishing products. For example sanding sealer, Yorkshire grit or Ack's paste, Hampshire sheen (or Ack's restor?), Shellawax, shine juice, Feed'N'Wax, etc. How they work or don't work in combination or on different surfaces(resin or wood), in turning situations.

[@TonatiuhMellado]

Thanks again James, a very interesting topic, a loot of funny lines and a very informative video like always. I like the "no intro, right to business" type of video 😄

[@CP17787]

Holy crap, thank you for this! I've been getting into the weeds of finishes and I was starting to get the old familiar feeling that someone was trying to oversell me on some BS. Now I know better and I'm off to watch your video about varnish!

[@WindRidgeWoodCrafts]

Awesome delivery on several lines, James. Thanks for a little education and even more entertainment.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Back in the day used boiled linseed for our USMC m-14 stocks

[@davebashford3753]

Or walnut oil for bowls, utensils and cutting boards. Unlike mineral oil, it is food and it dries.

[@nightcatarts]

Allergies may be a problem though..

[@cliveclapham6451]

@@nightcatarts not if your a squirrel 🤭🤭🤭

[@davebashford3753]

@@nightcatarts I was going to say that walnuts aren't on the list of common allergies, but tree nuts are #3 above peanuts! Oops.

[@nightcatarts]

@@davebashford3753 Yep. It's actually something I hadn't considered until one day I realised I'd been snacking on peanuts as I worked & was contaminating everything I'd made. Since then I keep all nuts well away from anything intended for public sale, just in case.

[@dallastrygstad3120]

Night Cat not a bad idea. We knew a kid in my sons class that would have an allergic reaction if they were in the same room as peanuts. It can be far worse than i realized.

[@tedhaubrich]

I figured out all the stuff you said about varnish and oil finishes in your video's a few years ago but BOY did I have to trudge through a lot of nonsense to get there. Your two consice and to the point videos could have saved me hours of reading and research.

[@PGSchroe]

This had to be one of your most entertaining yet! Definitely had a grin on my face by the end. Damn good info too!

[@paulmatthews5980]

Stumpy, never come across your stuff before but I'm a bit slow. Loved it. Learning should be fun, I got both. Thanks

[@abelincoln95]

The "one-liners" were strong in this video!!! Nice job!!!

[@barnshopproductions7132]

Well, now there's no need for me to continue reading the book on how to boil linseed oil. Darn, it was just getting interesting too! Thanks again James, another good tutorial.

[@Yawles]

THAT'S the James Hamilton I enjoy!

[@phildodd9942]

A really valuable briefing on the various oils. I must admit that I normally use Linseed oil by default - polyurethane seems to dry with a "milky" sheen - maybe I put it on too thickly ? I'm going to check out your "varnish" video now ! Many thanks !

[@tsuchang1]

Your videos are really informative and fun. Thanks James.

[@quietudinal4857]

Helpful overview of the key points. Thanks

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks James, good lesson taught well! Thanks for sharing with us.

[@DrThunder88]

Bob Flexner did a great job explaining the differences in oil finishes in his book, *Understanding Wood Finishing*. If you want to know what your "oil finish" is, smear some on a nonporous surface and let it cure for a week. Wiping varnishes like Formby's Tung Oil Finish will be hard and clear. Oil/varnish blends like Watco Teak Oil Finish will be slightly rubbery and wrinkly. Pure oils will be soft and boogery if they cure at all. For that reason, I have trouble calling applications of pure oils "coats" when they don't actually coat anything and just absorb into the wood. If they do leave anything on the surface, just about everybody would immediately think to remove it. You can polish the wood, but you'll never polish the oil! Unless it's a polymerized oil like Tru-Oil or Tried & True, which behave more like varnishes...

[@dougrobins8291]

That's a great reference book, and was welcomed to my library years ago.

[@MadLadsAnonymous]

James, For something that'll see high wear-patio furniture, deck tiles-can we first condition the wood with mineral oil, let it dry, wipe excess, then give it some coats of pre-cat lacquer? Looking for a durable finish that'll last at least 5 years.

[@MrMarkpeggy]

Thanks for the great video James. I always learn something and get a chuckle from your channel.

[@kittylaroux2397]

OMG I loved this guy video it's informative and funny, I just subscribed. Thanks for a great video, Cathy

[@billkamp3284]

Always there when i need you. Great video.

[@abcxyz9643]

really helpful video. I wish you would have touched on polymerized linseed oil as well as some beeswax type products.

[@llessibm]

I'm finding your latest vlogs about wood finishes interesting and quite pertinent as I'm about to take possession of a Narrowboat (I'm in England) where the interior is finished in an unadulterated ash veneered plywood - I'm not about to ask you for recommendations etc. as I think I know what I want but just wanted to say thanks for producing this very interesting 'mini series' covering wood finishes

[@allanh4803]

I seem to remember from my childhood that we used to "treat" our new cricket bats with Linseed oil. I think we believed that it would extend the life of the bat, prevent cracking and reduce bruising the face of the bat...Just a thought from "way back when"

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

" It doesn't come from its tongue, it comes from its nuts" Yup..🤣🤣🤣 I like to thin the BLO that we get in a rather thick viscous state, with about 10 to 15 percent odorless mineral spirits. It improves wipe-ability, and the coat will dry more quickly. I never add polyurethane for indoor use finish.. but for outdoor use, may match the volume of spirits with equal amount of polyurethane.

[@horacegentleman3296]

I like coal tar oil, raw linseed oil, and a good solvent, usually turpentine or kerosine. Mixed in even parts. For finishing gun stocks I add some beeswax. I warm the wood and the finish with a heat gun. Use beeswax melted into raw linseed for a top coat.

[@SpaceManAus]

I use organ oil with bees wax and citrus turpentine to thin it out to desired thickness and if you treat the timber before assembly it will stop it from splitting.

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

Good, no, I take that back. It's a great video James !!. Informative and entertaining as usual. I was going to add one about How many babies do they use in Baby Oil, but I couldn't figure out how to fit it in so never mind.

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

@J Dial Funny that - I raised twins too (boy and girl).

[@TonatiuhMellado]

@J Dial jajajajajaja!🤣

[@BeauOwens]

That was amazing; very informative. Well done!

[@SmallWorkshopGuy]

So, it appears somebody was in a rather sarcastic and "dry sense of humor" mood when recording this video. You gave me several good laughs! Nice job - I even learned a thing or two.

[@steelonius]

I read about a finish mix using BLO, Mineral Spirits, and Wax (I believe Paraffin). I used it on our fence here and it turned out well. The wax has to be melted, of course, and the mixture is best produced on a hot day so that the wax doesn't solidify in the mix. I can no longer find the resource but would love to hear others thoughts about its use and longevity. So far the fence has only dealt with one fall and one winter but looks as good as the day I applied it.

[@1averageamerican]

Why am I laughing so much watching a video about wood finishes? If you haven't subbed yet, do it now. Yeah, I'm talking to you.

[@paullasmith4975]

Informative. You said what needed saying. Refreshing. I learned something. Thank you. Thumbs up and a new sub!

[@brucematthews6417]

Ya managed to sneak in a lot of laughs in this one.... Another good reason for using mineral oil over other oils (tung) for cutting boards and wooden food prep implements is that nut based oils can likely cause allergic reactions in folks with bad nut allergies. I used tung oil on some small candy bowls years ago. But now I use a mix of beeswax and mineral oil mixed so when at room temperature it's roughly the consistency of paste style furniture wax. It gives a finish that looks and feels nice without being oily and it doesn't wash away as rapidly as straight mineral oil. And of course it doesn't go rancid over time like nut or vegetable oils can do.

[@grandn8646]

Hi James, I went by your new shop today. Was going to stop in for a minute and say hi, but I wasn't sure if you were there and I didn't want to disturb anyone working there.

[@StumpyNubs]

We prefer to not be surprised by drop-ins, but we may hold an open house sometime soon. :)

[@howardhardy1992]

great video. Had me giggling the whole time. I have always been a fan of BLO and paste wax. Ive also sprayed hundreds of gallons of Lacquer and used lots of marine spar varnish on rafting and boating gear, of course that has been hard to get ahold of in the last few years due to the restrictions on VOCs. Diamond Vogels industrial division does make a low VOC marine spar varnish. Unfortunately its not near as good as the old stuff. You can still get some of the old product but they can only sell it in quart quantities and they raised the price so that now a quart is the old gallon price. I remember asking for marine spar varnish a few times in the big box stores and they directed me to a product they call marine spar polyurethane, which of course is a physical impossibility.

[@ataarjomand]

Thanks for the valuable information in a short time.

[@jbb5470]

Another helpful video Stumpy! I found one to be very informative, marketing I guess

[@williamellis8993]

Great info, great humor.

[@themonkeydrunken]

All these tung-in-cheek jokes...

[@ElTurbinado]

😭

[@robertv8851]

Thanks stumpy that was really helpful.

[@yevrahhipstar3902]

"...not the tree's tongue..." gets you the thumbs-up!

[@beerhunter272]

Hey there. Good video. What would you suggest for axe handles? I hear that BLO may be hazardous to your health due to the chemicals. Axe handles (Hickory especially) dries out over time and the heads become loose. So the goal is to prevent shrinking, yet provide protection from the elements without exposing ourselves to harmful toxins. Thanks.

[@williamcarpenter569]

One question: How did you keep a straight face when you said, "It doesn't come from the tongue, but from the nuts"? I guess, James, you are just a lot more mature than I am. ...And I didn't think that until this video. Seriously, I appreciate the humor and all the great information you consistently provide. WEC

[@thatellipsisguy8984]

William Carpenter I seriously doubt 'more mature' is a factor. I’m thinking 'multiple takes'...

[@bhoola123]

Thank you so so much for sharing this information. It simplified many things for me. Regards my friend.

[@hootis952]

SAFETY: Not a word about the risk of spontaneous combustion of boiled linseed oil-soaked cotton rags. Most people already know this but, nevertheless, it deserves mentioning.

[@jaecenwhite2590]

Okay there’s about six puerile jokes in this but “my stool has an oily finish” genuinely made me laugh.

[@allenwc]

Thank you for clearing things up a bit :D You can actually still buy pure boiled linseed oil. It's not cheap :( you would think it would be, but it's not. :P

[@mikecostanzo35]

"and I eat a lot of cheese" 😂😂😂😂

[@georgevantuyl5837]

BLO. Boiled Linseed Oil. I toured a windmill in the Netherlands that makes linseed oil. It was next to a wind powered saw mill and a wind powered pigment mill. The Netherlands version of a one stop shop.

[@kreamysoaps]

Flax, walnut, or hemp are pretty decent drying oils

[@-ZIO]

This was a valuable video. I like the mineral oil buying tip :)

[@michaeligtuqnbiga]

I believe the traditional Chinese wooden junk sail boats still use Tung oil mixed with grasses and some other natural materials as a caulking to waterproof the seems of their boats

[@podir47]

Maybe it was worth mentioning that mineral oil is a petroleum based product, especially given that the edibility issue came up multiple times, and the topic was 'natural oils'.

[@podir47]

​@@JorgTheElder you're right. an extracted or distilled product does not mean a synthesized one. i do wonder if by definition, a product that is not synthesized is automatically considered natural. in any case, i thought that given the abundant talk regarding edibility, constipation etc, it might have been possible to mention what mineral oil is, especially since he did explain what the other oils were.

[@mikecurtin9831]

Great and useful information, better than your usual excellent standard. You've been storing up sophomoric expressions to unleash them all in one video, eh? They made me laugh each time. Thanks much for this, and thumbs up to crush a troll.

[@marshallfischer3667]

I'm installing a new Maple butcher block countertop I think because I have the luxury of time I will use the layers of tung oil....

[@lorencing]

Thanks for clearing the oil dilemma a bit. What would you prefer to use on guitar necks or guitar body?

[@imhigh0013]

Mineral oil.... TMI. PS love that black truffle pecorino.

[@rolandohernandez2665]

I like this channel so much.

[@thomasgreen8532]

Well done, maybe they have changed the formula for Goof off but I alway thought that when it first came out it smelled like toluene. the newer stuff I am not so sure. I have never used Naphtha much it sounds like it could be useful thanks

[@BradsWorkbench]

Ill be damned! I’ve been making danish oil all this time and never knew it

[@craigperry7376]

Tongue oil doesn’t come from a trees tongue, but it’s nuts 🥜 😂😂😂 Subtle humour mate that had me laughing 😂 🍻🇦🇺🐨

[@thomasgronek6469]

Thanks for the video. What about unboiled tongue oil ? any advantages ? I have heard that it polymerizes, and will result in the feared spontaneous combustion of a rag pile, but how does the polymerization affect the durability of the wood ? should it be applied in frequent layers, or hardish, or even fully polymerized before another coat ?

[@williamfraser]

Is neatsfoot (neat's?) oil any good for wood protection? I had accidentally spilled some on an unfinished piece of red meranti and it looks rather nice.

[@KennyKing315]

Lay off that mineral oil or dont eat so much cheese! Your funny James! Thanks for the humor!

[@AnEvolvingApe]

I'm a fan of Tru-oil... I heard it is similarly made by what you described for Danish Oil... BLO, solvent, and polyurethane.

[@chezlerq4478]

From the MSDS on Tru-oil. If you look up what "Modified Oil" is, you wouldn't want to touch the stuff or breath the fumes. It's some pretty nasty stuff. 3. COMPOSITION / INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS Description CAS # Weight % OSHA PEL* TWA OSHA PEL STEL/C ACGIH TLV TWA ACGIH TLV STEL/C Normal Butane 106-97-8 15 800 ppm NE 800 ppm 800 ppmSTEL Propane 74-98-6 15 1000 ppm NE 1000 ppm NE Solvent Naphtha 64742-89-8 40 400 ppm NE 300 ppm NE Methyl Acetate 79-20-9 10 200 ppm NE 200 ppm 250 ppm Mineral Spirits** 8052-41-3 6 500 ppm NE 100 ppm NE Modified Oil 68512-79-8 10 400 ppm NE NE NE Linseed Oil** 67922-98-9 4 15 mg/m3(total); NE 10 mg/m3

[@OregonOutdoorsChris]

I know it's a long shot, especially commenting on such an old video, but do you have any videos about teak oil?

[@JamesCasalino]

"It comes from its nuts" LOL

[@brucelee3388]

There was something in between Raw and Boiled Linseed oils - Still Oil. Its just linseed oil that has been left in a container for a year or so until the oil naturally polymerizes, which is what 'boiling' is doing - time is money. You can still get it at art stores ($$$$) or just make your own by leaving a bottle or two of Raw Linseed on the shelf for a year or two.

[@BK-vh3do]

If that is so then the 1/2 quart I have on the shelf won't smell anymore???

[@brucelee3388]

It will still smell. Still oil will just 'dry' faster than raw. If its gone chunky its probably rancid and too far gone to be useful - you probably won't even be able to get the lid off.

[@ELCADAROSA]

At some point, Formby’s got picked up by Minwax. I wonder if the quality of the Formby’s products has changed.

[@timeisshorttruly8409]

This WAS slick

[@wolflahti412]

I have seen products called "tung oil finish" that have no tung oil in them. As the video says, read the label. Mineral oil never cures and is a poor finish for pretty much anything; I fail to understand its popularity for finishing cutting boards. A far better finish for them is walnut oil, which can be found in most grocers. (Or, if you want, you can pay ten times more for the same thing at a woodworking store.)

[@vipermad358]

Great videos. Straight-forward, and walking those jokes right up to the PG-13 line!

[@vogonpoet5860]

heres a cross question, why is it woodwork channels always ignore an old stain finish i have used to good effect, made a wood frame in pine (cheap), then mixed a LITTLE `camp` instant cofee(chicory) liquid with walnut oil, vary coffee amount for varied tones to makeframe look antique pine or even european oak plus finnish is 100%safe if your not allergic to ingredients, so you can make a project from pine look like oak and then if you decide to lick or suck it the finish wont poison you and neither will the dye. not so cross now

[@motrebal]

I love your show and always watch it but you did make a mistake it is Tung (The type of tree) oil (which as you say comes from the nuts), not tongue oil. Love your show keep it up, accuracy counts.

[@williamcarrigan1082]

I don’t care about the look of the finish or how long it takes to apply. I want to know what the most durable finish is. What will protect the most from scratches and dings and what will repel the most water?

[@markkulepisto1159]

My sweetie asked why do I keep laughing ? What comedy show am I watching? Me: I’m learning about wood finishing oils Her: …

[@davesutherland1864]

I know this is an old video, but what do you think of hardwax oil. I have tried some on recent project and so far I like it.

[@markharris5771]

I’m going to be re-oiling my workbench in a couple of weeks when I make some improvements. The first time I used Danish oil, but my homemade wax polish is linseed oil, gum turpentine, bees wax and carnauba wax. So this time I was just going to use linseed old and put some wax polish on on a regular basis. Can anyone tell me if this is the right approach please? A very useful, and somewhat humorous video, thank you.

[@anonymousgeorge4321]

Good one. Thanks

[@blakeloke5586]

Hahaha....".....I eat a lot of cheese" great video with good information (maybe too much!!)

[@harrydavis6903]

Well done, thanks.

[@EggyOrphan]

maybe dumb question but would danish oil be ok for children wood toys?? If not what would you recommend for that??? Ive seen so many idk which to actually use, thanks in advance!

[@dubya13207]

Holy jump cuts, Batman! That was weird...you usually don’t have those (Great content, btw, I’m not saying this video sucked or anything)

[@TrojanHorse1959]

Great video and information, thank you! P.S. What about "Tru-Oil?" What is it and is it any good?

[@chezlerq4478]

Read the MSDS on it. it is some really nasty stuff.

[@RedLegBlazer]

I use sesame, or olive oil. It doesn't work, but it makes me feel like the only wood chef in the world!