BLO

Re: BLO

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I don't know what might happen to the catalyst. The oil is good forever. It gets thicker in time as it polymerizes but that thickening is not a problem. If too thick, thin. You could see if it still cures by putting some on glass and seeing if it gets as hard as BLO gets, which isn't very hard.

Re: BLO

Bruce, a MN Galoot

I would just be using it to pop the grain, so thin is okay.

Thanks, Bill.

Re: BLO

John in NM

I have a can from the 1960's that was in the garage of the house my parents bought 15 years ago. It's still good and a bit thicker is better in my view of things.

Re: BLO

Ron in Sterling, CT

I have a can from the 1970's. It is a little thick and takes forever to dry. Every fall I take a small amount, thin it a some, then apply a thin coat to the wooden handles on all of my outdoor tools (shovels, spades, forks, etc.). After a few hours I wipe off any excess. By spring it is nice and cured and ready for another season. I have a can of "good stuff" for use in my shop.

Ron

Still good for incendiary accelerant

What is top coat

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

catalyst in oil based varnish will cure linseed oil. But then if you are using varnish there is no benefit to using the oil.

how to know when it is cured

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

smell. if it stinks like oil it is still curing and making those smelly low molecular weight compounds from the reaction with oxygen.

Re: What is top coat

Bruce, a MN Galoot

Shellac

What's the solvent to thin BLO?

mineral spirits, naptha, or turpentine

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I am skeptical that there is any difference in penetration thinned or not thinned.

Thank you

Re: mineral spirits, naptha, or turpentine

John in NM

I think there is a difference. I've cut up military surplus gunstocks and found that thin parts were soaked through with oil and assumed it was thinned drastically by the contractor who supplied the parts. Not sure if it was BLO though, so perhaps type of oil had more to do with penetration than did thinning.

context

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

the task was to enhance grain. Don't need to penetrate inches to accomplish this task. I think the oil viscosity is irrelevant for this task. Data to support my hypothesis. Oil based varnish vs oil followed by oil based varnish looks the same.

That oil in my vintage ROTC rifle wood was assuredly not linseed. And yes it looked like it has soaked through and through.

Re: context

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

Many old military arms were finished with "Tung oil". It is reportedly more moisture resistant than Linseed oil. It is also supposed to have a more transparent, harder finish. I have a couple of Garands - one from CMP with a new stock, finished with I'm sure is BLO. The older one I acquired appears to have a harder finish possible Tung oil.

Many countries started with Tung oil when a war broke out but switched to BLO as supplies of Tung oil was limited.