On Mar 12, 1:12*pm, wrote:
On Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:45:04 -0700 (PDT), Robert Macy





wrote:
On Mar 12, 9:10*am, gregz wrote:
"Doug" wrote:
On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:39:05 -0600, wrote:

Over time the wooden handles on shovels and other garden tools tend to
dry out and crack. *Particularly when they get weathered. *I know it's
best to keep them indoors, but that dont always happen. *I was thinking
about oiling all of them. *But with what? *Just plain motor oil, or
maybe some linseed oil? *Actually I just tried some saddle oil on one of
them called Neatsfoot oil. *I only did this because the bottle only had
enough in it to do one handle and I wanted to get rid of the nearly
empty bottle which was just wasting shelf space. *But what is the
recommended or best product for this?

Thanks

I'm no expert on this but I think my dad (builder and jack of all
trades) told me to use Linseed Oil a long time ago. * I don't know now
if there's anything better but that should get you by. *I guess no oil
could harmful but perhaps some are better for wood than others. Google
on linseed oil uses and see what they say.

Linseed oil takes a long time to dry, but might be good. Boiled linseed oil
will dry quicker or is it just thicker. You'll just smell like fish. I've
used boiled linseed oil on cars to help rustproof. It stinks for a couple
weeks, fishy.

Greg

Fishy?! sounds like it is adulterated. like most cooking oils now.

I had both boiled and unboiled and neither ever smelled fishy.

I used linseed oil (boiled), in high school wood shop and although it
was slow drying I never noticed a fishy odor. *I also have a friend who
makes wooden items at his home and he uses it. *The biggest concern with
linseed oil is throwing the rags away outdoors in a safe place because
they will self combust. I'll probably use this on the shovels and stuff.
Seems like a good waterproofer. *I'm thinking about painting them after
the oil drys too, or maybe just using an oil base paint right from the
start, and give them a few coats.

Thanks to all!

One last one, dip in that plastic coating material meant for tool
handles.

It's thick, soft, red/bright so you can find it, and as the finish
gets dirty from use, simply replace with another dip.