Humblebee
Well-Known Member
A different thread on this forum got me thinking about linseed oil. I have seen both raw and boiled discussed and also on sale, but, what are the differences between the two in terms of their usage? Anyone know?
Linseed oil - boiled or raw?
- Thread starter Humblebee
- Start date
SimonJ
Well-Known Member
Linseed oil
Basically untreated linseed oil when coated on a surface does not 'go off' but 'boiled' (it is not actually boiled but chemically treated) will form a hardish surface. You can use the latter in lieu of varnish (of which in traditional forms it is a key ingredient) but it has not u/v or other additional properties so probably not so good. You may also use a container of boiled linseed oil to store varnish brushes in in between use while, say, building up the many coats you need on a wood surface. Way back in the RN the boied version was used to coat exposed galvanised wire on guardrails and so forth - messy though!
You will find quite a bit by googling it; I asked friends the same question a few months ago and did not get an answer!
Basically untreated linseed oil when coated on a surface does not 'go off' but 'boiled' (it is not actually boiled but chemically treated) will form a hardish surface. You can use the latter in lieu of varnish (of which in traditional forms it is a key ingredient) but it has not u/v or other additional properties so probably not so good. You may also use a container of boiled linseed oil to store varnish brushes in in between use while, say, building up the many coats you need on a wood surface. Way back in the RN the boied version was used to coat exposed galvanised wire on guardrails and so forth - messy though!
You will find quite a bit by googling it; I asked friends the same question a few months ago and did not get an answer!
kesh
Well-Known Member
boiled dries quicker. all linseed oil dries (it's called a drying oil), that is, it oxidises to a hard polymer. "boiled" has additives that make that happen much faster.
supposedly boiled is also more prone to spontaneous combustion when left on oily rags/brushes/etc. i've never seen it happen, but put those oily rags somewhere safe.
supposedly boiled is also more prone to spontaneous combustion when left on oily rags/brushes/etc. i've never seen it happen, but put those oily rags somewhere safe.
Humblebee
Well-Known Member
Thanks, guys
Appreciate that, thanks both.
Chris
Appreciate that, thanks both.
Chris
OGITD
Well-Known Member
Are the "old-ones" the best?
Also can be used for preservation of mild steel.
My shackles on the risers (mooring) are heated to 240 C, then coated with boiled and then put back in the oven for thirty ish minutes or until dry.
Two years rattling around on the risers, the wear is negligible and the thread is like new.
Apparently this is an old treatment that nobody seems to know about.
Also can be used for preservation of mild steel.
My shackles on the risers (mooring) are heated to 240 C, then coated with boiled and then put back in the oven for thirty ish minutes or until dry.
Two years rattling around on the risers, the wear is negligible and the thread is like new.
Apparently this is an old treatment that nobody seems to know about.
Captain Coochie
Well-Known Member
I prefer raw linseed oil myself and used that before varnish on the run about . Also would use raw on rubbing strakes and the like as you can just keep loading it up . For timber that will be sat on then boiled as it goes off faster but i use raw when ever i can .
