Hey Dan, Good advice. One more to add is a caution about boiled linseed oil and spontaneous combustion. Boiled linseed oil reacts with oxygen and this is really what makes it dry or cure. That reaction, when it occurs in towels or paper saturated with it can create enough heat to cause the oil soaked towel to ignite into a flame. It is a good idea to keep the oil soaked towels out of your trash and to hang them outside until the oil cures.
@Prepared HomesteadLife From the SDS for Sunnyside, linseed oil - "Oil soaked materials may spontaneously combust and should be properly managed to avoid ignition and heat sources or oxygen rich environments. Collect and store soaked materials in closed, water filled, metal containers to help prevent combustion." There are videos on RU-vid showing examples of spontaneous combustion of boiled linseed oil soaked rags.
@Prepared HomesteadLife Incorrect....This person has sound advice. I came home to a linseed oil soaked cloth that self combusted in the sun light during the summer time a few years ago...Luckily it was in a safe place and caused no harm...however, had it been close to anything else combustible it would have definitely ignited it and burned the place down while I ran to the store "real quick"
It's never happened to me I've used an old rag and thew it in the trash can in the basement it's probably there now maybe the heat of the sun has something to do with it
Another great tool for lacquer removal is.... a piece of broken glass! After removal, the wood can be smoothed down with a technique called boning. A piece of deer antler works well for rubbing the whiskers back down and giving a smooth finish. Then apply boiled linseed oil in several coats. Learned these tricks as a match weapons armorer in the Marine Corps.
When I was in my 20's, I used long wooden handles for my framing hammers. The upside of using long wooden handles for framing was that they had a barely perceptible flex in the handle. This flex provided reduced hand shock and amazing nail driving capacity. The downside of using wooden handles on big framing hammer heads is that the handles were broken from time to time. they usually broke under the hammer head. The process to replace the handles was to drive the broken handle out of the eye of the head and clean any residue out of the eye. The new handle never fit perfectly (you made sure that the fit in the eye was a little too big rather than too small). Using a rasp or coarse file (four in hand was what I usually used), you would work the wood down to be slightly too big and use a broken piece of glass to scrape the handle for the final fitting. You could get the fit to be almost exact that way. Then use wooden and metal wedges to finish off. Almost the exact same process as replacing an axe head. Estwing hammers and other metal hammers were available at the time but for me they were dead in the hand and never as good for a day of driving nails. The metal hammers were, of course, many times more durable. That was in the late 60's. Nail guns were just coming in. I suspect that hammers are a secondary tool now and are rarely used. Sorry to leave the subject of removing lacquer from axe handles but the reference to using broken glass as a scraper reminded me of replacing hammer heads.
The old rule of thumb for linseed oil is to coat your wood once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year. NEVER leave linseed oil rags laying around, they WILL try to ignite. The best solution that I have found is to let them dry overnight, then SAFELY burn them OUTSIDE the next day.
You could just burn them directly. If you let them cure while laying flat on something non-flammable they will be safe to throw in the bin afterwards, but why miss out on a making a fire?
Good video. Instead of hand sanding, an oscillating tool with sanding pad would be quicker if you have one. Also, you neglected to included the obligatory warning about linseed oil, that under certain conditions it can spontaneously ignite when left on rags.
I used walnut oil when I had no boiled linseed. It seems to have worked over the last few years. Wrapping a few inches under the head with paracord as well to help prevent damage from missed swings.
Tired of not getting notified but great video n hope you come to mississinewa 1812! I been doing that 4 yrs camping the way I normally camp but with canvas instead of tarp lol but you gotta come see the new longhouse me n a few others built last year. One the 4 biggest in nation!!! Truly was the HEART of the camp last year
You're my favorite, go to person when i really want to learn something. Great instructor. I tripped out when i saw you on alone, told my wife, i was like hey that's the guy i like on RU-vid. Thank you so much you taught me so much in so little time. I just got into this and look forward to learning more from you. Definitely will be hitting up your website also. Thank u
Thank you for the tools for the toolbox!!! I have all my handles sticky. So I need to scrape that off with a drawer scraper and do it again with turpentine and boiled linseed oil half and half ! . Then store them flat or hang them by the lanyard hole or the head . I will also make sheaths for them and sharpen them up for spring . Great video as always Dan!! Take care and stay safe my friend!!
Good tips Dan. I have a recently purchased axe that still has the varnish on it and picked up a can of boiled linseed oil at the same time because I knew about what you went over. What I didn’t know about was the turpentine trick. Thanks for another great tool for my toolbox.
Wow, thanks for the vid! My parents had me doing outdoors work in the yard by myself since the age of 8. Around 10 years old I started getting the broken axe (the bladed head barely missed my head), broken rake, and broken shovel effect. All shed kept materials that I didn’t store correctly on a wall or floor. So I took my allowance money and got non-wooden handle supplies. It worked pretty well for me, until they broke as well. I wish I would have known how to take care of wooden and non-wooden handles along time ago 😂
@@spencer1854 No worries, even though I type with my toes, I still have room for improvement in the proofreading area. Besides, maybe he’s still learning how to love himself and others too.
Well done .I got one with a plastic handle 17 years ago and I haven't broke it yet .often wondered how it would cold in cold really cold -10 .lower .keeping it up it's great fun watching the young relearning old skills .👌👌
That was really interesting I didn't know about not leaning an axe against the wall - top tip. On cabinet scrapers they are incredible to use if you role a burr on the edges. The technique takes a little practice but once you have it down they're one of the handiest tools for taking super thin shavings without tear out on hardwoods.
I also use boiled linseed oil for waterproofing wool as well. Is great with the ax and you shared grandpas big secret with mixing in turpentine. AWESOME. I see one problematic item with keeping an axe stored in it's sheath long term. Long term storing, the tannins in the leather will pit and oxidize the surface of the ax head or knife blades. Sheathes are great protections for our blades while on your person. I was introduced to lining my sheaths with shearling when I make them. I then use a good blade oil on the shearling, clean and oil the blade before being stored. Olive oil is a great oil for your leather and blades. I know a few saddle makers that use olive oil instead of neat's-foot oil or other leather conditioners. If you are into leather working, I highly recommend making your own covers, scabbard and sheaths. Line them with shearling (cemented and stitched), oil that shearling well and your blade will be pristine in perpetuity. Side note, saddle soap rots your leather from the inside out as most people use way to much, leave way to much residue and is a stringent absorbed into the fiber. Great piece on handle care.
William, you're correct about leather and tannins attacking our steel blades. I like the sound of your linings too. But... Veg Tanned Leather doesn't have this problem. So if anyone is making their own sheaths, make sure to only use veg tanned leather. Bonus with veg tan is it can be wet moulded. Additional to the point you made about storage: Leather absorbs moisture, so make sure it's dry if the tool won't be used for a while, or even leave that sheath off.. have a fully dry temporary one for storage.
@@talkin-ape not to be argumentative, but I have had an seen this happen with veg tanned leather. It takes longer for veg tanned to do this but it still does. Oiling a blade and putting it in a dry (not lined) finished veg tanned interior, will wick the tannins through the oil. So to your point of cleaning and drying fully before sheathing, 100,000% On veg tanned doesn't do this, you are mistaken sir.
Great video! thanks for the advice. One thing about scrapers is that proper scrapers are more than just a 90 degree edge. You need to draw the edge out and then curl it over so you have a sharp burr for scraping. It only takes a few minutes to do.
Excellent video. I didn’t know about the turpentine stick trick. I was taught a simple saying for oiling wood handles: -Once a day for a week -Once a week for a month -Once a month for a year -Once a year for a lifetime
Yep! I use this same mixture to treat the wood of my antique furniture pieces. It sure smells bad, but once dry that vanishes. Antique furniture doesn't have the modern lacquers to protect it, so this creates a natural varnish.
Another good advice video! You should visit your earliest videos and compare them to how you do things and what gear you carry now as compared to back then.
Hey Dan, I found the easiest way to remedy the handle problem is to purchase a Hachas Jauregi Basque Felling Axe. They are offered in various sizes and weights. In my opinion these are the best axes in the world, bar none. They also have a unique feature, the handle is inserted thru the top of the axe head (like a tomahawk) which allows it to tighten with use and is easily removed for treating or replacing if needed. Dan, if you have not used one - try one out. you may be surprised. They are a real pleasure to use.
All great tips! I just use Watco Danish Oil finish. No sticky oil, no turpentine to mix, and does a beautiful job on the wood and only takes an hour. The Watco comes in clear, Golden oak, etc. It goes on best on super smooth handles, so after scraping off the lacquer hit the entire length with 220 grit to smooth everything out and take off the little bit of lacquer you missed. For fitting the head with a new handle I cut off the handle 1/4” or a bit less short after fitting the handle exactly and fill with epoxy on top of the wedges. BTW, check Lee Valley for “cabinet scrapers” and they sell some nice ones of different shapes.
You can also thin linseed oil with mineral spirits. You have basically made "Danish Oil" in the process. A lot of fine furniture is finished with this mix (including what I make).
Colorado Yurt Company, makers of Earthworks Tipis, recommends the same treatment for tipi poles. Those suckers aren't cheap so you gotta take care of them!
Lacquer thinner to remove the finish. For those that say mineral spirits mixed with boiled linseed oil, that is great for furniture because it dries quicker than turpentine. Turpentine allows the Boiled linseed oil to soak in more. Also, turpentine removes sap from blades, so it would be better to have it anyway. Boiled linseed oil can also be used on the heads of steel tools to protect them from rust during long storage. I do that with my shovels and such in the fall after lawn care season is over. I also use it on the bottom of my mower deck after a really good cleaning before storage. I use fluid film on our vehicles undersides twice a year, was thinking about using it on handles but that stuff doesn't dry at all!
Thanks.. info can be used for any wooden handle tools...I did use goof off and hand sanded handles lol I like the smoothness of the fine grit sand paper.....and on a few tools wrapped the grip with Paracord and knots... Like on a Machete..makes excellent grips and keeps blisters at bay ..think this is why many manufacturers went to rubber and plastic handles, And don't forget my friends good work gloves also protect your hands...one thing many people get themselves in a fix is there methods of using sharp tools and get cut or injured from bad habits and practices.... I've warned many people like using a Machete about keeping their legs and feet away from the area they are chopping Incase of a glancing blow diverts the machete or axe into there foot or leg etc...the same as with a power saw using your leg as a brace for the wood plank you maybe cutting...is not a good idea and is a bad habit to get in to....good practices are methods of doing work with sharp tools to keep your body parts the safe distance away from the cutting edges using wood push tool to pliers not your fingers.... The best tool in your tool box is on your shoulders! ... Take a moment and think about what and how you are doing... Take a break to learn and research..10 to 30 minutes get some water ,eat etc......it can keep you from wasting time , injuries aggravation and grief ! .... Good luck be safe ,and enjoy life!
Thank you VERY much..AGAIN ;) for all this info (stuff for the toolbox), going through a load of your vids and learning a TONNE, I'll prob cut and paste this comment as I'm going through so many of them 😁, thnx again 😉
turpentine tip - awesome !!! ... we made a similar mistake with a bench with leaving the oil too long ... oh man! .. what a mess - sticky etc. now i *know* better :) - thanks dan.
Glad you went back to the OG intro music. BTW I need a new living room floor thanks to your video. I treat my axe handle with Armor All. I think you should put a warning disclosure for those whose mask may get in the way while handling a sharp tool 😀
I do all these things and they work well. So much more comfortable in the hand. The BLO hydrates the wood and repels water. Apply the BLO once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year thereafter. One of my next axe projects is to straighten my Dad’s True Temper Kelly Works double bit handle. It was left leaning for a few decades unfortunately.
Most people don't know about the heat generated by Boiled Linseed Oil when drying on rags, paper towels , etc. They can get hot enough to burst into flames. Most people also do not have fire proof cans to store them in. There are a lot of people who do have wood stoves. Place your used rags into the stove, close the door. One of two things will happen: you will ether have the rags burn up safely or they will dry and you can use them to start the next fire. If you don't have the stove or the fire proof can is to hang them up so that they are as open as possible so that any heat is dissipated and can not build up. Place in an area off by themselves if you can. Putting them outside may not be the best idea, it might be better to burn down the garage instead of the forest.
I haven't split a single log or cut down a tree, but i don't care. I went ahead and bought the hultafors hunter's axe, and it was worth every penny. It's a quality made tool, so i can be assured it will do its job when i need it to, when it comes to light duty wood work at camp.
After the oil I put rubber bike innertubes on the handle--comfort & non-slip. Yes, they wear out but replacement is cheap & easy. I get them free from the local bike repair shop. I think it works better than tape.
Using a super thin oil instead of terpentine will increase the lifespan of the linseed oil which already needs to be reapplied roughly once a year. On trailer decks I use diesel but for something making regular contact with skin, check out knife oils and such.
Brilliant. I actually use that turpentine linseed mix and it produces a really silky finish and penetrates well. I also heat the axe gently before treating. Nothing serious, just leave it on a household radiator for a few days so it gets repeat heated to hand-hot temperatures. It just helps drive off any residual moisture that the wood might have absorbed from the air. Love your videos mate.
Hi there... would you happend to know if a 1:1 Turpentine and Tung oil mix will work as well? I really appreciate how Tung oil brings out the wood grain. Thanks in advance.
@@RealEyesRealizeRealLies21 I honestly couldn't say Adam. The turps basically just acts a solvent, diluting the mix so it penetrates the wood better, but I am not sure what the overall effect would be with Tung oil. My best advice would be to take a small bit of wood, sand and prepper it, then test it with a small amount mixed up. See if you like the results. All the best Adam
My process for restoring axes. Every new, painted, or lacquered handle should be scraped then sanded with 100-120 grit paper and wipe dust free. Then wipe on a light coat of your concoction and store in a warm dry place overnight or until dry to the touch. Steel wool, 00, wipe dust free and apply another light coat. Repeat seven times. After that I store my axes by hanging from the lanyard. Soaked rags are hung outside for a couple of weeks then they are safe to be disposed of as you are permitted.
Using 80-120 grit sandpaper works just fine. Anyone who acquires a new stacked leather washer handle knife such as a Kabar should remove the varnish and soak in olive oil for at least 12 hours. Good video and good advice Coal Cracker .
My dad kept his axe leaning against the wall all the time. At least 66yrs (that’s how old I am) it never warped. My axes usually spent time in my pickup.
I want to say more than all the commentators and the author of the video himself, if the ax is constantly in operation, then it does not need any lubrication, it simply does not rust and there is no reason for it. Believe me, I grew up in the Russian outback where they cook porridge from an ax ...
