What is a good treatment for wooden shovel handles

[piper]

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

[Robert Macy]

I used olive oil once. Wasn't allergic to it, made the wood beautiful, made hands soft, only downside was the cat followed me around for days.

[tmurpha1hi]

Don't preserve them, turn them into wiffle ball bats.

[Mr. Austerity]

I've found bright yellow paint works best, they show up better when you need to find the things and they aren't as apt to grow feet and walk away.

[Doug]

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.

[Robert Macy]

Also, called "hand rubbed" finish.

[Doug]

why the mix... is the oil just too thick to work with? Perhaps too slippery???

[gregz]

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

[Robert Macy]

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

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

[piper]

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!

[Doug]

Haven't heard of painting over linseed oil. Maybe no problem??? Let us know how that turns out.

[Vic Smith]

I used to soak weathered window sashes with boiled linseed oil, wipe off the excess, and paint. Oil based paint. Primer first. Worked well. Don't know about water based paint, and wouldn't do it without finding out. Linseed oil doesn't smell fishy.

--Vic

[Vic Smith]

BTW, I linseed oiled my tool handles. No paint. Kept them all out of the weather. Lasts forever if you reapply when you see any drying out.

[Arthur Shapiro]

I've used marine spar varnish for quite a few years. It seems to hold up well, and I figure if it's good enough for boats it's probably good enough for my rake handle.

Art

[gregz]

Linseed oil is an ingredient in some varnishes.

Greg

[piper]

It would have to be oil based paint. I'm almost sure latex would not hold to oiled wood, and latex is not as durable or this application.

I think linseed oil is an ingredient in many oil based paints too.

[Dan Musicant]

:On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:39:05 -0600, [e-mail] 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.

I more often than not varnish my long-handled tools like shovels, hows, even the handles on my wheel barrow. Usually multiple coats. Also, I like to keep them out of the sun unnecessarily. The UV will deteriorate the finish over time. Varnished, the handles don't crack or weather and they are easy on the hands, although they can feel a bit slick. That doesn't bother me.

Email: dmusicant at sonic dot net

[Dan Musicant]

:On Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:12:50 -0600, [e-mail] 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, [e-mail] 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! : : :Haven't heard of painting over linseed oil. Maybe no problem??? Let :us know how that turns out.

I have shellaced over linseed oil after suitable drying period. It's recommended.

When I did my bookshelves I basically did this:

1. Sanded and dusted the wood nicely.
2. Applied a 1/2# cut shellac coat to semi-seal it so BLO would penetrate sufficiently but not enough to blotch.
3. Wiped on boilded linseed oil, wiped off after 5-10 minutes. Wiped off well with old socks on my hands.
4. Let dry several days, longer if the weather wasn't so good.
5. Apply two coats full strength (3# cut?) orange shellac.
6. Applied two coats of furniture wax with 00 steel wool and buffed.

Came out very nice and beautiful.

Email: dmusicant at sonic dot net

[Dan Musicant]

:In article , [e-mail] wrote: :>Over time the wooden handles on shovels and other garden tools tend to :>dry out and crack : :I've used marine spar varnish for quite a few years. It seems to hold up :well, and I figure if it's good enough for boats it's probably good enough for :my rake handle. : :Art I use similar, a varnish, usually 2-3 coats. Also, keep out of the sun when possible, don't just let them sit in the sun.

Dan

Email: dmusicant at sonic dot net

[JIMMIE]

My dad used linseed oil mixed with turpentine half and half. Ive used the same to treat window sills.

Jimmie