Are you Properly Taking Care of Your Axe? How Professional Axe Makers treat handles.

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Stay in the Woods,

Dan

[OffBitterShane]

When my blacksmith buddy makes my axes, he says to use boiled linseed oil, "Every day for a week, every week for a month, every month for a year, and once a year after that." So far, no issues!

[clivedunning]

Regarding linseed oil on a new axe handle ; the classic mantra of, . . . "once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year" . . . Was what I was taught.

[buddmac]

Don't forget the inside of the lanyard hole. Also mentioned below, warming the oil will help it to soak in. Personally, I like Tung oil.

[onionhead]

When I was young I put a generous coating of linseed oil on a new wooden ladder as per my father’s instructions and I remember it stayed sticky for months. By the time it was no longer tacky the ladder had every piece of dirt, grass and debris adhered to it. 🤦‍♂️. Proof there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. 😏

[paulkachurak]

BLO is what was used to treat M1 garand stocks. Tung oil was used, too.

[FactorLabs]

I started using raw linseed oil instead of BLO, because I have little kids who like to help out, and most hardware stores BLO is just cancer in a can. The additives that make it dry faster are pretty toxic. So I use raw linseed oil, which takes a few days to dry, but I feel a lot better about my kids helping out. Wax/oil mixes, like beeswax and mineral oil, are nice for finishing handles too. Not as "weatherproof" as linseed oil, but I like the feel of a wax-finished handle a lot better than an oiled one.

[traviswebb]

If I may suggest. Running a bottle cap down the front and back of the axe handle before application. Gives the handle a little more grip.

[b]

Whenever I'm doing a new axe I put some BLO on a paper plate or something and put the eye down on the plate. Let it sit over night until it absorbs all it can by capillary action. They can take more that way then you might think.

[micheloff-grid]

Tung oil is great also mix whit turpentine

[johngovernale-bf]

As a furniture maker and green woodworker my personal favorite is from solventfreepaint. The Organic Raw Linseed Oil is freaking great. Doesn't smell like the big box store stuff, penetrates deeper, and lasts a whole lot longer. Works amazingly on all North American hardwoods.

[DanielSmith-ezox]

I think the 50/50 treated axe handle color is prettier too than the untreated raw wood handle.
Your 50/50 mix sounds like a great solution to apply to my homemade walking sticks and canes, also.
Thanks for making this short but educational video, Dan!

[papajeff]

Dan, I listen to you because you are a fine teacher, limiting your lessons to stuff we can really use, stuff we want. There is generally no BS. I’m medical and have read good research that indicates over and over, prevention is at least ten times cheaper than repair. Thanks

[dougwilliams]

An alternative FYI -- Another option I like over the Linseed oil/turpentine mix is a 60/40 mix of Tung oil/D-limonene -- if you buy the pure forms of each, chemical toxicity is vastly reduced and it polymerizes in the wood like linseed. I personally prefer the finish of the Tung oil blend (and it smells good -- citrus 🙂). Downside is that it typically costs more than the alternatives. I sure appreciate your "get it presented" format, and also the behind-the-scenes work it takes to condense good content into meaningful videos.

[mantzbrinkman]

Today, before I saw this, after following the advice of a gardening channel for treating wood and wooden tools and metal, I ordered one gallon of raw linseed oil. I read that it dries slower and is food grade. Your mileage may vary.

[alanmurdock]

Linseed oil it. After it dries, steel wool it. Work great for axe, hatchet, hammer handles, and guitar necks

[BarKingWuffSpider]

Birchwood Casey's "Tru Oil" is damned good for tool handles also. All Weather, Soaks in deep, and hardens to rock like finish, in ware and toughness. Just saying if good enough, tough enough, and pretty enough for a multi thousand dollars

[adamhoppe]

1 part linseed, 1 part turpentine. Family has been using it for generations, grandpa was captain of the logging camp.

[earlshaner]

Good afternoon from Syracuse NY brother and thank you for sharing your information and adventures

[ah]

Wise advice. I used this process to treat my home-made hardwood nunchakus.

[mikebunner]

A great video SIR! Very informative.... Thank Take care of