Treating Plain Steel with Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO)

[GalaxyRat]

Hello, everyone!

I have been researching ways to treat plain steel tools for some time now, besides wiping with oil occasionally. I stumbled upon a few forum posts relating to BLO but they mostly dealt with removing BLO from old tools or "how long should I let my tools sit in BLO?". What I was searching for was heat treating the steel.

I found just a few videos of metal being treated, but it was 95% wood treatment. There were some videos and forum posts about wiping your axe with it, as well. So I found a video of a blacksmith explaining how to heat the metal with BLO.

I decided today to give it a try, so I grabbed a Thorsen breaker bar, New Britain Speeder, Owatonna 3" extension, and a Husky CB-45. All of these tools are plain steel and would hopefully work well. I heated each tool until it started getting the rainbow/titanium look, but no hotter than that. After they were heated appropriately I wet a rag with BLO and simply wiped it on. It baked onto the steel with no problems, although each tool has a different shade of coating now.

Over all the tools aren't sticky or tacky, and have a mild gloss finish. The finish is smooth and even, and I hope it will hold up as I use the tools.

I soaked the tools in Purple Power, rinsed with water, scrubbed them clean, and wiped them with acetone before heating. I took apart the Husky, degreased the inside of the head and ratchet mechanism. I did heat the selector and wipe it with BLO, but not the ratchet mechanism.

Below I have posted before and after pictures.

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[Boilerhouse]

I did an older wood vise with BLO after doing some research on the subject. Unlike raw linseed oil, BLO has some chemicals added to it to get it to dry faster. So one thing I would caution is that BLO can give off some pretty nasty fumes when it vaporizes on contact with a hot surface. Make sure the area is well ventilated, or better yet, have a respirator. But it does make for a very nice, vintage looking, and durable finish.

 

[RTM]

I tried doing some fasteners to match a finish, your results are much better than mine. I should probably talk to my blacksmithing friends when I want it done right.

 

[smalltown]

Years ago while wiping some BLO on my wood stock I unknowingly got a small area on my blued barrel. It dried clear and somewhat glossy. I left it there just to see how it would last. It's still there years later. I wonder if you really need to heat your tools.

 

[ZRX61]

Years ago while wiping some BLO on my wood stock I unknowingly got a small area on my blued barrel. It dried clear and somewhat glossy. I left it there just to see how it would last. It's still there years later. I wonder if you really need to heat your tools.

Nope, just wipe on & let it dry.


Old engine oil & heat looks much better.

 

[GalaxyRat]

I have plenty of used engine oil and a few tools I could use to experiment with. I will have to check it out; I am having too much fun to stop now. What sort of finish does it put on?

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[smalltown]

Wouldn't the old engine oil still feel sticky even after heating the tool to begin with ?

 

[Boilerhouse]

Here is a rough comparison; I did the vise face and tee with heat and BLO, the hardware to the left was done with heat and steam cylinder oil. Both give an aged, rustic look, but personally I prefer the patina of the BLO. Maybe engine oil on the vise would have given the similar result?

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Hopefully, all you guys using BLO are aware of how HIGHLY combustible it is. Old rags soaked in BLO should not be left around. I believe there are many instances of spontaneous combustion.

I'm pretty sure I used BLO on my Reed 214R vise but I'll have to go out to the shop to verify. I personally like the look of BLO on old vises.

 

[Boilerhouse]

Hopefully, all you guys using BLO are aware of how HIGHLY combustible it is. Old rags soaked in BLO should not be left around. I believe there are many instances of spontaneous combustion.

Good point. BLO soaked rags can definitely spontaneously combust if they are not handled properly. Worst thing to do is crumble them up and toss them in the trash. That is a good way to burn your shop down. After use, I spread out and hang any rags to allow them to air and dry. After that they go in the fire pit. I do the same with rags that were used to wipe up gasoline, or even oil.

 

[vrts]

Does BLO work on both chrome and blue steel?

How long does it take to dry?

For hand tools, such as ratchets, how long does it last?

 

[GalaxyRat]

Does BLO work on both chrome and blue steel?

How long does it take to dry?

For hand tools, such as ratchets, how long does it last?

I put some on the chrome selector after applying heat. I am going to start using the ratchet for everything to see how the BLO fares. Blued steel is already protected, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to add another layer of protection.

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