# BLO job: Who's experienced



## crann (May 10, 2014)

I just acquired a guitar that has the finish fully sanded off the neck down to the raw wood (mahogany). I'm not sure about upkeep etc but the guy said he used linseed oil on it. From looking around the net it seems like it was probably boiled linseed oil. So here's the questions:

1. Any issues using this specific variant of BLO: *


https://www.lowes.ca/product/paint-thinners/solvable-boiled-linseed-oil-946-ml-1644757


*2. Any specific steps/tips?
3. Is this guy spot on? 



4. Should I just get tru-oil instead?

I'm looking for the easiest solution that keeps the wood relatively waterproof and has a smooth feel.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I don't know about all that, but I hope you have a buddy.

(just FYI, a buddy is a guy who takes two necks down to the shop, has BLO-jobs applied to both, then comes back and gives you one.)


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

If you store a wooden product with a linseed oil finish for an extended period, it may become sticky.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

BLO is not a film finish so you will feel the wood (well, technically anyways. It is possible to put enough coats on to build a film). It's easy to repair, just go right over it. It's not hugely protectant over time or against water...You can put a film finish over it. Things like varithane/varnish. Water based film finish requires the BLO be fully cured first. A couple of weeks. I use it often on cabinets.

Tru-oil (gun stock oil) will build into a film finish and is compatible with BLO. It is very nice! You can put it on thin, or even take it back a bit with a Scotch Brite pad to get the sheen/feel you are looking for. It's my favourite for necks.

Make sure it is BLO and not Raw linseed oil. Raw can take months and even years to fully cure. It's not likely raw as that in mainly sold in art supply stores for use with paints.


Most modern BLO formulas have metallic dryers added to them. Wear gloves. I like nytril ones. There are some formulas that are still naturally made without the metallic dryers, but you won't get them at the local big box/hardware store.

Used rags used with BLO can spontanously combust as they dry. Burn them, put them in water for a while, or lay them flat on concrete, or similar.

The OLD time method of applying BLO was: Once a day for a week, once a month for a year, once a year thereafter. Of course, that far back if you had panelling and furniture that cost that much, much of that job was left to the maids/housekeepers.


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## crann (May 10, 2014)

Paul Running said:


> If you store a wooden product with a linseed oil finish for an extended period, it may become sticky.


I think the guy in the video says BLO is preferred over pure linseed to avoid this.


Jim DaddyO said:


> Tru-oil (gun stock oil) will build into a film finish and is compatible with BLO. It is very nice! You can put it on thin, or even take it back a bit with a Scotch Brite pad to get the sheen/feel you are looking for. It's my favourite for necks.


Great post! Lots of info and basically the type of real world experience I was looking for. I may buy some BLO to see if I can get spontaneous combustion of rags, that sounds pretty cool (in a controlled environment)


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## Whammer Jammer (Sep 7, 2019)

I've been using Formby's tung oil for decades for furniture and guitar necks and bodies (I like natural wood). I use the low gloss version. I treated a maple Warmoth Strat neck about 10 years ago that's been my daily player and it still looks great.

Simple application:
1. Wipe on as much as surface will absorb and wipe off clean with soft cloth
2. Allow to dry overnight
3. Buff with 0000 steel wool or ultra-fine Scotch pad and clean surface with dry cloth
4. Repeat - I usually apply 3 coats.

I like that it's furniture-grade. It's blended not get sticky because it's going to be used on chairs and tables. The guy in that video seems fixed on boiled linseed oil because it's cheap, because he'd have to drive across town to get tung-oil, and because he really likes saying "boiled linseed oil". Linseed oil always seems a bit industrial to me, but he seems to get decent results.

Good point Jim DaddyO about the spontaneous combustion hazard.

Cheers, Bill


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## crann (May 10, 2014)

Whammer Jammer said:


> Formby's tung oil


I like the guy on the bottle, he looks like what I imagine Al Borland's dad looks like. Any leads on where to get this stuff in Canada?


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

crann said:


> where to get this stuff in Canada?


I think Lowes carries Formby's. You can get other brands of tung oil at Home Hardware, Canadian Tire, Lee Valley, etc..... Same methods and precautions as BLO.

Make sure it's Polymerized Tung Oil. Which is also a heating process like they use on BLO so it cures better and faster.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Blo is super easy to use. Wipe/brush it on extra thick and let it soak for about an hour. Wipe off the excess. Repeat 24 hours later. Keep repeating every 24 hours until the wood no longer soaks up the BLO. Wait at least 1 or 2 weeks to cure. Humidity and temperature are major factors. Compensate accordingly. If you want to put a finish on top of it I recommend a coat of shellac. Everything sticks to shellac and shellac sticks to everything. But the BLO must be dry as a bone/cured. Then put your favorite finish over the shellac. A 1 pound cut of blonde will do the trick. Also sold as Zinseer sanding finish.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Great thread, lots of useful information.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

crann said:


> I just acquired a guitar that has the finish fully sanded off the neck down to the raw wood (mahogany). I'm not sure about upkeep etc but the guy said he used linseed oil on it. From looking around the net it seems like it was probably boiled linseed oil. So here's the questions:
> 
> 1. Any issues using this specific variant of BLO: *
> 
> ...


I personally use shellac or tru oil. Very thin in order to maintain the feel of the bare wood but offer some protection.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

The guy in the vid bothers me - Danish Oil and Teak Oil are variants of Tung Oil (how polymerised/diluted it is). Also he's not applying enough coats to be protective at all really.

I prefer Tung oil in any form other than pure (e.g. food grade) - some polymerisation helps make it more effective as a protectant (e.g. what @Jim DaddyO said about there being a film, and the dude in the vid mentions without explaining why). Tru Oil is less polymerised (not sure if at all) than (cheaper) hardware store Tung (or Linseed) oil. You can use the same stuff to condition non-laquered (i.e. not maple or a Ric) fretboards.

If you do enough coats, you don't need to reapply yearly or whatever - I have necks and whole guitars that have been fine for over a decade. Never got sticky either (never used Linseed personally, just Tung variants).

First coat or 3 (at least an hour apart like the dude says, but it's not time sensitive if you forget or get otherwise busy) just slap it on - it will all absorb, though after the first bomb coat you may need to use elbow grease (heats up the oil a tad and makes it less viscous and able to penetrate better); work it in there.

The next day I start doing lighter more careful coats twice a day, like morning and evening. Again: elbow grease.

Then once you feel some surface buildup, buff with 0000 steel wool (OMG DO NOT WET SAND WITH MINERAL SPIRITS, especially after just one stingy coat like he did there! You can wet sand with Tung oil as a grain filler thouigh, but that's a different process) and apply another coat daily until you get the level of gloss/protective film you want. I don't always buff before each daily at this point, but usually. Depends on how it feels and how consistant it is (shiny or sticky spots, how much buildup etc). Also sometimes lighter buffing vs applying more pressure as needed/desired. Experiment - if you buff too much you just need to do more coats to get it back; low risk. After the last coat no buff because you will dull the finish - unless that's what you want (matte look), or you know what you're doing because there's a danger of seeing fine scuffing.

For fretboards, clean the board first (damp rag, then steel wool) and only one generous coat, elbow grease, and remove excess with clean rag (usually isn't any). You don't want to build up a film here. And only like once or maybe twice a year if it's very dry. I once left an ebony board too long and got a hairline crack from drying out in the winter with forced air heating. Went to the trouble of finding a scrap of ebony to file to dust to fiill it but just needed to oil it and the hairline filled in as the wood absorbed it and expanded back to where it was before. Been stable for 5 years - can't even tell where the crack used to be (and I don't remember). Also the first thing to try if you're seeing fret ends sticking out the sides (aka fret sprout).

Whatever oil you choose (and it really comes down to some form of Tung or Linseed - avoid "lemon oil" and even the fretboard oil at the shop - those are petroleum with a scent added in the case of Lemon Oil, and actually more expensive without being better, I'd say worse), have some on hand at all times if you have any unlaquered fretboards.


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## markxander (Oct 24, 2009)

important information not yet covered in this thread: linseed oil STINKS and it stinks forever. tru oil smells way better.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

But tru-oil is actually a varnish. I prefer Tung oil myself.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

markxander said:


> important information not yet covered in this thread: linseed oil STINKS and it stinks forever. tru oil smells way better.


I have refurbished a bunch of old firearms in my past, love the smell of tru oil, it smells like history!


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