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Boiled Linseed Oil

proappproapp Member Posts: 3,264
edited August 2015 in General Discussion
My wife and daughter have been buying and re-doing
cheap Goodwill furniture for her apartment at college.

They stayed up til 0300 cleaning the stuff and then
wiped a couple of chairs down with oil.

By 0600 my daughter smelled something that woke
her up and it was the paper towels they used.

Very hot and I guess on the edge of catching fire
before she doused them.

I've never heard of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yq6VW-c2Ts

Comments

  • proappproapp Member Posts: 3,264
    edited November -1
    Well, I'd heard enough bout it that I decided it was time I tryed it, just for old time sake.

    So many stories about how the old Marines, Soldiers, etc. use to have to rub it into their guns for protection and beauty, decided there must be something to it all.

    Now, I'm a big fan of Tung Oil, it is all I will use. I have this sporterized stock, however, for my 1917 Eddystone, so I didnt have much to lose, just wanted to have a nice stock for hunting purposes, should I decide to take it out for that purpose. Its a nice shooting gun, very hunting accurate.

    So...for the past 4 days I've been putting a coat of it on this stock I worked on, and doing it the way I heard you are suppose to. Gotta tell you, I'm impressed. It has just the perfect sheen to it for a gun stock. I dont know how well it will hold up compared to Tung Oil, but its pretty, and not too glossy, but just right. Think I'll have to abuse it some and see how the wood holds up, and make a final judgement on if it is worth doing to a 'real' stock. Like the military hasnt already tested it enough huh? Anyway, thought I'd share. I'm happy with it.

    Ryan
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,183 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes I have heard of that, rags soaked with linseed oil will catch fire. Weird.
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 25,750
    edited November -1
    Spontanious combustion.

    Take a wool sweater, douse it with BLO, bind the sweater into a ball and toss it among paper. I promise you will have a fire there in 24 hours.

    The BLO generates heat as it dries.
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 53,466
    edited November -1
    Yes happens a lot.
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,588 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The oil is oxidized by the oxygen in air, and generates heat. Enough heat, and the towels, rags, etc light themselves up. Called Spontaneous Combustion. Fire hazard of greasy rags has been well known for years.

    Says so right on the label- http://missouribootandshoe.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/canlabel.jpg.w560h698.jpg
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 53,466
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by forgemonkey
    Yepper,,,,,,any 'oily' rags/paper towels are subject to spontaneous combustion. We had a special air tight container in the blacksmith shop for the rags we used,,,,,,,,we used a lot of linseed oil/mineral spirits to darken and preserve patina on forged metal,,,,


    Even in a Mech shop we had the fireproof containers for certain rags.
  • buschmasterbuschmaster Member Posts: 14,229 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    right, it's also recommended for soaking wooden shafts on shovels, rakes, hoes, and spears.

    the label said "Warning: use of this product will expose you to arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cadmium and nickel which are known to cause cancer and to lead which is known to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm."

    so I have a question. what happens when it's on your furniture? or on the shaft of the shovel/rake/hoe/spear that you use for an hour at a time?
  • proappproapp Member Posts: 3,264
    edited November -1
    I thought friction between principle/interest payment
    and insurance coverage caused most fires....[8D]
  • mango tangomango tango Member Posts: 3,833 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's called Spontanious Combustion.

    A friend of mine was doing some staining at his house, threw the rags into a plastic 5 gal bucket, and set the bucket by his flat bed trailer. Came over the next day and the bucket was gone, the rags were gone, and so was half of the wood deck on his trailer, it burned overnight!
  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 24,454 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    lucky never had it happen , but any paint , oil or any thing along the same lines I take out of the house or garage asap .
    normal procedure for me is set fire to it in a burn barrel .
    or at least keep it away from anything I do not want to catch fire [:D]
  • GuvamintCheeseGuvamintCheese Member Posts: 38,932
    edited November -1
    I posted of a fire in back of my ATv from it last year. I was lucky to catch it. Read the can.
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,278 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Same as above- Let the rags air dry or stick them in a bucket of water.
    Same goes with any solvent/oil based products.
  • Ford 23Ford 23 Member Posts: 3,129
    edited November -1
    We had a waste container flame up several years ago in the work shop, we lucked out saw the smoke in the windows. Every oily rag or paper anything I think might ignite is now put in a large wood stove with the vents closed for a slow burn with damper open. Good stuff for starting the first cold morning fire
  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    I remember the red 5 gal. steel trash cans with the pedal to open them.Stenciled on them was the words OILY RAGS.
  • CaptFunCaptFun Member Posts: 16,678 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My Grandfather schooled me on that when I was a small lad and we were finishing a Grandfather clock kit. I always hang the rags up to dry on a line. After they are dry it is safe.

    That clock? It's in my front hallway and runs great, but I need to replace the pendulum suspension spring. I think its going out and my spares are all gone.
  • proappproapp Member Posts: 3,264
    edited November -1
    Well, I never had grandpa around and not much of a dad.

    That's why I read what you old farts type.[:D]
  • CaptFunCaptFun Member Posts: 16,678 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by proapp
    Well, I never had grandpa around and not much of a dad.

    That's why I read what you old farts type.[:D]

    Sorry to hear that.


    BTW.... I'm only 4 yrs older than you....

    montygovernment.jpg
  • bama55bama55 Member Posts: 6,389 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yep. Anytime I use BLO in the shop, the rags are put in the burn barrel outside.
  • buckglovesbuckgloves Member Posts: 156 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    That happened to us one time.
    Wife used linseed oil on church floors.
    When she finished she put the rags in back of suburban.
    Came home and forgot about them.

    That night about bed time our little black weenie dog thought she
    needed to go outside. She had been out earlier and this was not normal.

    When I turned on the carport lights the car looked like the windows were foggy. I opened the rear door and then realized there was fire
    smoldering inside.

    When the air hit it I saw it was located in the back.
    I opened the back doors and raked out the pile of rags.
    Very small damage but real smelly for awhile.

    Wife and I both knew this could happen.
    She was upset because of forgetting the rags were left in there.

    Weenie dog saved the day.
  • SperrySperry Member Posts: 5,006 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Meridian Plaza. Philadelphia. 1991.

    The fire began on the 22nd floor after linseed oil soaked rags ignited a blaze that raged out of control for hours.

    The building lost power. No lights. No elevators. The bigger issue was improperly set pressure reducing valves on the standpipes when installed in the building. Three firefighters died.
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