using raw linseed oil

[vmax]

I’ve used tung oil in the past. It’s not as heavy as linseed oil ( only thing is though, i cannot stand the smell of it? ). The smell goes away though when it’s dry,

Most blended finishing oils have a tung oil base with small amounts of other oils added to it. Pure tung oil is a bitch to keep as it goes hard when exposed to air, a good thing in itself when applied to wood but the air in the top of the bottle is enough to harden it. If you buy any then keep it in a squeezy bottle with the air squeezed out before screwing on the cap. Lesson learned the hard way, wasted about two litres of the stuff a couple of years ago

[Shockerz]

Cold pressed flaxseed oils the best but use sparingly and allow to dry, I’ve had the same cue for 36 years x, doesn’t matter how expensive a cue is, Stephen Hendrys cue was crap and it’s the last cue you would pick at a snooker club but he won 7 world titles with it
my closest friend spent ?500 on a custom cue but he’s still can’t string a 30 together bless him.
anyway cold pressed flaxseed oil xcxx

I've been using various oils for 40 years this year and had decent results with most but not always just leaving them on the cue and waiting for it to dry; sometimes I may spin the cue when nearly dry to apply heat and when it's almost there I apply another coat as it grips well but as I said, each oil reacts differently.

If I lined up a dozen boiled linseed oils and a dozen raw including cold pressed (flax seed oil) , double boiled etc they don't all react exactly the same so you have to find the best method for each in my humble opinion.

You can also mix if you like chemical driven oils in there and have regularly used 1/3 tung, 1/3 boiled linseed oil and 1/3 white spirit and then add 20% volume of white spirit to aid drying times.

Although most swear against it I have had great results with cold pressed linseed oil oil when thin coats are used and it will dry at a reasonable rate. I understand that many guys will say it might look dry but it can take a month but this is arguable for some chemically driven finishing linseed oils and I have had many long debates with the scientific department at Liberon on this very thing as you would think that when the molecular structure changes and all the white spirit has evaporated then the oil would be 100% dry, not always the case.

You would also feel on the converse to this that any raw or cold pressed linseed oil doesn't have a cat's chance in hell of drying in anything less than a month as it doesn't contain any driers, not always the case as it depends on where it is stored to dry but more importantly the thickness of the coat.

Personally I love a decent linseed oil mix on the shaft as you can get it really smooth under all conditions so it copes with hot clubs and a decent couple of layers on the butt, I then like to follow the butt up with either an oil/wax mix or just a wax.

Depending on the grade of wax you use (eg filtered beeswax or T1 Carnuba) this will also dictate how sticky the butt will be and how deep the shine.

Personally I prefer an mixed and and mixed wax potion which is a little involved and if you don't get the mixing temperatures just right there's a decent chance you will reach the flammability limits of some of the ingredients and then if you hit the flash point you'll be on your way t the hospital. That aside, it works well.

I can put a thin coat of the oil/wax mix on a butt and then cut it back with 0000 steel wool and build the layers up to a deep grippy shine.

I've spent more time than I care to remember on mixes and grain fillers.

I think the problem is there are so many opinions on what is right and what is wrong and I can say from personal experience that even the larger manufacturers don't get it right and there are many products so that just don't do what they say on the can/tin.

You just have to give them a go and see.

I haven't even mentioned woods that have their own natural oils like Macassar as then we would be in a whole world of hurt lol.

[Shockerz]

Most blended finishing oils have a tung oil base with small amounts of other oils added to it. Pure tung oil is a bitch to keep as it goes hard when exposed to air, a good thing in itself when applied to wood but the air in the top of the bottle is enough to harden it. If you buy any then keep it in a squeezy bottle with the air squeezed out before screwing on the cap. Lesson learned the hard way, wasted about two litres of the stuff a couple of years ago

Hi VMAX

Agreed, tung doesn't like air.

I was given a good tip and that was when you've had the top off the bottle and ready to screw it back on again, breath in and wait and then breath out into your bottle as it will then be nitrogen, it seems to have worked for me.

[vmax]

I've just bought some danish oil by Parr's who only deal with natural wood finishes. Says on the bottle that it's a natural organic, food safe polymerised linseed oil with no solvents or metal driers, VOC free. Polymerised means that it's been properly heat treated (boiled) to change the structure of the molecules to allow it to dry. Fourteen quid for two 500 ml bottles, half price off ebay from a bloke who ordered too much for a job, bargain

[Shockerz]

I've just bought some danish oil by Parr's who only deal with natural wood finishes. Says on the bottle that it's a natural organic, food safe polymerised linseed oil with no solvents or metal driers, VOC free. Polymerised means that it's been properly heat treated (boiled) to change the structure of the molecules to allow it to dry. Fourteen quid for two 500 ml bottles, half price off ebay from a bloke who ordered too much for a job, bargain

Sounds good. Some of them double boil it to keep it natural and help to dry it quicker.

I find if I burnish it a little even when putting it on it helps drying if using a natural raw but boiled linseed oil. So much on the market!!