Using linseed oil on your wooden handled garden tools

[Carolyn]

If winter is coming to your neck of the woods don't forget to start getting your wooden handled tools ready for the winter and possible storage. Clean the wood with a brush and sand away any splinters. Then rub boiled linseed oil into the wood. It will help to prevent it from drying out. If you start this the first year you get your tools the handles won't crack nearly as bad and will stay smooth.

 

[claudine]

Thank you very much for sharing this tip I have a few bottles of linseed oil in my kitchen, because it's a very inexpensive product and it works great for my hair. I use it at least once a week.

 

[marlingardener]

Winter is also a great time to clean and sharpen tools. A simple file from the local hardware will put an edge on spades, shovels, and even trowels. We have a very short winter, but take advantage of the downtime to clean, sharpen, and then oil (usually vegetable oil, the cheap kind!) the metal part of our tools. Then we are ready to go when the tools are needed.

 

[Carolyn]

If you use the boiled linseed oil it will reduce drying time immensely. I should have mentioned that. You want it to dry quickly on your wood handles and it may still take a while.