Linseed oil, extracted from flax seeds, is used as a nutritional supplement when cold-pressed as flaxseed oil. Extracted as linseed oil, it is used as a wood finish and preservative. Boiled linseed oil is treated with chemicals or heat to shorten drying time. It is also used in paint, glazing putty, linoleum, and as a skin conditioner. Raw linseed oil is preferred for rifle stocks. It is not antioxidant and can be a fire hazard.
Raw linseed oil is an extremely versatile oil extracted from flax seeds. When the oil is cold-pressed from flaxseed, it is called flaxseed oil and marketed as a nutritional supplement valued for its high concentrations of omega oils. The process used to extract the linseed oil involves the use of solvents, making the oil itself unfit for human consumption. When extracted as linseed oil, it is used for a number of different purposes, most often as a finish and wood preservative. “Boiled” linseed oil is crude oil that has been further treated with chemicals or heat, or both; these processes thicken and darken the oil and shorten its drying time.
The curing period for crude oil is relatively long, taking days or weeks, but it eventually dries to a stiff, pliable finish. It protects well from moisture loss and gives the wood an aesthetically pleasing appearance. It can be brushed, sprayed or rubbed into the surface to be finished and allowed to soak into the wood. The excess oil is removed after 10 or 15 minutes and the surface allowed to dry, at least overnight and sometimes longer. Raw linseed oil dries and becomes soft but offers the surface little, if any, protection against scratches or dings; moreover, water penetrates the finish easily.
Linseed oil is often used in the manufacture of paints as a carrier or medium in which the pigment is dissolved. Its slow drying time contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the paint because in the time it takes to dry, it allows the paint to settle to an even finish, smoothing out brush marks. Artists also sometimes use this oil as a thinning agent for their oil paints; when used this way, it makes paints smoother and shinier.
For rifle stocks, raw linseed oil is the preferred finish. Only a small amount is needed and is rubbed firmly into the wood grain with the heel of the palm. Typically, several coats are applied, each coat allowed to dry before the next application.
Raw flaxseed oil is used in a number of other strains. Glazing putty is a mixture of chalk and linseed oil that is pressed into place between a pane of glass and a window frame, setting the glass in place. It dries over a period of days to weeks to a hard surface for painting. Crude linseed oil is also used in the production of linoleum and as a drying oil for terracotta floor surfaces. It is also a popular skin conditioner.
Although the linseed from which raw linseed oil is pressed is known for its antioxidant properties, these properties are not present in the oil. Conversely, it oxidizes rapidly in an exothermic reaction, giving off heat, and is a fire hazard when oil-soaked rags are stored in a confined space. The oxidation process accelerates, generating more heat, which can lead to spontaneous combustion if the heat is not dissipated to the environment.
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