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Wooden handle (shovel, rake, hoe etc) protection Teak oil ??????

S

schiker

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I have several older shovels and garden tools that the wooden handles have dried out, cracked, and split at the wood grain. The handles are still pretty good but produce nasty splinters.

I have sanded them down but would like to protect them from further detioration. And or what to do about newer tools to make them last longer. Thought about painting them but would a teak oil or stain oil be better???? Seems new they have a thin polyeuathane coating.

My old wheel borrow I have wrapped the handle with electrical tape. I couldn't find any "cloth tape". I remember buying some stuff to rewrap the the handles of metal bats years ago but I haven't found any local.

What have ya'll done????
 
Good question, I would like to know as well. First thing that comes to mind would be block oil for wooden cutting boards, but who knows.
 
I thought of teak oil because that what boats use correct? And it weathers sun and water in that application without wearing onto hands or feet when you touch the wood. And I don't think you top coat Teak oil do you ???? Some times my shovels get left outside and sometimes ride in the truck bed for a couple of days getting baked by the sun and that is what kills them I would say.

Lindseed oil vs Teak oil any reasoning one vs the other? Price I guess.

Any other suggestions? I assume the paint would wear off and or might be rougher on hands when it chips, flakes, or gets knocked off????
 
Teak would likely be less greasy and smell better. We use the boiled linseed on our deck. It needs to be applied in the sun and no traffic on it for awhile.
 
Ya linseed oil is some strong smelling sticky stuff we used a mix of that and mineral sperits to re condition some old hay mow rope. it gave it a nice color and helps to keep the sun from destroying it.
 
I have painted the inside of a barn with used motor oil. It kept the horses from chewing on it but did not stop the carpenter bees from boring holes. Those critters are insatiable. Used oil would be a cheap alternative for some questionable tools I don't really want to spend money on handle since they may break.

Thanks I might try all. I'll teak the nicest one and leave in garage and around the house for wife and maybe for new tools once the uerathane starts to crack up. I'll try the linseed oil on some others around the shop and see if can tell much difference in application.

Friction tape thanks. I did find some really thick "rubber / electrical repair tape" It had a plastic film you pulled off and it kinda stuck to itself. I put that on first then top wrapped it with regular electrical tape. Feels better than before. Might work out better anyway cause its slick and might not hold the mud that I get all over the handles from planting flowers and shrubs and packing the rootball by hand. Ha I bet the red clay around here could stick to Teflon.
 
For continues protection,Drill a 1/4" or 3/8" hole as deep as you can in the end of the handle,fill it with the oil of your choice(as said,linseed is the best)and put a removable plug in it.The oil will keep soaking in slowly.
 
In the "old days" farmers would often have a barrel with sand in it which they dumped drained oil in. They would insert their wooden handled tools in the sand with the implement facing up!! That's where they stored them and they received ongoing protection. They reused everything.

Some would take corn while it's still on the cob and soak it in water for days. Then remove the corn and smash. The juice was used as a preservative on wood.

I got some stainless tubing from the scrap dealer that is the same dia. as the wooden handles. I welded pitch forks and hoes to the tubing. Cut the handle to length to suit me ("cause I'm further from the floor then most folks). Then get the grips sold at hardware stores for bicycle handle bars. They slip right over the tubing with a little friction reducer. They last for years, and unlike a Chevy 6.5 require no oil!
 
We used to do that with the steel in the sand to keep the rust away.

I still try to be a stickler for keeping my tools oiled

D2 Cat said:
In the "old days" farmers would often have a barrel with sand in it which they dumped drained oil in. They would insert their wooden handled tools in the sand with the implement facing up!! That's where they stored them and they received ongoing protection. They reused everything.

Some would take corn while it's still on the cob and soak it in water for days. Then remove the corn and smash. The juice was used as a preservative on wood.

I got some stainless tubing from the scrap dealer that is the same dia. as the wooden handles. I welded pitch forks and hoes to the tubing. Cut the handle to length to suit me ("cause I'm further from the floor then most folks). Then get the grips sold at hardware stores for bicycle handle bars. They slip right over the tubing with a little friction reducer. They last for years, and unlike a Chevy 6.5 require no oil!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the reminder to check the rags. I wet them down real good and set them outside to dry.

The linseed oil did a nice job. I did not see any Teak oil at Lowes/Home Depot but hey then I thought hmmm maybe teak oil is great for Teak wood but maybe not same for hardwood (Hickory if I am lucky shovel handle).

How often should I re-oil the wood. I guess depends on how much weather its sees and how dry it gets. The handles were dry and soaked up a good bit of oil but I wiped off the excess so it wouldn't leave a residue and it seems it could use another coat. But it doesn't soak in quite as fast as a "thinner" stain oil. I wanted to use the shovel and see how it felt dry so I am waiting on need to do second coat. I will probaby do other tools as needed.

I have used Fluid Film (Lanolin - lambs wool derived oil) on metal and it seems to work great for corosion protection for stuff paint can't stick to due to environment/usage. I wiped the rag all over the metal end of shovel when I finished the handles. Fluid film seems to bubble and penetrate ??? but the Linseed oil is cheaper and might be a good alternative to "Fluid Film" for shovel heads etc.
 
schiker said:
++++ Fluid film seems to bubble and penetrate ??? ++++
Click to expand...

Let me clarify.... I typically use aerosol spray Fluid Film and think its a great product. I don't know if its a propellant in the aerosol or what but it bubbles up when you spray it on metal like its trying to react or penetrate. Probably just the aeration of spraying I guess but again it does wonders.

I like it best for things like bushog blades around the pivot bolts. I use to spray all kinds of stuff teflon, white grease, garage door lube, and nothing lasted very long. But spraying it with fluid film makes the rotary cutter much smoother. Its seems to stay put a lot longer and helps keep grass and weeds from sticking between the stump jumper and the blades too.

I just poured Linseed oil on a finishing rag and wiped the handles down generously pouring Linseed oil on rag and rubbing the handle. I pressure washed the shovel handles the day before and resanded them a bit. I did 2 shovels, a hoe, and a pitch fork all at the same time. I coated one then next and alternated back and forth rewipping down previous tool and adding in the next. When I finished I waited a few minutes and then wiped down all the tools with a clean rag to take off any excess. Poured a little down the back of the shovel head stem to get the base of the handle and finally wipped down the head of the shovel.

They are not new but feel much much better. Now I don't have to stop at the shovel rack every time I go into a hardware store just to look see at a new one only to walk away thinking I don't really have to have one just yet.
 
I've used Linseed oil (boiled) on some kitchen woodworking projects I've made. These are things that will never see the sun but may get some water on them from time to time. After everything was soaked in there was no residue or oily mess. I'm wondering if after seeing the sun will the Linseed oil turn into a mess on the tool handles and get sticky and oily again?
 
I been runnin a chinese backhoe etc since I wore diapers. If u want to use the hand tools for occasional gardening or projects then multiply coats of helmsman polyurethan will smooth them nicely. B sure to get Helmsman cause it has a UV blocking additive that will prevent it peeling. If u gonna use the tools a lot then buy new good ones cause different soils, crops, ditch angles etc cause u to grip the tool in different ways and places. I make walking sticks from old timey hand rived tobacco sticks and I have a old metal hog trough that i pour the Helmsman into that I repeatedly dip the stick every 15 minutes and it turns into a beautiful totally splinter free walking stick! LOL U can paint rocks with it and put them around a koi pond and they look wet all the time!
 
I don't know why this took so long for me to figure out..... Anyway, maybe it will help someone.

I needed to smooth my pitchfork handle again and reapply some boiled linseed oil. After hitting a few rougher areas I figured a way to sand it more uniformly. The video is shaky and just a quick freehand video but if you use 2 hands you can control the sanding better.

Set up 2 sawhorses and just roll the handle like a Pool Que stick while working the sander.

https://youtube.com/shorts/5b06SPwQOec?feature=share
 
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