What happens if I don't use lemon oil?!!!

[DonP]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

Dan Erlewine recommends raw Linseed oil as well. Even "edible" oil that you can get at a health food store. This is what I use:

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

No, I'm not a sales rep for this stuff. When I was trying to darken a Les Paul fretboard, I used "Gun Bore Oil" from WalMart. That got a lot of laughs. "What do you use on your guns - Lemon Oil?"

[Mr Graphic]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

I've had great results with this on rosewood or ebony...$4.00 for an 8 oz. bottle enough to last forever.

[charvelguy]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

In answer to your question....you'll go blind.

I'd use those field packs of a towelette soaked with gun stock oil on the road if I haven't anything else available to me. I've used petroleum jelly too.
I've put lemon oil on a maple fretboard too, sure... it is a messy job.

The point is you want to condition the wood to keep it from drying out and cracking.


I'm using boiled linseed now and I'm pretty happy with the results. Not like I condition my fretboards every 6 months, more like every year or two if that.

I'm wondering what the difference is between boiled and raw linseed oil from a luthier point of view other than the obvious. What is the deal on that?

[kmanick]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

Boiled is not really boiled. It's processed so it dries in a fraction of the time
that it normally would. I believe that is the only difference.
Now I pm'ed our newest member Mr. Mosher himself last night and asked him this very quesion (regarding raw maple necks)
and he also stated (as Lee did when I asked him) that linseed oil is the oil of choice, but it really depends on the feel you are looking for. Different oils go on diffrently. I know I've used tung oil on a raw strat neck and it felt great, but it was definitely heavier than linseed oil, so I ended up buffing the neck more thatn I do when I use Linseed oil.

[sully]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

this is definitely something i'd like to have a chart regarding the different feels.

sully

[charvelguy]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

Tung is very heavy, as is danish, but slightly less so.
To me they are more sealer types of oils..
As a actual fretboard 'conditioner', I personally wouldn't prefer to use them.
I figured 'boiled' is processed and now that you mentioned it I recall now it being mentioned that it dries quicker.

Petroleum jelly is very heavy, and it's messy so I've stopped using that. The residual effect I didn't care for.
Lemon seems to be ok, but linseed seems to dry very even and leave a nice feel, oiled but not to much.

[dg]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

WRT to linseed oil, you definitely want to used boiled because of the much quicker drying time. In fact, raw linseed oil is mainly used in situations where you don't want the oil to dry at all, like for conditioning & storing certain types of paint brushes, or for preserving wood that's out in the elements.

Linseed oil info link

[Rhmsc8]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

Ok... Now I'm confused!!

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

i heard that boiled linseed oil will darken raw maple necks. and i don't want to darken mine. it has "golden oak" danish oil on it, and feels so absolutly wonderful!

[kmanick]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

I used Linseed oil on my Ratt bomber neck before I sent it off to John, and it didn't really change the color at all,
maybe just a tiny bit darker than before but hard to tell.
On the raw strat neck I had I used tung oil on the back and
Linseed on the front and it worked out really well. the neck felt great.
Has anyone ever tried mixing them together? say 3 parts linseed and 1 part tung oil?
that may be the ticket right there!

[Mehrdad]

Re: What happens if I don\'t use lemon oil?!!!

Well I'm confused to [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]