linseed oil

[the dog]

In another thread I think I read that SHREK and capmaster support using linseed oil on the Granadillo fretboard.

But not the one you get at a hardware store or Home Depot I think because of the smell.

Which one were they talking about?

I want to do my fretboard on my new Signature T.

Thanks

[Guest Farnsbarns]

In another thread I think I read that SHREK and capmaster support using linseed oil on the Granadillo fretboard.

But not the one you get at a hardware store or Home Depot I think because of the smell.

Which one were they talking about?

I want to do my fretboard on my new Signature T.

Thanks

 

I read that as well, personally I would never recommend linseed oil, it becomes sticky in the wood, can mould and will eventually set rock hard, sealing the wood and preventing anything else from penetrating it, especially if rubbed in by hand, causing a reaction with the enzymes in the oil in your skin.

 

I would recomend you use tried and tested lemon oil (food grade only) or fret doctor.

[capmaster]

I read that as well, personally I would never recommend linseed oil, it becomes sticky in the wood, can mould and will eventually set rock hard, sealing the wood and preventing anything else from penetrating it, especially if rubbed in by hand, causing a reaction with the enzymes in the oil in your skin.

 

I would recomend you use tried and tested lemon oil (food grade only) or fret doctor.

In case one wants to protect the fretboard from sweat and abrasion, linseed stand oil is a good choice since it WILL act as a varnish, definitely WILL seal the wood and WILL keep anything else away from it this way. And there is NO WAY BACK, too, whatever you may put on the fretboard, it WILL penetrate into the wood, or it would be useless.

 

Applying the less intensely smelling, bleached linseed stand oil as used by painters, keeps the wood from drying out as well as overhumidifying. There's no bigger danger of mould growth than that of the wood itself, and I never heard about skin problems due to linseed stand oil. Of course, I would stay away from using it if I was allergic to linseed.

 

I tried lemon oil several times in the early 1980s and found it not helpful, just the opposite. My impression was that the wood dried out and became brittle and sticky at the same time. So after the damage was done, I switched to treating fingerboards with bleached linseed stand oil later. It also brought back the silky feeling.

 

My younger guitars, less than three years old, are still untreated in every respect though, except for the Epiphone board where I used Klever Ballistol all-vegetable gun oil for removing the dye. Finally, I guess my touch has become much softer over the years...

[Dennis G]

I've been using this stuff for a few years now and like it a lot. YMMV.

 

http://www.gerlitzusa.com/prd_honey.html

[quapman]

I have been using nothing for years and I have never had any problems

[jdgm]

I wouldn't use linseed oil either; even ordinary general purpose household for-squeaky-hinges '3-in-1' type oil is better. You don't need much at all. I have some very old Kodak cine camera oil, very thin and have always used that. If that runs out (it shouldn't) I'll get some white thin oil (sewing machine oil) if I can.

[rocketman]

Can't go wrong with fret doctor. Here are before and after pictures that Ed Boyle sent me (he's the owner):

 

[Bender 4 Life]

1st. LOVE that vintage Silvertone!

 

2nd. Never store linseed oil rags in open air as they can and will (occasionally) self combust, also, if washed, don't dry them in the "Dryer" as that can cause "flameout" and incredible home damage.

[the dog]

Can't go wrong with fret doctor.

 

I type in fret doctor in Google and every thing but fret doctor comes up. GHS string lube, Kyser Dr. Stringfellow Lem-Oil at Guitar Center....etc

Where can I get that fret doctor?

 

Also thanks for the cautions about linseed oil.

I would like to try this fret doctor.

[american cheez]

I have been using nothing for years and I have never had any problems

 

 

woot!! someone's telling a truth! it's all snake oil! i've never once, in 30 yrs, EVER oiled a fretboard, or even needed to. and besides, if the people on this forum are anything like most of the forums i am on, most of you don't keep them long enough for it to be an issue. stop wasting time and money, and accept that the emperor has no clothes

[Versatile]

I studied a can of Lemon Oil once and noted that the major component is linseed oil... :blink:

 

Always found it sticky and dirtying for the fingers...

 

Have used furniture wax with no problems and a pleasant, smooth touch...

 

Tend to use nothing nowadays...the natural finger grease keeps things working ok

 

And, of course, lacquered boards a la Fender and Rickenbacker require nothing but a gentle wipe after playing...

 

V

 

[the dog]

woot!! someone's telling a truth! it's all snake oil! i've never once, in 30 yrs, EVER oiled a fretboard, or even needed to. and besides, if the people on this forum are anything like most of the forums i am on, most of you don't keep them long enough for it to be an issue. stop wasting time and money, and accept that the emperor has no clothes

 

I have never either oiled a fret board but I don't like the light color of my Granadillo fret board.

I want to darken it.

[badbluesplayer]

Mineral oil is what all the fretboard oils are made from. You can get a lifetime supply at the local mineral oil store for like five bucks. It doesn't smell like fake lemons, but, hey, you can't have everything.

 

[Versatile]

Mineral oil is what all the fretboard oils are made from. You can get a lifetime supply at the local mineral oil store for like five bucks. It doesn't smell like fake lemons, but, hey, you can't have everything.

 

 

This would be good for practicing runs...

 

V

 

[capmaster]

I studied a can of Lemon Oil once and noted that the major component is linseed oil... :blink:

 

Always found it sticky and dirtying for the fingers...

 

...

V

 

Mineral oil is what all the fretboard oils are made from. You can get a lifetime supply at the local mineral oil store for like five bucks. It doesn't smell like fake lemons, but, hey, you can't have everything.

 

Through all these years I never used mineral oil for fretboards or anything I touch regularly. The times I played on stage several times a week, I was in need of something protecting rosewood from profuse sweat and excessive wear. Pure lemon oil didn't do for me since it dried out wood as well as skin.

 

Mixtures containing lemon oil felt sticky, perhaps the less volatile lemon oil fractions kept the linseed oil from curing. So I tried bleached linseed stand oil on my 1978 Gibson S-G and my Weimann Blues Bird ES guitar, and it worked nicely. After purchase of my Ibanez RG 430, I used linseed stand oil varnish containing highly volatile lemon oil fractions as solvent only which also was fine. Fire hazard is further increased with that blend, but I never experienced self inflammation of cloths in the stove I discarded them.

 

I think that Donny aka SKREK made the best choice for a stage player when using linseed oil. It provides the desired darkening of the fretboard without affecting the inlays' look, a nice feel of the fretboard surface, and protection against sweat and abrasion.