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As a hobbyist woodworker, I've been wondering how to protect my projects. I need to try this, great idea, thanks for sharing.

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Just a heads up, rags used with raw linseed oil will ignite if you aren't careful with them. People say that only the rags used with boiled linseed oil will start fires, but I've seen rags used with raw oil ignite on two occasions.

Also...most linseed coatings will mold if they're not kept dry. If you'd like to avoid that, look for purified linseed oil -- it's regular linseed oil, but the proteins that mold feeds on have been removed. If you really want to go crazy, look for the stuff made from food grade oil.

Just make sure it's a linseed oil without dryer's; they're usually heavy metal compounds.

Absolutely, very good of you to add. The idea of using a drying/boiled linseed oil did not occur to me till now, and the idea is equal parts funny and scary to entertain. Would a wood utensil soaked with wet drying oil even survive the toasting process without turning the oven - and my shop - into an impromptu fireplace? If it did make it, would the heavy metals and charred surface oils add off-flavors to my stew?

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