Fingerboard oil?

[Josh McNutt]

Well he said it's a non-drying oil. My question is this: why is wood not like leather in that it needs conditioning rather than just sealant? I know that my sandals are better off with some neatsfoot oil, and I'm pretty sure it's not a drying oil. Am I misunderstanding or is there some elusive (or maybe not-so-elusive) logic?

[arnoldschnitzer]

Any finish on the fingerboard should be 1) protective and 2) non-toxic. Many oils and wood finishes contain petroleum distillates and metallic driers. These are not good things to be in contact with hour after hour. That's why I'll only use pure linseed (flax) oil on fingerboards and necks.

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

Any finish on the fingerboard should be 1) protective and 2) non-toxic. Many oils and wood finishes contain petroleum distillates and metallic driers. These are not good things to be in contact with hour after hour. That's why I'll only use pure linseed (flax) oil on fingerboards and necks.

Raw linseed oil dries very slowly. Boiled linseed oil has driers. And... most oil varnishes used on basses have driers in them. Don't touch that varnish!

[Josh McNutt]

Why a finish though? Why not a conditioner?

[Josh McNutt]

I talked to my sawmill friend about the finish vs. conditioner thing and he clarified my question somewhat. He said that with leather you use the oil to not only soften but also to make the leather more flexible. Since a fingerboard doesn't really need to be flexible, there's not really a point. The finish approach, though, has a point that has been explained already.

[arnoldschnitzer]

Originally Posted by Bob Branstetter

Raw linseed oil dries very slowly. Boiled linseed oil has driers. And... most oil varnishes used on basses have driers in them. Don't touch that varnish!

Refined linseed from an art store has no metallic driers added but dries nicely in a few hours. As you know, Bob, varnish hardens to a relatively impervious film and is harmless unless you eat it. However, working with the fumes can cause intelligence loss. One day I was varnishing and I started fantasizing about becoming a drummer...

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

Refined linseed from an art store has no metallic driers added but dries nicely in a few hours. As you know, Bob, varnish hardens to a relatively impervious film and is harmless unless you eat it. However, working with the fumes can cause intelligence loss. One day I was varnishing and I started fantasizing about becoming a drummer...

Actually, that was my point about all of the finishes. The actual amount of driers in drying oil is very, very small and once dried, only an environmental nut should be particularly concerned about the health danger posed by the drier. I would venture to say that the health dangers from breathing the air around (wet) varnish would be far more than any from rubbing against the dried product with your hands. I'm sure as hell not going to worry about it.