So i used boiled linseed oil on my fingerboard...

bocasfx · #1 07-26-2007, 08:26 AM

...and it stinks!!!

I mean, the rosewood looks awesome, no signs of dryness and the grain came out beautifully, but the thing smells like rotten fish!!!

I've searched the archives for methods to remove bad odors from basses but I've only found methods related to removing smoke smell, which I think is more superficial than the smell of an oil that has been absorbed by the wood.

I was thinking about rubbing a small amount of aromatic oil on the fingerboard to get rid of the smell, something like sandalwood oil, but I'm afraid that it may ruin it.

I actually used some lemon oil a couple of days after the boiled linseed oil but the power of the smell is just too strong for the lemon oil to fight it. Do you have any recommendations?

Eublet · #2 07-26-2007, 08:29 AM

Ebay?

202dy · #3 07-26-2007, 08:47 AM

Boiled Linseed Oil should not smell like dead fish. Sounds like a bad or old batch.

Masking the smell will not eliminate the odor. The ideal solution is to get the oil out and off of the fingerboard. Depending on how long the BLO has been on the fingerboard, the answer may lie in an application of naphtha. It is available at most large home centers and paint stores. If naphtha is not available, mineral spirits or lighter fluid can be used.

Apply the solvent liberally on the fingerboard so that it lies there in a pool. Allow it to soak into the board. Then start wiping. It should pull a lot of the oil out of the wood. Allow it to dry (five minutes) and repeat, this time scrubbing the naphtha in with a tooth brush. Wipe off. If the linseed oil has no completely polymerized this should remove most, if not all, of the problem.

62bass · #4 07-26-2007, 10:33 AM

I've used boiled linseed oil on fingerboard and while it does have some odour (not at all like rotten fish or very pungent) that goes away as it dries. Are you sure it wasn't raw linseed oil?

That's very strange. I doubt that naptha or mineral spirits will remove it once it has dried but if it hasn't completely hardened you have a chance. Lacquer thinner is more effective against cured linseed oil but it might not soak in deep enough before it evaporates but it will dissolve hardened linseed oil and paints. It will also dissolve some other finishes and plastics. You might try some of that first but be careful where you spill it. It's also highly flammable.

There are some 2 part removers designed to strip hardened oil finishes from boat decks. I used one that I found in a marine store once. It worked well but was slow.

kevin_lindsay · #5 07-26-2007, 10:51 AM

I have used linseed oil fo ryears on my fingerboards (raw and boiled), and I have NEVER experienced a "rotten fish" aroma! Can't think of any cricket players who have had that problem either (traditionally, linseed oil is rubbed into the willow cricket bats used to play the game)

Sounds like the stuff you have is dodgy!

Eublet · #6 07-26-2007, 10:54 AM

Boiled cod liver oil?

202dy · #7 07-26-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62bass

I've used boiled linseed oil on fingerboard and while it does have some odour (not at all like rotten fish or very pungent) that goes away as it dries. Are you sure it wasn't raw linseed oil?

That's very strange. I doubt that naptha or mineral spirits will remove it once it has dried but if it hasn't completely hardened you have a chance. Lacquer thinner is more effective against cured linseed oil but it might not soak in deep enough before it evaporates but it will dissolve hardened linseed oil and paints. It will also dissolve some other finishes and plastics. You might try some of that first but be careful where you spill it. It's also highly flammable.

There are some 2 part removers designed to strip hardened oil finishes from boat decks. I used one that I found in a marine store once. It worked well but was slow.

Good points.

BTW, what is the two part remover you used to lift an oil?

62bass · #8 07-26-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 202dy

Good points.

BTW, what is the two part remover you used to lift an oil?

Sorry, I can't recall the name. This was years ago. I'd check marine supply stores, like the ones that specialize in sailboats. Also, see if you can find a copy of Wooden Boat magazine on the newstands. You might find it in their ads.

bocasfx · #9 07-26-2007, 05:28 PM

Thanks for your comments. I'm pretty sure it was boiled linseed oil. As some of you have said maybe I got a bad batch or something like that. I think I'll wait a few more days to see if the smell goes away, I don't want to experiment with more chemicals on my fingerboard.