Wood Preservation

[LustForRust]

I have acquired several stick grenade handles which were found in a box in a river in France.

between them being found and me acquiring them they have dried out started splitting etc. Can anyone advise what I can soak them in to rehydrate them that will replace the lost oils etc in the wood.

I once had a Lee Enfield that had been soaked in Linseed oil which left it filthy and oily leaving you with black hands, not good.

I have seen wood preserving solutions but they are very expensive any suggestions ??

[Adrian Stevenson]

Linseed oil is effective, but soaking it is totally over doing things, hence your previous problem.

You need to sparingly apply it using a lint free cloth. Apply some once a week. This will not over do things and you can slowly build up the layers. When the wood has taken what it needs, the last treatment will not be absorbed like previous applications. That is when to stop. Take it easy and don't over do things. "Less is more" is this case

I have done this treatment to a 1915 stick grenade handle. I have shown it on the forum, so do a search. This is not greasy or dirty and does not come off on the hands.

After a few months of doing nothing to it you can apply a coat of museum grade wax, like "RenWax". You should never have to touch it again apart from a dusting now and again.

Cheers, Ade.

[LustForRust]

Thanks for the advice, i know there is raw and boiled Linseed oil, does it matter which ?

[Adrian Stevenson]

I used the boiled type.

Cheers, Ade.

[spaltring]

hello,
we do aviation archeology and in case we find wooden stuff in water we do this:
take a box you can close on top.-
-put toilet paper or tissue paper in the bottom of the box.
-add water in that the paper is soaked with it..
-put your item in.as soon as possible even same day it was recovered,or bring the box with you when you go out for detecting after puting the item in close top
-at home put the box several months away into the DARK and away from HEATING radiator or whatever
the wood wouldn't croll up neither fall appart.
lot of people clean it put it on radiator but its WRONG!!
for leather put it in box afther drying with a cloth let it dry in a natural way and keep attention to it once you see that its more or less dry let it dive into a bath of oil comming from beef you can obtain it at your chemistry chop its a NATURAL oil no chemical composed oil you have to use, let it lay in the oil for a few weeks so its compleetly soaked than remove it and hang it up to let come out the oil that is to much the result is nice.
hope this will help you
kind reg
phil
-closei

[brant]

I agree, Linseed oil works rather well when applied in layers & sparingly. I have restored several older fowling peices using linseed oil.

[john31]

tung oil works also realy good i use it for alot of wooden items. the one i use is called formbees tung oil. works great!

[Stinch]

You want to soak the wood in Polyethylene glycol (PEG). I have a lot of experience doing this. The wood will shrink very little after the treatment. I'd soak a grenade handle in PEG for at least a year. I'm working on an ammo box from a WWI shipwreck from 1918. It's been soaking for 5 years. Check out my Artifact Preservation Page

Rich