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Summer 2018: Birch Oil

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 4:09 am
by caedmon
So how Smokey is it’s smell? If I were to use it on leather, would I be able to keep the leather in my closet or would my shoes and bags be relegated to the garage?

Re: Summer 2018: Birch Oil

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 12:07 pm
by Udwin
STRONG....so depends how much your cohabitants object to it.
It's not exactly the smell of smoke (so it doesn't get that eventual stale like around-the-campfire clothes will), but most folks find it very smoke-like. You can get a hint of it by burning a piece of birch bark, blowing it out, smelling the smoke, and then multiply 1000x.
I've never used it large-scale, and it does eventually tone down, but a little goes a long way.
My leather master has a piece of russian leather (curried with birch oil and rolled with a crosshatch pattern) that was pulled out of a old shipwreck that still smelled faintly of birch.

Re: Summer 2018: Birch Oil

Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 7:52 pm
by Greg
Ever walked up to a person who just came back from a camping trip, and you knew they’d been near a fire? If Udwin freshly oiled his various wooden accouterments, I bet I could track him blindfolded.

...barring the occasional tree to the face. It’s THAT strong. Using it on your spoon and a few key bits, no big deal, and the smell slowly fades...but it’s a rich smoky aroma. I LOVE it.

Re: Summer 2018: Birch Oil

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 12:13 am
by Udwin
I turned and oiled an entrenching tool handle I think six weeks ago. It still smells strongly of birch oil, but instead of being detectable from two rooms away, it's down to one-foot-or-closer now.

Re: Summer 2018: Birch Oil

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 1:41 am
by Greg
Six weeks isn’t bad. How’s the actual treatment value holding up as the smell fades?