Linseed oil

[MGs]

I have treated the spreader of my net with linseed oil, as I wanted a waterproof coating by varnish would have worn off on the aluminium cradle. Has anyone else used this as a wood treatment for tackle?

[JohnL]

I've used several coats of Danish oil on my cane landing net handle, dried slightly sticky but seems to be doing a good job.
I would thing Linseed oil is pretty similar.

[Gurn]

I recently purchased a very old fishing umbrella. Earlier this week I gave it a spruce up. Wire wool on the metal work, re-stiching tears, a spray over with Fabsil....and treated the poles with linseed oil. It now looks ready for action. Hopefully, it'll be used more as a sunshade than protection from a downpour.

I do have some cane landing net arms that need waterproofing, might use linseed oil on these, see how it goes.

[Trevor]

Gudgeon Jim uses walnut oil to treat his nets.
My GJ net doesn't need it yet, but when it's due a re-coat I'll be giving it a go

[Bob Brookes]

After I had used my Barder Crabtree net for a while I decided to soak the net in linseed oil. After all that is exactly what Richard Walker advocated. The net went very hard and certainly not fish scale friendly, so I made an appointment with Edward and visited his workshop.

He agreed that the net was not now acceptable and replaced it for me. He told me that Walker was wrong in this instance and I was to never use linseed oil on my net. All that happened over 20 years ago. My net was from the very first batch of nets he made. Later he changed the net he fitted to them!
So beware, keep it off your net.
Bob

[MGs]

Thanks Bob, will do. Only using it on the wooden parts. I have a feeling that the old knotted type nets used in the 40s and 50s used to be soaked, I stand to be corrected

[BBDave]

Boiled linseed would be better as straight linseed won't dry fully and remain sticky.

Dave

[MGs]

The stuff I have used is boiled. A couple of coats applied yesterday and now fully dry