Looking for DIY linseed oil soap for wood

[meast]

I went ahead and used the soap. The excess oil just forms a puddle and I can pick up just the reacted parts. I did use some of the oil as well on some kitchen drawers. I am sure linseed oil alone would be okay. The soap gives the wood a more solid look and a smooth finish. The orange oil has a faint and pleasant smell. We have high humidity and many bugs so it may help.
I suppose the wood has acids that will react to hydroxides as well. Maybe activate the wood first then add oils or low hydroxide soap. The oils would bind to the wood? I have some scrap wood I could experiment with. I need to read more about the dual lye. My simple model is there are equal amounts of Na+ or K+ cations as there are OH- anions. With the K+ being more reactive. I use to have Lithium and Cesium, Rubidium after cleaning out the ion source. Maybe Lithium makes a very mild soap and helps with mental health?
I am very pleased with the soap finish. Any help with stains?

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Na⁺ and K⁺ are equally reactive – or rather, unreactive. Once alkaline metals have lost their surplus electron, they are very happy to stay as they are (= uninterested in chemical reactions). It might well be that a sodium soap reacts with metallic potassium – but luckily that's out of reach for kitchen/workshop chemistry for obvious reasons.

From the chemical properties (including cleansing action), there is exactly zero difference between NaOH and KOH soaps (and any blend of the two) – the differences between bar/liquid/cream soap is only due to their tendency to stay in solution (K's business) or rather form curds/slime/crystals/solids (Na's preference) – physical reactions.

Lithium soap is actually a thing. AFAIK it is more similar to soap scum (Ca/Mg soaps) than to Na/K soaps, in that it has no cleaning/bubbly action, and is insoluble in water. It is technically used as a lubricant and gelling agent for (mineral) oils. But I wouldn't recommend melancholic people lick wood . Just as with virtually all other salts, I'd expect Rb and Cs soaps to be very similar to K soaps (just more expensive).

Idk, is there a wood equivalent to concrete soap? It is possible to seal concrete surfaces to a terrazzo-like finish by treating it with soap. It'll form the same calcium salts that are dreaded by the sink as soap scum, soft enough to be easily polished, and water-repellent. A similar effect might be achieved by combining soaps and Ca/Mg/Li solutions inside wood.

 

[meast]

I read the same article -- using soap flakes.
I didn't find the article that used @meast's formula:

1/8 cup NaOH
3/8 water
1/8 orange oil
7/8 oil

Translates to:
1 part NaOH
3 parts water
1 part orange oil
7 parts oil

I see no reason why you couldn't use dual lye @ 0% SF to make the paste but that NaOH formula makes a very soft soap -- even without the help of KOH.

Using 100% linseed oil on SoapCalc:
1 oz. wt. NaOH (rounded up) (0% SF)
3 oz. wt. water (rounded) (at 42% of oil weight)
7 oz. wt. linseed/flax oil
View attachment 63524
Then dilute, i.e., "thin" with
1 oz. wt. Orange EO

I also made with Tung oil. Sap number seems to be higher. Also very soft. Hard to see the difference in the wood finish. I will watch some boards and see what happens. Would softer Potassium soap be better for wood? Would an alcohol instead of of water be of interest? Is your Danish friend interested or have any thoughts. I am having fun with this and enough results to pass some on to my Finnish Friend who restores furniture and buildings. He just designed he new Finnish Classroom for the University of Pittsburgh.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Would softer Potassium soap be better for wood?

Just my preference but I would use KOH instead of NaOH to make a soft paste suitable for cleaning wood.

Would an alcohol instead of of water be of interest?

No. Something like 50/50 Oil/mineral spirits might work to restore an old finish, although I have seen "denatured alcohol" recommended for removing the finish on antique furniture to prepare for a new finish. In my experience, the process takes a long time and several applications.

For cleaning and restoring the hand-rubbed finish on my 1" thick custom made teak table that I bought in Hong Kong in 1968, I was advised to apply "boiled linseed oil", allow to sit for 24 hours, then wipe with a dry cloth.

 

[meast]

More experiments than science. Here are some results. The towel rack is freshly made linseed oil, NaOH lye. Rubbed on the wood while still liquid. Full reaction may take several days and the color noticeable darkens. The pallet wood and hammers are with weeks-old NaOH lye and linseed oil, tung oil soap. The Hammers are very nice. Good grip. Soft smooth feel. Does not have the shiny, commercial look of varnish. Note these were from yard sales and started out as black greasy, dirty old tools. Better than new!
I am guessing the young, active soap also reacts with the tannins in the wood. Darkens the color, reacts more with the grain emphasizing it. (I have just put lye on wood which comes out dark to black) Also, forms a bond with the wood making a better finish than just wax, oil, stain, varnish.

 

[meast]

Ace Hardware step stool. Pine wood. I added tannins then 50% linseed oil, 50% tung oil and KOH lye. A little too red in color. Still, it is protected from footprints, oils and has its own charm. I would recommend people do more with the "things" around them.
Similar to making your own soaps with colors, shapes. Having art from necessary practical items?
Thought you guys would like to see my vanilla plant in bloom. 2 years, more than 20 feet long now. Hoping for beans as well. Thinking people do other things and I get to show off a little.

 

[meast]

I did make a batch of Kevin Dunn's Duckbar Delight. It is 2 weeks old and curing. I can understand the joy of making soap and enjoy the youtube videos. This site has me interested in personal soap now. My jasmine is budding. Maybe some essential oils?