Dry brittle pine

[joshvegas]

I have an old set of drawers, basic very old kinda rough set. they started off in a steamer cabin as a full cabinet that was ripped oit and used by my mums family. One day her brother decided to climb it to get my grandads service revolver (different times). Apparently it ( and my grandad i imagine) exploded and the drawers are whats left.

Anyway, the drawers are pretty rough but they are about to get a new lease of life under my enlarger in the darkroom. In trimming some of the backboard i noticed the old growth pine is incredibly dry and brittle, with glass like splinters going everywhere when i cut it. The family connection means i want to do something if i can to atleast prolong their use.

My admittedly brief googling seems to throw up lots of "give them a polish" which isn't whats needed, i want i think to penetrate them with some to inject a bit of life back into the cells.

So what should i do? Just leave? BLO? I might have some real turps somewhere aswell.

 

[kinverkid]

This is just my theory and I'm prepared to be shot down for it. If you wipe over the area with turps, Isopropanol or meths immediately before applying BLO then my theory is that the temporary breakdown of the finished surface should allow the BLO to be absorbed more readily. This is based on glueing two oily wood surfaces like Teak together. Giving the surfaces a wipe with a spirit breaks down the oils in the top fraction of a millimetre long enough for PVA glue to soak in and become part of the wood.

 

[Cabinetman]

Just for a split second I imagined you giving them a new lease of life by enlarging them using your enlarger lol.

The glasslike splinters are not something I’ve encountered, are you sure they’re not the original finish?

 

[joshvegas]

There is no finish on the inards. Glass like in that they are dry and sharp rather thats the sort of fluffy sawdust i would expect with pine.

 

[Jacob]

I've used lots of "old growth" pine at various times and often the amazing thing is how little it differs from newer stuff. I suppose it depends on where it's been for the last 50 or 100 years etc.
Post a photo of your stuff perhaps?
Splashing linseed oil on is good for almost everything, wood and metal alike.

 

[joshvegas]

See i would agree with you Jacob. Apart from being a noce colour and denser growth rings any old pint i have dealt with has just been "pine". This os almost like its just about to char. When i snap the eng pieces the inside have the reflective look, the brittle feel and the very light weight i associate with charred wood. Its just medium brown rather than black.

 

[Jacob]

See i would agree with you Jacob. Apart from being a noce colour and denser growth rings any old pint i have dealt with has just been "pine". This os almost like its just about to char. When i snap the eng pieces the inside have the reflective look, the brittle feel and the very light weight i associate with charred wood. Its just medium brown rather than black.

Sounds like a pine variety or something else. There are hundreds, with scots pine (a.k.a. redwood) just being the most common in Europe