This has been on my to do list for ages. My grandpa took such great care of his garden tools. As I was turning my compost with one of his old pitchforks I realized it was in serious need of some restoration. The good news is that the steps are pretty simple.
First use a wire brush to remove dirt and paint chips.
Next sand with a medium grit sandpaper to make it nice and smooth.
Finally, brush on oil and allow it to soak into the grain and protect it from water.
I had this tung oil and citrus solvent on hand for waterproofing. The tung oil is all natural and super weather resistant. Mixing it with the citrus solvent helps it to penetrate the wood grain.
I’m planning to add five coats total, one every 24 hrs.
The curing process can take a few weeks so this is a garden task best left for winter when tools won’t be in use for a while.
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