Do wax polish rags combust?

[Silas Gull]

Hi, I've often visited these forums in the past and learnt a lot from them, but this is my first post.
I have read that rags with finishing oil can combust under certain circumstances. I use a lot of Fiddes Supreme Wax Polish. Is the same true of this?

 

[RossJarvis]

Hi, I've often visited these forums in the past and learnt a lot from them, but this is my first post.
I have read that rags with finishing oil can combust under certain circumstances. I use a lot of Fiddes Supreme Wax Polish. Is the same true of this?

My understanding is that rags with linseed oil can combust and this is used a lot in various finishing oils. Recommendations are to lay them out flat to dry off. I think there's normally instructions on the tin. don't bundle them up and bung in bin when fresh. There was a prog on the telly recently showing this happening, apparently this happened to Egyptian mummies, who were wrapped in oiled linen.

 

[Silas Gull]

Thanks Ross, Now trying to muster the will to go out in the rain to the workshop.

 

[Silas Gull]

Down loaded the safety data sheet. It doesn't specifically identify spontaneous combustion as a risk, but does claim a flashpoint of 16 deg c. Which seems low to me. Not that I know much about flash points...

 

[riclepp]

with the flash point is at what temp it would combust if left out. As you wont have a lot on a rag, it is not likly to combust. And the 16 degress is for the flammable part of the wax.

 

[Silas Gull]

I've just emailed Fiddes. One for the night-shift.

 

[heatherw]

Wax doesn't spontaneously combust.

Most oils oxidise as they cure (danish oil, linseed oil, tung oil and mixtures of such) , and if the oily rags aren't opened out and exposed to the air, the heat produced by the oxidation reaction increases inside the rag sometimes leading to spontaneous combustion. If the rag is opened out, the oil is cooled during the reaction.

Waxes don't oxidise so there isn't a problem with them even though they may have a low flash point, that is just the solvent for the wax to make it into a paste, it evaporates if left exposed. (Which is why you should leave wax for a few minutes after application before buffing)

Mineral oil is an exception to this rule as it doesn't dry by oxidation. This is why you can use mineral oils on oilstones and not the other types ( which I'd call organic oils but I'm not sure about the technical name for them)

 

[Silas Gull]

Thanks, Heather.

 

[RossJarvis]

Hi, I've often visited these forums in the past and learnt a lot from them, but this is my first post.

By the way, welcome to the site and best wishes with whatever you're doing. Hope you didn't get too wet :?

 

[heatherw]

Ooo, is it raining there ? It hasn't rained here for 6 months and things are getting desperate.

 

[RossJarvis]

Ooo, is it raining there ? It hasn't rained here for 6 months and things are getting desperate.

Hmm, it's been raining here for about two months now, you are welcome to some of ours.

 

[Mar_mite]

Don't use a sponge for Danish oil, you can't lay it flat to dry out. I set fire to a pile of rubbish in the summer. Scary.

 

[Silas Gull]

Fiddes confirmed that no, rags with their wax polish on won't go "wooff"

 

[SteveF]

use the rag to start your nice open log fire

Steve