Soaking Combs in Oil

[Kaya]

Anyone done this?

I was looking into purchasing some Camellia oil from
http://www.naturaljapanesebeauty.com
(It was mentioned over on the Products Forum.)

So they also sell some lovely peachwood and sandalwood combs and they mention that geishas would soak their combs in camellia oil and then comb through their hair.

It sounds like a splendid idea to me, but I don't know what it would do to the comb, repeatedly soaking it in oil. It's so tempting I want to do it anyways! :hmm:

[sonng]

I soak my comb through with coconut oil sometimes but I don't like it too much. It makes my hair look a bit oily. :P

[trolleypup]

It sounds like a splendid idea to me, but I don't know what it would do to the comb, repeatedly soaking it in oil. It's so tempting I want to do it anyways! :hmm:
Oils are commonly used as preservatives/sealants for wood, so unlikely to do any damage to the wood other than making it a shade more flexible. My old wood comb was soaked in camellia oil after I sanded it smooth and it served me perfectly for years, until I lost it accidentally.

[squiggyflop]

geisha combing their hair.. no.. they get their hair set with a waxy substance then when they get older they wear wigs..

i soak my horn combs in camellia oil

[jessie58]

I am about to order some of the camellia oil after looking all over this city for some and I just bought a wooden comb a couple of weeks ago. I definitely intend to put the two of them together at some point. Both to keep the comb oiled and to distribute the camellia oil through my hair. Sounds like a good thing all around.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Reviving this thread to ask - why camellia oil? Wouldn't olive oil or coconut oil be ok?

[Chromis]

Reviving this thread to ask - why camellia oil? Wouldn't olive oil or coconut oil be ok?

Because camellia was what they had on hand most likely given that it grows there, unlike olive or coconut historically. (It might be possible to grow them on a few of the smaller, warmer islands with a great deal of effort in modern times.)

What is unusual in one place is exotic in others! :cool:

[milosmomma]

I oil my wooden comb, not soak it but just rub a coating onto it AFTER I have combed my hair so that by the next time I need the comb it is soaked in. Unless I am purposely heavily oiling my hair then i will oil both my hair and comb. I have used almond, meadowfoamseed, macadamia and sunflower oils. Is camelia oil best for wood combs? I have been happy with all the oils I've tried but never used camellia yet.

[Liz_H]

Olive oil will eventually go rancid. To a lesser extent, this is true of most food grade oils. Tung oil is the best for woodworking, applied in several thin coats.

[milosmomma]

I have been oiling my comb even since I received it a few months back, I haven't noticed any smells or residues on it, how do you tell if you have a rancid oil situation?
ETA is tung oil good for hair? I oil the comb to keep the wood from drying but also so spread some small amounts of oil through my hair

[Sarahlabyrinth]

So what kind of oil do you all use? And how do you go about it? How much do you use? How often?

[milosmomma]

I usually use meadowfoam seed oil just because I have a lot and it has the longest shelf life. I have used many different kinds of organic edible oils(almond and macadamia mainly) applied by pouring a small palm puddle and dragging the comb through it and then rub in. Usually about once a week.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I usually use meadowfoam seed oil just because I have a lot and it has the longest shelf life. I have used many different kinds of organic edible oils(almond and macadamia mainly) applied by pouring a small palm puddle and dragging the comb through it and then rub in. Usually about once a week.

Thanks, do you rub it all between the tines too?