What oil do you use on your horn/wood comb/brush

[BBdck1]

I have a Body shop wooden brush for about 3 years now and I love it! I started oiling my brush recently with jojoba oil but read that jojoba doesn't absorb into hair. Does it absorb into wood? I also just bought a horn comb and was wondering what oil can and cannot be use to oil comb?

What oil do you use on your comb/brush and how often?

[CariadA]

Mineral oil should be used for oiling anything made of wood. It doesn't need to be oiled unless it is rough, though. It usually gets rough when it has been washed and left out to dry too many times; remember to always towel dry anything wooden.

Vegetable oils like olive oil should never be used as they will eventually become rancid.

[Moonlake]

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[cooklaezo13]

It is recommended that horn combs be oiled with lanolin. This is because lanolin is the natural oil of sheep wool, and it is what would naturally lubricate the horns of the animal.
I have had my horn comb for a few months and the sebum from my hair has kept it well oiled, but I just bought some lanolin to try oiling it with that. Just be sure to avoid getting your horn comb soaking wet. I had one that cracked because it got too wet. I can use my horn comb safely on damp hair as long as I wipe it with a dry towel afterwards.

[MissHair]

It is recommended that horn combs be oiled with lanolin. This is because lanolin is the natural oil of sheep wool, and it is what would naturally lubricate the horns of the animal.
I have had my horn comb for a few months and the sebum from my hair has kept it well oiled, but I just bought some lanolin to try oiling it with that. Just be sure to avoid getting your horn comb soaking wet. I had one that cracked because it got too wet. I can use my horn comb safely on damp hair as long as I wipe it with a dry towel afterwards.

What does lanolin contain? Because I once took Vitamin-D tablets and the ingredience was said to be the stuff taken from sheep wool too. So maybe this lanonin oil is actually very rich in vitamins in that case? And Vitamin-D is also good for hairgrowth. Would be interesting if this would work for faster hairgrowth when applied to the roots?

[Moonlake]

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[silverjen]

My horn combs stay plenty oiled just from handling, and from combing my oiled hair. I avoid getting them wet, of course, but regular day-to-day use seems to keep them in good shape.

[CariadA]

Although this article is intended for oiling spoons and cutting boards, the same method still applies to oiling anything wooden, such as hair brushes and combs.

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-care-for-wooden-spoons-and-cutting-boards.htm

For a horn comb, I agree that lanolin would be a good choice. But for a wooden comb, I believe mineral oil is still the best choice. Lanolin would not turn rancid the way vegetable oils do, so it's still a better choice than olive oil.

[Madora]

Never used any type of oil to keep my brush in good condition.

[Moonlake]

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[BBdck1]

I was hoping I didn't have to buy lanolin oil for my horn comb but since everyone recommended it I will give it a try. I'm guessing it's safe on hair. Is lanolin sold in stores like Walmart or Walgreens? What else can lanolin oil be use for? I like multipurpose products :)

[Moonlake]

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[BBdck1]

Lanolin can be used on leather, skin, or hair:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5798711_benefits-lanolin-skin-hair-care_.html

As this discussion proceeds I am beginning to believe that like my BBB, it may not need special oils at all since I use my wooden comb much the same as my wooden boar bristle hairbrush. They are both exposed to my hair and skin oils and that may be enough. :blossom:

The article said that an alternative to lanolin is mineral oil. Maybe I can just use that on my horn comb. This is just a precaution since I use oil as a leave in.

I use jojoba and EVOO in my hair so will it get trap in my wood brush and go rancid? Am I worrying too much? :shrug:

[furnival]

I've used olive, coconut and other vegetable oils for years on wooden combs and other woodcrafts that I make, and I've never had any issues with them going rancid. However, I don't think it makes a huge difference what oil you use, just that you use oil and not water to clean any wooden combs with an un-sealed finish. The reason that the smooth surface of wood becomes rough after wetting is that wood is, structurally, a mass of tiny tubes. Water is absorbed into the ends of the tubes and they expand and warp. This is known as raising the grain, and raised grain needs to be sanded smooth again. If the wood is soaked, the water can penetrate deep inside the tubes and crack the piece.
I cringe whenever I read of people washing their wooden hairtoys... Just give 'em a wipe with a clean cloth and a dab of oil. :)

[BBdck1]

I've used olive, coconut and other vegetable oils for years on wooden combs and other woodcrafts that I make, and I've never had any issues with them going rancid. However, I don't think it makes a huge difference what oil you use, just that you use oil and not water to clean any wooden combs with an un-sealed finish. The reason that the smooth surface of wood becomes rough after wetting is that wood is, structurally, a mass of tiny tubes. Water is absorbed into the ends of the tubes and they expand and warp. This is known as raising the grain, and raised grain needs to be sanded smooth again. If the wood is soaked, the water can penetrate deep inside the tubes and crack the piece.
I cringe whenever I read of people washing their wooden hairtoys... Just give 'em a wipe with a clean cloth and a dab of oil. :)

Wow :agape:. I really like your explanation! I can picture all the little vessles/tubes in the wood being soak with water and deforming like I'm watching a biology lecture clip.

[Tinyponies]

I’ve been using “bore oil” that I bought for oiling my wooden flute on my wooden comb and forks and it’s absolutely lovely. Not the cheapest but it’s the “music nomad” one and smells nice though ingredients not listed anywhere I can see!