Well I was going to stay out of this...but.

Many years ago I helped restore an old wooden schooner with wood
blocks. The Master Carpenter, who had been around the Horn in a square
rigger, insisted that the blocks we made be treated with linseedoil.
The oil was heated to 180 degrees and the blocks soaked for 24 hours.
Well they soaked overnight and all the next day. I saw the boat about
12 years later. The skipper told me that the blocks were original and
all they got was routine maintainance. Foe the life of me I can't
remember what wood was used but it was HARD.

Dan Hogan
dhhogan@n...
I use'em-don't abuse'em-don't collect 'em