Do yourself a favor and get some AF/ferric nitrate (whatever you want to call it) and try it out on some scrap wood. I can't believe how many times I've read here that someone is afraid to try it. At least in my experience, it's easy and forgiving and, for maple, it is the best looking "stain" out there. Pigment stain just looks muddy to me. But that wasn't your inquiry. I've slathered BLO on end grain many times to prevent checking, etc. I haven't had any problems come from it. It's been debated many times here and every other resource on wood finishing that it isn't much of a finish by itself.
