Better yet, don't use BLO at all. I've tried it on 3-4 axe handles and after the first coat, maybe the 2nd, it just doesn't take any more and turns into a sticky mess.
Now, I use
Raw linseed oil. Virgin handles soak it up like mother's milk. I'm doing three right now as we speak (well, after the rain stops); the wood just dries up and takes more, even an hour or two afterwards.
The downside to raw is that the big box stores don't have it (HD/Lowes), at least not the ones around here; same with the small hardware stores. So you might have to order it. I get mine from Wiseman Trading Co. Athens, AL:
https://wisementrading.com/wood-working/axe-accessories/sunnyside-raw-linseed-oil/