Well, I will say that I like carving green wood much better than KD.
I started my woodworking career about 50 years ago as a carver for a Frenchman interior designer down in Dallas. Besides what we custom made, he was importing a lot of wonderful carved antiques from Europe, that to my eye appeared to have been carved green, just judging by the way the cuts were made relative to the grain, and would hole the detail without the tendency split down the grain the way it would have if it were dry.
But, I just assumed that if they were doing that, they were also being very careful about how they dried these parts, like I do now when I carve green things.
There are a lot of turners who turn green, then boil, claiming that it helps prevent a lot of splitting. I've never tried that, nor felt a need to.
One thing that I would question, if what effect this oil soaked wood would have on gluing?
I think if I were going to experiment with something else after the carving was complete, would be to let the work dry naturally inside a paper sack, or cardboard box, which slows down the surface loss closer to what the moisture can come up from the inside to replace it, preventing surface checking. I would then soak it good with CPES, Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer.
I've not been using this product long, but I'm favorably impress with the results, especially in some soft woods. It isn't cheap, but then again, I wouldn't be too fond of having a flammable liquid boiling in my shop for several days.
If you try the boiling, I'd sure like to hear back from you. Otherwise, try this, and welcome to a new century. ha
I like your chairs. And while I don't know if there were any insects already living in your wood, if the CEPS would keep them from chewing out, but I'll bet it would keep them out in the future better than linseed oil. It is slow curing, so you can keep flowing it on as long as it will absorb.
After it has cured, a single coat of wipe on finish will look like 10 coats, but feel much harder.