# Using Finishing Oils



## WriteON (Sep 17, 2017)

I'd like to use oil on certain woods...just to experiment. 
For the past few years I have been using EEE, Hylands friction, CA, Carnuba...lately have been using Zainners BullsEye sander-sealer on bottle stopper blanks.(and I like Zainners).
I have used Tru-Oil years ago..it was part of the Birchwood Casey refinishing kit. Worked out real nice. 
Tung oil and Tru-Oil have my attention. What oils are you using and why. How does it look after being repeatedly handled. Thanks for your replies.


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## monophoto (Sep 17, 2017)

BLO and Tung Oil

BLO is inexpensive, easy to find (every hardware store has it), and is effective. 

Tung Oil is hard to find and more expensive, but it is more water resistant, and it dries to a lighter amber color than BLO.  

Tung Oil is probably more food-safe than BLO - just because BLO is made using metallic driers.  

In general, I prefer Tung oil on nicer pieces, but use BLO in instances where I can be satisfied with the slightly less desirable properties it has, eg, tool handles.


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## dogcatcher (Sep 17, 2017)

I use a homemade version of teak oil on most of my game calls, it is a mix of BLO, mineral spirits and varnish.  Check out Russ Fairfield's finishing secrets on this link.   Russ's Corner: A WoodCentral Archive

Items 6 and 7 are the ones with oil finishing secrets.

If you want a good link for secrets of applying oil finishes, search "Frank Whiton classic gunstock finish".


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## ajollydds (Sep 18, 2017)

I've used doctors woodshop walnut oil on a few pens, finished with pens plus.  I really like the finish.


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## 1080Wayne (Sep 18, 2017)

On S&P shakers and other large non pen items I use the tung oil sealer sold by Lee Valley because I like a matte finish . Pure tung oil also available from them will give a fairly high gloss finish .


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## monophoto (Sep 18, 2017)

dogcatcher said:


> I use a homemade version of teak oil on most of my game calls, it is a mix of BLO, mineral spirits and varnish.  Check out Russ Fairfield's finishing secrets on this link.   Russ's Corner: A WoodCentral Archive




Russ Fairfield's pages have some excellent information.

Teak oil is another variant on the Danish oil/wiping varnish theme.  They are all blends of a drying oil (BLO, Tung oil, Walnut oil, etc), a suitable thinner, and varnish solids.  Fairfield describes a version that he implies is similar to the commercial Waterlox that is a blend of high-grade varnish, Tung oil and turpentine that I have used a lot.

But - when you go into a hardware or big box store, the can marked 'Tung oil' is most likely a variation of Danish oil and not pure Tung oil.  Pure oil is hard to find - look for a container that clearly says 'Pure' Tung oil, and check the contents - if it contains a solvent, it's a Danish oil, not pure Tung oil.

And while we are on the subject - there is a difference between BLO and raw Linseed Oil.  BLO contains metallic (cadmium?) driers, that don't go well with a ham sandwich.  Pure Linseed Oil is food safe (it is expressed from flax seed, which makes it a first cousin to linen), but it dries VERY slowly (weeks to months) and isn't a practical finish by itself.  Chemically, BLO is partially polymerized to dry quickly - originally, that partial polymerization was created by actually boiling the oil, hence the name 'boiled linseed oil'.  Today, partial polymerization is created by adding metallic driers.  It's not a good idea to try to make your own by boiling raw linseed oil - that's a good way to start a fire.


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## Loucurr (Sep 18, 2017)

Worth checking out...American made tung oil. 
http://www.gulfcoasttungoil.com


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## WriteON (Dec 7, 2017)

I worked with Tru-Oil on a Goncalo Alves blank. It finished real nice. However it requires multiple coats and a long drying period. For the cost of the bottle and the process I feel CA is better to use on a stopper or pen. My .02 but just for now...it might change.


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## monophoto (Dec 7, 2017)

Loucurr said:


> Worth checking out...American made tung oil.
> Retail Sales




Originally from China and Burma (now Myanmar), Tung trees were imported to the US in the early part of the 20th century, and became a commercial crop in Florida and a few other southeastern states.


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## WriteON (Dec 8, 2017)

monophoto said:


> Loucurr said:
> 
> 
> > Worth checking out...American made tung oil.
> ...



Thanks for the link. I'll keep this in mind. I do have a container of TungOil.  Not sure where,when,how it's going to be used. I guess it depends on the wood being used.


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## Wildman (Dec 9, 2017)

Not familiar with Zainners Bulls Eye sanding sealer but I am with Zinsser’s product.  Mostly alcohol little resin & shellac, does not provide much protection nor very durable.  Maily used under to seal wood and provide base for faster build for most other film finishes.  

Lot of folks here don’t think shellac very durable for pens, bottle stoppers and some what agree. There are a lot of products out there that use shellac in their friction finishes.  

JMHO, don’t waste your money on sanding sealers, they are an optionbut not really required in finishing wood.  Lot easier to buy a clear shellac product & denatured alcohol to make your your own thinned shellac.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Zinsser...raditional-Finish-and-Sealer-00304H/100203332

Good thing about Zinsser’s clear shellac can but in rattle can or quarts. 

Would not use BLO or Linseed oil for any type of finish on wood.  Like said pure Tung oil is either a blessing or curse depending application.  You need several coats before any kind of protection achieved plus long drying times between coats. 

If like a pure matt finish or natural look of wood use Walnut oil. Mahoney’s WO available at lot of venders. 

BowlMakerInc

Woodturning finishes from Doctor's Woodshop > Home

Next comes either oil varnish blends or wiping varnish products. Flexner explains everthing need to know about commercial oil finishes and wiping varnishes.  Prefer a wiping varnish on pens & bottle stoppers because only using a film finish (resin) and thinner and can get a build and greater durability, protection, and sheen.

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use


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## KenV (Dec 9, 2017)

There is an additional linseed oil product called "stand oil".  Raw linseed oil aka flax seed oil is heated in a closed retort in absence of oxygen to partially polymerize the oil and promote faster polymerization of the finiish (curing).   It is still available from a few sources.   Tru-Oil is likely this or a close cousin.   

Stand oil was the basis of a lot of paints 150 or so years back along with a number of pigment that are no longer used.  

Was used on a lot of shaker furniture.  Contains no heavy metal curing products.  Soft finish that scratches easily but repairs easily.


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## dogcatcher (Dec 9, 2017)

Research "sun bleached linseed oil" and "dphariss home cooked boiled linseed oil"  The first is a soft finish, the latter is a homebrewed concoction by dhariss for his American Long Rifles, for the uneducated, the American Long Rifles are the muzzleloaders from the Revolutionary war through the Plains Hawken.  

When you are finished, you should have about a 50 pages of notes on just these two concoctions.  If you play with these "formulas", you will have learned that there is no such thing as a good, fast and easy finish.  You will also have learned, as Dan said, "BLO is for painting barns".


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## Wildman (Dec 10, 2017)

There are several other drying oils used in the art world that dry faster than linseed oil but never used in wood finishing industry.  Linseed, stand oil, sun-thicken linseed oil, sun bleach linseed oil, have been used by the art world for centuries as well as today.  

Artist are looking for more than how fast their oil paint dry when selection a drying oil to mix with there paints.  

Neither BLO nor Linseed oil will give you a glossy finish regardless of how many coats you apply.  Poping the grain is a myth, any film, varnish oil, or wiping varnish will do the same thing.  If anything BLO will darken wood over time. 

None of the drying oils used in the art works world will penetrate wood very deeply.  Same is true of Tung and Walnut oils without the aide of solvents or thinners.  Addition of solvents and thinners will speed up the drying process.


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