# Walnut oil



## KimG (18 Oct 2012)

I've seen a few references to this Oil as a finish, but not seen it on a suppliers page, only on a supermarket shelf, are they one and the same thing? (i.e. Tesco's Walnut Oil)


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## János (18 Oct 2012)

Hello,

Yes, they are. But the one sold in the grocery shop is guaranteed free from any kind of harmful contaminations, and fresh, the other is not, or not by every maker. Walnut oil is a light bodied, fast drying, non yellowing drying oil, one of the best to use and work with, as the fresh walnut oil has a very pleasant nutty smell. 

Best wishes, 

János


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## Grahamshed (18 Oct 2012)

Don't want to drag this off topic but what would you use it for ? What are its benefits ? ( guessing the smell wont last long )


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## Phil Pascoe (18 Oct 2012)

It's the only veg. oil that polymerises.............someone else can take it from here.....


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## KimG (18 Oct 2012)

Thanks János, I will get some and try it out.

It is often used as a finish for bowls that are to be used for food Graham, posts I have seen by those who use it seem to suggest they find it superior to other food safe finishes.

Polymers are chains of molecules so I am guessing this causes it to form a "plastic" Skin.


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## János (19 Oct 2012)

Hello,

There are more than one vegetable oils, which do "polymerize". In the paint and coatings industry oil paints are made from linseed oil, tung oil, or rapeseed oil (Some kinds of this last one are non-drying without proper heath treatment.) Some others, like soy oil are non-drying without proper heath treatment. Heath treatment (that is pre-polymerizing of the oil by controlled heating) produces boiled linseed oil, polymerized tung oil, half oil, stand oil, drying soy oil, and so on. These oils "dry" much faster than their untreated brethren. But the fastest drying oil is cold-pressed walnut oil. Yellowing and UV resistance are the weak points of each and every drying oil. But indoors that is not a real problem. 

For easier application you can cut any of these oils with turpentine or turpentine substitutes, like ligroine.

Best wishes,

János


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## Peggy (19 Oct 2012)

That's very interesting. I'm going to buy some walnut oil in tescos tomorrow and try it.


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## Draygore (22 Oct 2012)

On the this side of the pond Mahoney's Walnut oil is the walnut oil to be had. bowlmakerinc(dot)com/finishes It will usually harden in the wood within a week for me. At that point it is a nice satin finish, but occasionally I'll take it through the buffer to bring up more shine.

Edit: Wooot!!! got enough post to post pics. This is American Elm, a rare find these days. The upper inside corner transitions show the sheen I was talking about. The picture does not do it true justice.





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## Chris152 (22 Mar 2018)

I tried walnut oil on some London plane today. It looks really nice, but any idea how long I should wait before applying a second coat?
C


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