# Finishing oil



## RobertCarter (19 Oct 2020)

I am seeking advice from anyone who has used straw oil. I have been given two Venetian Rowlocks (1961), made from Italian walnut, to restore (below); traditionally they were finished with several coats of diluted straw oil. Has anyone any experience with straw oil?
Thank you.


----------



## bjm (19 Oct 2020)

Never heard of it till now but did find this supplier in Italy Straw Oil It looks to be their equivalent to our Danish Oil ??


----------



## lurker (19 Oct 2020)

Always something new to learn on this forum


I wonder what the Danes call it?

Wouldn't walnut oil be appropriate


----------



## bjm (19 Oct 2020)

Any drying oil would do.


----------



## AJB Temple (19 Oct 2020)

It's called a Forcola. I have a couple of Italian books on building Gondolas but they are in Italian. This Wiki article agrees with the Italian books Fórcola - Wikipedia.

The Italian translation is, if I have read it correctly, boiled walnut oil, strained and mixed with engine fuel (petrol) 4 to 1 (oil to petrol). It sounds bizarre frankly.


----------



## bjm (19 Oct 2020)

Here is a pdf on the use of Olio Pagliorino


----------



## bjm (19 Oct 2020)

AJB Temple said:


> ... mixed with engine fuel (petrol) 4 to 1 (oil to petrol). It sounds bizarre frankly.


I think that's a translation issue??


----------



## RobertCarter (19 Oct 2020)

Many thanks, all. I sort of wanted to use the authentic method since they are such spectacular objects. Hence, I will go ahead and buy straw oil which is available. I am a little uns=certain about using petrol. Maybe I'll use turpentine. Many thanks, Rob.


----------



## bjm (19 Oct 2020)

Good luck with it - be nice to see the finished articles.


----------



## Ollie78 (19 Oct 2020)

Those are beautiful things, apparently they cost a fortune and have to be hand made to each rowers size and style. A dying art.

I am always fascinated by the fact that shapes created by neccessity and function are often beautiful by default. 

Never heard of straw oil before, please show us a picture once restored.

Ollie


----------



## RobertCarter (20 Oct 2020)

Will do. I still learning how this forum works: only joined yesterday!


----------



## nickjan (20 Oct 2020)

AJB Temple said:


> It's called a Forcola. I have a couple of Italian books on building Gondolas but they are in Italian. This Wiki article agrees with the Italian books Fórcola - Wikipedia.
> 
> The Italian translation is, if I have read it correctly, boiled walnut oil, strained and mixed with engine fuel (petrol) 4 to 1 (oil to petrol). It sounds bizarre frankly.


Having never heard of a forcola before, I found the Wiki article something of a revelation regarding the rowing 'tool'. The information on straw oil is welcome but secondary to this 'discovery'.


----------



## RobertCarter (20 Oct 2020)

Thank you. Yes, I will try using some walnut oil diluted with turpentine. Do you suggest walnut oil from Sainsbury's or Waitrose?!! Best, Rob.


----------



## Brandon Bespoke (21 Oct 2020)

Can't say we've come across straw oil before and we produce wood finishing oils! As others have commented above it seems to be a translated version of danish oil.
The Brandon Bespoke Team
Brandon Bespoke Oils & Waxes
Email: [email protected]


----------



## lurker (21 Oct 2020)

RobertCarter said:


> Thank you. Yes, I will try using some walnut oil diluted with turpentine. Do you suggest walnut oil from Sainsbury's or Waitrose?!! Best, Rob.


You appear to live in London , can't you nip into fortnam and masons.


----------



## RobertCarter (22 Oct 2020)

nickjan said:


> Having never heard of a forcola before, I found the Wiki article something of a revelation regarding the rowing 'tool'. The information on straw oil is welcome but secondary to this 'discovery'.


Just to let you know that Saverio Pastor of Le Forcola replied to my e-mail to him to say that 'Straw Oil' is mineral oil and it is best diluted with Turpentine (4:1). I have no idea why it is called straw oil. I have never used mineral oil, as opposed to vegetable oils such as Tung oil, Linseed oil etc, on timber before but I gather it is non toxic and commonly used on butchers' blocks, chopping boards etc. Apparently it is also used in a pharmaceutical context as a laxative.


----------



## spb (22 Oct 2020)

That makes sense - mineral oil doesn't cure or harden, which means it can be topped up indefinitely as needed. That's what makes it good for butcher's blocks, chopping boards, and the like; no type of protective finish will last for long on those, so the best option is something that you can just apply again and again to the areas that need it. I'd imagine this would be fairly similar in the areas that bear against the oar.


----------



## lurker (22 Oct 2020)

RobertCarter said:


> Just to let you know that Saverio Pastor of Le Forcola replied to my e-mail to him to say that 'Straw Oil' is mineral oil and it is best diluted with Turpentine (4:1). I have no idea why it is called straw oil. I have never used mineral oil, as opposed to vegetable oils such as Tung oil, Linseed oil etc, on timber before but I gather it is non toxic and commonly used on butchers' blocks, chopping boards etc. Apparently it is also used in a pharmaceutical context as a laxative.


Yes
liquid paraffin BP
I buy it from equine suppliers as its used as a laxative for horses.
Last container that I bought was £7.50 for 500ml making it a very cheap food safe finish.
BP = British pharmacopoeia and thus it’s purity is controlled by law.


----------



## RobertCarter (23 Oct 2020)

Thank you one and all. Not sure I'll be rowing with them in NW London but probably better to use the authentic method.


----------



## Droogs (23 Oct 2020)

RobertCarter said:


> Thank you. Yes, I will try using some walnut oil diluted with turpentine. Do you suggest walnut oil from Sainsbury's or Waitrose?!! Best, Rob.


F&M dear boy F&M surely


----------



## RobertCarter (23 Oct 2020)

Thank you....See earlier. Going to use mineral oil + turpentine.


----------



## dannyr (24 Oct 2020)

just seen this thread --- wow -- those are beautiful objects Robert - I hope you're keeping them - look good in that room.
I wonder if Hepworth or Brancusi saw such.


----------



## RobertCarter (24 Oct 2020)

Yes, they are stunning. I have sent pictures to a Company in Venice who used to make them in order find out the process. They are finished with mineral oil diluted 4:1 with turpentine (this they called straw oil, I know not why!). They are signed by Carli, 1961, (Giuseppe) who was apparently the last of a long line of masters carvers of forcola (Gondola rowlocks). Anyway, they are now sanded and ready for oiling (see below). Unfortunately, they are not owned by me; I have been asked to restore them, not something I normally do but they are spectacular. I will put the final pictures up on Instagram (@poshrobcom). Best, Rob.


----------



## RobertCarter (24 Oct 2020)

RobertCarter said:


> Yes, they are stunning. I have sent pictures to a Company in Venice who used to make them in order find out the process. They are finished with mineral oil diluted 4:1 with turpentine (this they called straw oil, I know not why!). They are signed by Carli, 1961, (Giuseppe) who was apparently the last of a long line of masters carvers of forcola (Gondola rowlocks). Anyway, they are now sanded and ready for oiling (see below). Unfortunately, they are not owned by me; I have been asked to restore them, not something I normally do but they are spectacular. I will put the final pictures up on Instagram (@poshrobcom). Best, Rob.
> View attachment 94921
> View attachment 94922


Having said all that, I might try and make some of my own or thereabouts!


----------



## Mark Karacsonyi (25 Oct 2020)

Liquid paraffin (BP), is also good for rejuvenating old leather too.


----------



## Anthraquinone (25 Oct 2020)

For the toys I make I have always used a thin water white food safe mineral oil I get from a local oil merchant. It dries over a day or so and oly cost about £3 / liter. Cheap enough to have a pail of it to fully immerse the wood in for a quick soak.


----------



## Phil Pascoe (25 Oct 2020)

Mark Karacsonyi said:


> Liquid paraffin (BP), is also good for rejuvenating old leather too.


Probably not as good as neatsfoot oil.


----------



## RobertCarter (1 Nov 2020)

Finished rowlocks forcola:


----------



## Droogs (2 Nov 2020)

They have turned out fantastically richard, you must be well chuffed with them. Hope the client does too


----------



## RobertCarter (2 Nov 2020)

Who's Richard? Did you mean me? 
Yes, they are wonderful I really don't want to give them back but I must. I shall call the Client today.... later on!
Best, Robert.


----------



## Droogs (2 Nov 2020)

RobertCarter said:


> Who's Richard? Did you mean me?
> Yes, they are wonderful I really don't want to give them back but I must. I shall call the Client today.... later on!
> Best, Robert.


Yes sorry brainfart on my part, I know a richard carter


----------

