Danish Oil

[transatlantic]

When using Danish oil, I apply liberally, wait 10 minutes and then wipe off.

However, I have noticed that it often dries with shiny spots, such as in tight corners, or the open grain of Oak where wiping didn't quite get it all. Which then means a lot of sanding to make the surface uniform.

Do you guys make a conserted effort to wipe off every last bit of 'wet oil' after the 10 minutes? can you wipe off too much?

 

[MikeG.]

No. I do that work with fine sandpaper, and by layer 2 or 3 of the DO it's a uniform finish. I've been playing with Danish Oil a bit recently as I've discovered it seems to be the best finish for bog oak. I do think there is a tendency to over complicate some finishing, and DO, if it has much merit, it is that it is terribly easy to apply: wipe it on liberally, leave a few minutes, wipe it off..........wait 3 or 4 hours, sand very gently and repeat, and repeat, and repeat until you are happy with the result.

 

[sunnybob]

I used danish when I first started making boxes, but as stated above, it just doesnt last. The colour drains away after a few weeks and its just too high maintenance for me.

 

[ED65]

...a lot of sanding to make the surface uniform.

You might want to experiment with a few conformable abrasives for this purpose.

Do you guys make a conserted effort to wipe off every last bit of 'wet oil' after the 10 minutes? can you wipe off too much?

Just as with a straight oil scrupulous wiping away of the the excess is considered a key to success. Wiping up should easily take much longer than the application time, and the more complex the item the longer this step needs to take.

If the Danish oils is formulated the usual way, no you can't wipe off too much. In case you've never read it elsewhere the surface should basically be dry when you're done.

FWIW I experimented with Danish oil-type blends early on and soon moved past them except for tool handles. Wiping varnish is literally exactly as easy to apply but easier at the wipe-up stage (you don't have to remove every trace from the surface because it will all dry hard). And the look can be the same. Add in that it provides better scratch and water resistance and the choice between the two became a no-brainer for me for important stuff.

 

[transatlantic]

...a lot of sanding to make the surface uniform.

You might want to experiment with a few conformable abrasives for this purpose.

Do you guys make a conserted effort to wipe off every last bit of 'wet oil' after the 10 minutes? can you wipe off too much?

Just as with a straight oil scrupulous wiping away of the the excess is considered a key to success. Wiping up should easily take much longer than the application time, and the more complex the item the longer this step needs to take.

If the Danish oils is formulated the usual way, no you can't wipe off too much. In case you've never read it elsewhere the surface should basically be dry when you're done.

FWIW I experimented with Danish oil-type blends early on and soon moved past them except for tool handles. Wiping varnish is literally exactly as easy to apply but easier at the wipe-up stage (you don't have to remove every trace from the surface because it will all dry hard). And the look can be the same. Add in that it provides better scratch and water resistance and the choice between the two became a no-brainer for me for important stuff.

Ah - good to know! I only use it as I don't like the plasticy look of water based varnishes.

What wiping varnish do you use?

 

[custard]

I wouldn't get too prescriptive about Danish Oil, there's no standard recipe so Danish Oil is whatever the manufacturer wants it to be. Some are longer oil, some are shorter oil, some have good quality ingredients, some don't.

If you're having a problem with excess residue then try wiping it off with a rag that's been dipped in thinners and wrung out nearly dry.

 

[whiskywill]

Will Danish Oil still be available after we leave the EU? :wink:

 

[sunnybob]

Yes, but import tariffs will make it uneconomical to use.

 

[ED65]

What wiping varnish do you use?

I make my own by diluting a normal varnish with equal amounts or more of white spirit as recommended by Bob Flexner and others.

As I've mentioned before in addition to the great savings doing it this way allows you to use a varnish you already know and trust, tailor it to your own preferences, and if workshop conditions demand vary the formula slightly as needed (thinner for cool, damp weather for example).

It's best not to go the full-on wiping varnish route with matt varnishes, although you can do it with satin I always use gloss since it's so easy to vary sheen after drying, and results are far more reliably consistent.