Wax on Danish Oil - yes or no??

[Mike B]

Hi

Just after a quick show of hands as to how many of you would use a final coat of wax on a Danish oil finish vs those who would just leave it at the Danish oil, as I can't decide (as usual!).

I gather that the wax "softens" the feel and adds a little scratch protection, but I assume it also makes it virtually impossible (i.e. without rubbing it all down again) if you ever want to re-oil the piece at a later date...

Cheers
Mike

 

[gidon]

I do - once you start adding a coat of wax after oiling - it's hard to go back. It doesn't now seem finished to me now without.
Cheers
Gidn

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Mike.
I like the wax on the oil finish.
Paul.J.

 

[White House Workshop]

Always put a light wax finish on all my work; oil, varnish, urethane. Didn't wax the french polish tho...

 

[woodbloke]

Same here, always wax over oil. Wax applied with a grey Webrax non-metallic pad - Rob

 

[Rewound]

what type of wax have you found best ontop of danish oil - and how long would you let the danish oil cure first.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sixteen years.

 

[Rewound]

Sixteen years.

is that how long you should allow it to cure ? seems excessive

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It was wasted. It's a sixteen year old thread.

 

[Rewound]

It was wasted. It's a sixteen year old thread.

why is it wasted? The title and question is the exact same one that I was going to ask. It will still appear top of the list in that section for anyone to see who may know about such things. And if the original participants are still about then they may well be more experienced on the subject.

How would it benefit to create a new thread bearing the same title?

 

[MarkAW]

I assume he means the joke was wasted

Nothing wrong with thread resurrection

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you've ever picked up something that's been partially finished with oil after a few weeks and sanded it you'll realise how much easier it is to sand when it's bone dry. In humid weather I'd leave it a couple of weeks if not longer.

 

[Stuart Moffat]

I always wax when I making something new and using danish oil, but for some reason I don’t after applying it to the oak worktops in our utility room. And I’ve no idea why I never wax them, I oil them every 6 months or so, but have never even thought of waxing them too.

 

[Johnwa]

I wax my projects after danish oil. I usually leave about 6 weeks between oiling and waxing. You can tell when the oil is cured by smell. When the smell of the oil has disappeared from the project, its ok to apply wax. Go easy on the wax.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Yep wax for me too.

What rule do you follow for waxing? Once a day for the first week, once a week for the first month, once a month for the first year then once a year after that…

 

[Richard_C]

What rule do you follow for waxing? Once a day for the first week, once a week for the first month, once a month for the first year then once a year after that…

That was the old way, handed down for generations and nothing wrong with it. I think it was on bare wood, not starting from oiled wood. I do wonder though if modern wax blends make it less relevant? It was basically beeswax for wood back in the day. Carnauba was in de-luxe car polish as used on my beige Hillman Hunter

I remember back in the early 80's a made a pair of waterfall front bookshelves, bottom shelf sized for 12" records, in pine, and was about to follow the rule you quote when I came across a shortcut. Back then there was no (or little) water based varnish about and getting dust on slow drying varnish was always a risk. I applied a diluted coat of varnish, very thinly, let it dry then lightly sanded, then wax. 2 in week 1, then a month, then ..... well, still got them and don't remember when I last waxed them. Still got the 12" vinyl and the original kit to play them on as well.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yep wax for me too.

What rule do you follow for waxing? Once a day for the first week, once a week for the first month, once a month for the first year then once a year after that…

That was the rule for linseed oil polishing.

 

[cally60]

Which is the best type of wax t go on top of danish oil?