Planning to make a wrongko

Johan van Zyl · 13th May 2017, 02:24 PM

What I understand from this last post of yours, Alan, is that you're saying boiled linseed oil is better than Danish oil and preferable to use on this wrongko.

It so happens I have a supply of fresh boiled linseed oil and if I can use that, it saves me a lot of searching for the other products. To my knowledge boiled linseed oil is also called "London oil" and very preferable for new rifle stocks of walnut and other fine woods, in the best of stockmaking tradition.

My son and sister were dismayed to read that you want the raised edge removed, because they liked it very much! But I will have to disappoint them and sand down the ridge. Maybe I'll keep just a hint of a ridge. And the semicircular end needs to be thinned down. And the line needs to be thinned also. Me, I'm happy for these final comments and I am going to put in a few more hours.

A. G. Maisey · 13th May 2017, 10:47 PM

Johan, I am saying the complete opposite:-

DO NOT USE LINSEED OIL ON THIS PIECE OF WOODWORK

I apologise if my English was unclear.

This wood is glued together, linseed oil is a penetrating oil, if it penetrates to the glued joints, particularly in the joints in the gandar, those joints are likely to separate.

Use Danish oil

do not use linseed oil

~~~~~~~~~~

I've used linseed oil, both raw and boiled, on rifle stocks, and it gives a good finish, but it will penetrate wood, depending on the type of wood, sometimes quite deeply, it must never be used on wood with glued joints.

Rick · 14th May 2017, 04:50 AM

If I might chime in, I wouldn't recommend urethane either, not mineral nor water based.

I'd still recommend shellac thinned out with grain alcohol and applied lightly and the surface made smooth between coats. Shellac, being made from insects somehow just seems to look much nicer than a spar varnish or urethane.

I think using shellac gives a better looking finish, especially with a little wax to top it off.

A. G. Maisey · 14th May 2017, 08:56 AM

I agree with you Rick.

French polish is only the application of a number of coats of shellac, the right way is to do it is with a rubber all the way, but it can be short cut by using a brush first and then finishing with a rubber.

However, for somebody who has never used shellac before, either brushed or used as french polish, it is not really all that easy to get a decent job. That's where Danish oil comes in:- its quick, its easy, with minimum care it gives a very good job, and used the way I've explained, the final appearance is just like a well preserved old wrongko.

No dispute at all that shellac is the best finish, but for a beginner it is not the easiest finish, not by a long shot.

Danish Oil and Scandinavian Oil are similar, and depending on the brand you can get different mixes in the ingredients. Some of these oils have a urethane component, some don't. I actually dislike urethanes, even for floors, on a floor I prefer tung oil, but it is virtually impossible today to get genuine tung oil, the stuff they sell as tung oil has urethanes in it, its just that it behaves like tung oil and looks like tung oil when it dries. Straight urethane I would never use for anything, but where these wood finishing products are concerned, although they might have urethane in them, they behave like a very quick drying oil, and the finish is nothing at all like any urethane that I've ever seen.

Another oil I used to use a lot was Birchwood Casey Stock Oil, it gave a really beautiful finish that looked for all the world like a top London gun finish. It dropped off the market here is Oz for a few years, and I never used it again after it became available again, mostly because I'd pretty much stopped doing high class rifle stocks by the time it appeared again. The couple of expensive stocks I did after that I did with linseed.

David · 14th May 2017, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Another oil I used to use a lot was Birchwood Casey Stock Oil, it gave a really beautiful finish that looked for all the world like a top London gun finish. It dropped off the market here is Oz for a few years, and I never used it again after it became available again, mostly because I'd pretty much stopped doing high class rifle stocks by the time it appeared again. The couple of expensive stocks I did after that I did with linseed.

I can second the Birchwood Casey Stock Oil. I've used it with great success. Frankly i haven't tried to look for it here in the States for a while so i don't know if it is still available.

David · 14th May 2017, 03:42 PM

I just checked and it does still seem to be easily available in numerous location.

Rick · 14th May 2017, 05:27 PM

Well, I will add a caveat about Danish oil; all the woodwork in my house is finished with the stuff and I do like it and can't disagree with Alan about ease of finish.
But..
This is very important: after you have used this product please dispose of any rags soaked in it in a bucket of water, for they may well combust if cautions are not taken.

14th May 2017, 08:56 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,229	I agree with you Rick. French polish is only the application of a number of coats of shellac, the right way is to do it is with a rubber all the way, but it can be short cut by using a brush first and then finishing with a rubber. However, for somebody who has never used shellac before, either brushed or used as french polish, it is not really all that easy to get a decent job. That's where Danish oil comes in:- its quick, its easy, with minimum care it gives a very good job, and used the way I've explained, the final appearance is just like a well preserved old wrongko. No dispute at all that shellac is the best finish, but for a beginner it is not the easiest finish, not by a long shot. Danish Oil and Scandinavian Oil are similar, and depending on the brand you can get different mixes in the ingredients. Some of these oils have a urethane component, some don't. I actually dislike urethanes, even for floors, on a floor I prefer tung oil, but it is virtually impossible today to get genuine tung oil, the stuff they sell as tung oil has urethanes in it, its just that it behaves like tung oil and looks like tung oil when it dries. Straight urethane I would never use for anything, but where these wood finishing products are concerned, although they might have urethane in them, they behave like a very quick drying oil, and the finish is nothing at all like any urethane that I've ever seen. Another oil I used to use a lot was Birchwood Casey Stock Oil, it gave a really beautiful finish that looked for all the world like a top London gun finish. It dropped off the market here is Oz for a few years, and I never used it again after it became available again, mostly because I'd pretty much stopped doing high class rifle stocks by the time it appeared again. The couple of expensive stocks I did after that I did with linseed. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 14th May 2017 at 09:15 AM.

14th May 2017, 03:42 PM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,297	I just checked and it does still seem to be easily available in numerous location. Attached Images

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13th May 2017, 02:24 PM	#1
Johan van Zyl Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: I live in Gordon's Bay, a village in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Posts: 126	What I understand from this last post of yours, Alan, is that you're saying boiled linseed oil is better than Danish oil and preferable to use on this wrongko. It so happens I have a supply of fresh boiled linseed oil and if I can use that, it saves me a lot of searching for the other products. To my knowledge boiled linseed oil is also called "London oil" and very preferable for new rifle stocks of walnut and other fine woods, in the best of stockmaking tradition. My son and sister were dismayed to read that you want the raised edge removed, because they liked it very much! But I will have to disappoint them and sand down the ridge. Maybe I'll keep just a hint of a ridge. And the semicircular end needs to be thinned down. And the line needs to be thinned also. Me, I'm happy for these final comments and I am going to put in a few more hours.

13th May 2017, 10:47 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,229	Johan, I am saying the complete opposite:- DO NOT USE LINSEED OIL ON THIS PIECE OF WOODWORK I apologise if my English was unclear. This wood is glued together, linseed oil is a penetrating oil, if it penetrates to the glued joints, particularly in the joints in the gandar, those joints are likely to separate. Use Danish oil do not use linseed oil ~~~~~~~~~~ I've used linseed oil, both raw and boiled, on rifle stocks, and it gives a good finish, but it will penetrate wood, depending on the type of wood, sometimes quite deeply, it must never be used on wood with glued joints.

14th May 2017, 04:50 AM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,436	If I might chime in, I wouldn't recommend urethane either, not mineral nor water based. I'd still recommend shellac thinned out with grain alcohol and applied lightly and the surface made smooth between coats. Shellac, being made from insects somehow just seems to look much nicer than a spar varnish or urethane. I think using shellac gives a better looking finish, especially with a little wax to top it off.

14th May 2017, 05:27 PM	#7
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,436	Well, I will add a caveat about Danish oil; all the woodwork in my house is finished with the stuff and I do like it and can't disagree with Alan about ease of finish. But.. This is very important: after you have used this product please dispose of any rags soaked in it in a bucket of water, for they may well combust if cautions are not taken.