tung oil

[Jon in MI]

this is where I get mine.
[url] http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html[/url]

Jon

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Thx, book marked for next order.

I would say that site lays out the best description of, and the superior qualities of tung oil I have read to date.

 

[Russianblood]

I've had great success with Behr 600 Scandinavian Tung Oil Finish. It contains both BLO and Tung Oil. I've also used Formbys but it's not really an oil finish but a varnish (as mentioned) and added coats don't do anything.

 

[bioprof]

I originally intended to finish the longrifle that I'm building with boiled linseed oil, but mixed Formby's Tung Oil Finish 50:50 with artist grade linseed oil to use as a sealer. It seems to be soaking in well and sealing the pores, yet drys in just a few hours. It appears to me to be the best of both worlds. It's looking really nice so far. I might just go ahead and keep using the Tung Oil Finish mixed with linseed oil as a finish. Has anyone done this before? How did it turn out?

 

[Swampman]

I've finished a bunch of weapons using 1/3 each linseed oil, Satin Tung Oil Finish, and turpentine. It worked great.

 

[Swampman]

Why shouldn't varnish be used, since it is what most original weapons were finished with? It builds up just like linseed oil for me.

 

[dlemaster]

swampman
I think the confusion comes from the fact that "varnish" is a somewhat generic term. There are several types of varnishs. As I understand it boiled linseed oil with different resins or dryers added becomes an oil varnish. I'm sure Mike Brooks knows far more than I do and can add a lot more insight.

Regards, Dave

 

[Russianblood]

Why shouldn't varnish be used, since it is what most original weapons were finished with? It builds up just like linseed oil for me.

I didn't say it shouldn't be used. I just said added coats don't do anything. A varnish seals the wood and added coats just go on top of the varnish and not into the wood like a true oil finish does.

 

[navaho]

Varnish was used differently back then. Varnish was an action not a product from what I understand. You could "varnish" a stock using all kinds of stuff. I don't think tung oil was around then. I think that it comes from a tung plant or tree and was used in Asia mostly. It didn't come around until around 1900's.

 

[Swampman]

Varnish was a product, and an action. I suspect Tung oil has been around for hundreds of years, since their culture is much older than ours. It is not an historically correct finish for 18th c. colonial guns. I only know one builder that uses historically correct finishes. They are too much trouble for most commerical builders.