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tung oil question

2995 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  RandyL476
I've been thinking about trying tung oil for a finish on some of my canes and walking sticks and I see there is 100% tung oil and a tung oil finish which is best to use.
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Tung oil finish is what I use. It has drying additives that I'm pretty sure speed up drying time and also it has a certain amount of varnishes added so it gives a bit of a shiny finish. I've never tried pure tung oil but have heard it is harder to apply and drying time is longer.
I'm quite happy with using the tung oil finish it gives my sticks just the right amount of finish I'm looking for.

Sean
I think this type of oil is better than using polyurethane it doesn't chip its easy to apply I just use Danish oil exclusively I like the mixture of the oil and lacquer and its simple to apply and keeps the shanks in far better condition than using any varnish

but its just taste
I have used tung oil for many years. It is a great finish. But it take much more time and effort to do it right. Pure tung oil is much more water resistant than the blends. It was used on ships for thousands of years. Cover the stick .let it stand for about 30 minutes then wipe off excess. Then it needs to cure for at least 24 to 48 hours. In cooler weather it may take longer. Then add coats the same way. I always do 3 coats. Tung oil will darken over time.
I've coated lots of sticks w. tung. The toughness and water resistance has been the best.

The down side is the slow drying after multiple coats. During the winter months, I have to let sticks stand by windows to help set the oil in a few days instead of a week. Multiple coats add a yellow cast.

I've been using "teak" oil more. The blend I have is mostly BLO with added naphthol compounds. Lighter toned, faster drying, and it penetrates denser woods better.

For gloss, I finish w. a carnauba wax product, which buffs up almost glassy if the wood is smooth enough.
Winter curing is a bit of pain but Danish oil isn't to bad. But I prefer the lighter tone produced by Danish oil. its a case of sucking it and see what your preferences are
I use a mix of equal parts of BLO, spar varnish, and turpentine. It has the ease of application and the appearance of an oil finish but is much more durable.
Yes I agree that tung takes a lot longer to cure during this time of year. Danish is quite a bit quicker.
Thanks for all y'all opinion's knowing me I'll probably end up trying both.
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