Tried & True Danish finish?

[overland]

Has anyone used this finish from Lee Valley? It's advertised as polymerized linseed oil. It comes in several versions--plain linseed oil, mixed with beeswax and mixed with "natural-resin varnish." It's advertised as safer than regular boiled linseed oil with metal driers.

[Phil S.]

This guy wasn't impressed if it's the same stuff -

http://www.finewoodworking.com/2006/08/0...oil-review

[Arlin Eastman]

Had a friend who used it and he had to take all back off.  I do not remember what happened but now he will use either Deft or Watch Danish oil.  Me I like Deft Danish oil.

[Mark Allen]

I use it but it's important to follow the one instruction it gives you "apply in very thin layers". Yes, drying can be a problem with this stuff.

[Strokes77]

I recently started using it, and I love it.  Both the danish, and the original finish with wax in it.

If you apply it like regular oil, either BLO or Danish, you will be very very angry...  

However, literally 4 or 5 places on the can it says, "USE VERY TINY AMOUNTS". The goal is literally to use as little product as possible to cover the piece. If you follow the directions, it works great.  And a can of it can last a very long time.

I like to use 2 or 3 coats of danish, then 1-2 coats of original on top.

[paulmaine]

Fine Woodworking has an article in #152 (Oct 2005) about Tried and True.  It is said to be non-toxic and easily repaired. Author Christian Becksvoort from Maine is well respected regarding his many traditional furniture articles. 

Fine Woodworking has another article dated Aug 1, 2006 by Chris Minick  and he said it was "hard to apply, had no sheen, offered poor water resistance, and still hadn’t dried after 30 days. It was also more expensive than most."   
    The above info is from Fine Woodworking's website using its  article search capability.

I built an English Arts and Crafts End table from FWW .  It was made from Rock Maple and finished with Tried and True which was easy to use.  Water resistance was not tested. It would be unfair to compare T&T against some finishes such as lacquer.  T&T  repairs easily where a lacquer finish with a scratch is more difficult to repair but has water resistance.  It seems that many hobbyists and professional woodworkers use oil finishes.  Other professional woodworkers use specialists to finish their furniture or do it in house themselves. 

Remember that T&T is not toxic unlike most other finishes and that it is easy repair.   My understanding is that T&T has a linseed oil finish without using stuff like heavy metals. You might call T&T at 607-387-9280 for their take.Finishing furniture is one of those things where arguments go on forever.

[overland]

Should it be thinned?
I brought it up when I saw that Chris Schwarz uses "stand oil" to make a mixture of linseed oil and beewax for finishing. Stand oil is polymerized and refined linseed oil used by painters. It seems to me that Tried and True's polymerized linseed oil is probably pretty much the same thing. Theoretically, because it's polymerized it should dry more quickly, right? It's also said to be less prone to yellowing. But it's thicker, which leads me to ask the thinning question.

[JGrout]

should it be thinned

yes but not in the way you think. 

I was told to heat it up to around 100° then apply it per the instructions Thin and lots of coats 

I thought it worked very well once I knew this.

Joe

[AHill]

This guy wasn't impressed if it's the same stuff -

http://www.finewoodworking.com/2006/08/0...oil-review

Not the same.  He reviewed the T&T Varnish Oil.  T&T Danish Oil is just polymerized linseed oil with no additives.  No beeswax.  The T&T Original has the beeswax mixed in.  As such, given T&E Danish Oil is close to the same as BLO, and you need to allow plenty of time to cure.  IMO, if you want a linseed oil finish, just go to your local paint store or big box store and buy some BLO.  It's a lot cheaper.  BTW, linseed oil finishes offer very little scratch and water protection.  Looks nice.  If you have a figured wood, you may want to put on a thin coat of dewaxed shellac to prevent splotching.  Linseed oil soaks into the wood, and will cause blotching if the grain varies much.

[Strokes77]

Not the same.  He reviewed the T&T Varnish Oil.  T&T Danish Oil is just polymerized linseed oil with no additives.  No beeswax.  The T&T Original has the beeswax mixed in.  As such, given T&E Danish Oil is close to the same as BLO, and you need to allow plenty of time to cure.  IMO, if you want a linseed oil finish, just go to your local paint store or big box store and buy some BLO.  It's a lot cheaper.  BTW, linseed oil finishes offer very little scratch and water protection.  Looks nice.  If you have a figured wood, you may want to put on a thin coat of dewaxed shellac to prevent splotching.  Linseed oil soaks into the wood, and will cause blotching if the grain varies much.

Don't misread this post as to application.  T&T Danish might be "like" BLO... However, do not apply it as such.  With BLO I can pour it on the surface, rub it around, wipe off excess... This is guaranteed way to ruin a project with T&T... 

You literally apply a dab of this stuff across a whole panel. In doing so, a can of this stuff lasts forever.