Natura wipe on finishing oils Home Brew vs Comercially bought

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1st August 2017, 11:49 AM
Kate84TS

Natura wipe on finishing oils Home Brew vs Comercially bought

Hi All,

I am a cabinet maker and furniture make looking for a good eco friendly wipe on finishing oil and was wondering what the best options out there are that don't cost the earth. I currently use Feast Watson carnauba wax for interior work but I really would like a better wipe on oil/wax finish.

I am looking for something that can be used indoors as well as outdoors mainly for axe, hammer and other tool handles. I have used linseed and turpentine for years but want something finer for indoor use. I have considered making up my own home brew using natural oils. However I would prefer not to have to spend the time when having to make more or get more oils.

If anyone could recommend a good commercially available oil (Sikkens or Ploxy oils?) That I can get by the 1 liter or 4 Liter can that would be fantastic.

Or alternatively would any be willing to share their secret home brew oil recipe with me as I am looking and going down that path for wax finishes.

regards Kate
2nd August 2017, 10:46 PM
markharrison

I have used Organoil before on furniture and it really is very nice but I recently bought a small bottle of Kunos to try. I don't think I will ever use anything else again!
3rd August 2017, 09:00 AM
Christos

You can mix your own similar to the Sam Maloof blend 1/3 Tung oil, 1/3 thinner and 1/3 varnish. As Tung oil can be quite expensive you might want to try replacing that with boiled Linseed oil.
4th August 2017, 11:34 PM
ian

what I don't get is the desire to use a "natural" oil, especially as according to the MSDS, Feast Watson's carnauba wax is not really "eco friendly". e.g. "Very toxic to aquatic organisms."

Does "natural" equate to a vegetable oil with no organic or petroleum solvent and no dryers? In which case I know of no commercial product with anything approaching an economically reasonable (i.e. shortish) drying time.
12th August 2017, 11:00 AM
AngelaPetruzzi

 That is a very good question Ian and asked by many. What is natural??? ..and the best way of knowing is to have a full ingredient disclosure.

The classification of Natural, Organic and Eco Coatings comprises of products that contain over 90% of renewable and sustainable plant or nature derived components. These include vegetable oils (e.g. soy, tung, linseed, stand, orange, flax, jojoba, etc), natural resins and rosins and natural wax e.g. Beeswax, carnauba, and candelilla).
Whilst many ingredients are toxic to the water environment, these do not really end up in the water ways, but it must be stated on MSDSs

Depending on whatever your project is, yes, the drying time is “extended” with natural products but this is due usually to no synthetic drying agents.
One may need to prioritise their reasons for using a particular product or not. Is it for looks, health, sustainability, economical, easy to repair, layer forming, penetrating….or a quick fix?
21st August 2017, 02:08 PM
Kate84TS

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelaPetruzzi

 That is a very good question Ian and asked by many. What is natural??? ..and the best way of knowing is to have a full ingredient disclosure.

The classification of Natural, Organic and Eco Coatings comprises of products that contain over 90% of renewable and sustainable plant or nature derived components. These include vegetable oils (e.g. soy, tung, linseed, stand, orange, flax, jojoba, etc), natural resins and rosins and natural wax e.g. Beeswax, carnauba, and candelilla).
Whilst many ingredients are toxic to the water environment, these do not really end up in the water ways, but it must be stated on MSDSs

Depending on whatever your project is, yes, the drying time is “extended” with natural products but this is due usually to no synthetic drying agents.
One may need to prioritise their reasons for using a particular product or not. Is it for looks, health, sustainability, economical, easy to repair, layer forming, penetrating….or a quick fix?



For me it comes down to the ingredients as well as the process used to make the final "oil" if you are placing synthetic drying agents and blended oils that are produced in large refineries then which in turn produce a large carbon footprint. Then I would not say that you are using an "eco friendly" oil or finish. After all most manufactures use less and less of the quality ingredients such as Tung oil or linseed oil thus replacing it with synthetic drying agents and blended oils as it saves money and keep profit margins up.

We also have to look at where the natural ingredients are coming form are they from plantations or harvested from forests? As the consumers we drive the market. For me its the bigger picture as I want future generations to have the same natural resources I have access to today.
22nd August 2017, 10:23 AM
AngelaPetruzzi

Well said Kate. Unfortunately not many manufactures list their ingredient or if they do, not 100% of them. Understandably making it difficult to read in between the lines.
23rd August 2017, 05:13 AM
fubar

try out the the Livos range(Kunos is but one)they do sample pots. strip or rehandle some of your own hand tools and try it out, I did and now use them pretty much on all the gear I make and sell.