Mahoney's Walnut Oil

[montmill]

Has anyone mixed Mahoney's walnut oil with pens plus? Thinking about trying pens plus but have a lot of Mahoney's walnut oil that I've used on bowls.

 

[monophoto]

David

I haven't tried it. But let me ask the obvious question - - - why?

I know that adding oil to a commercial solvent based varnish results is a mixture that cures to form a slightly softer finish than straight varnish with whatever oil/solid ratio the maker has chosen. So I presume the same would be true for a friction polish.

But your question reminds me of something. There has been a lot of discussion about friction polishes in general being a mixture of an oil, a finish such as shellac, and the corresponding solvent. But there is turner out in California who has made a number of YouTube videos in which he used shop-made friction polishes consisting of a mixture of shellac and either a commercial 'food safe' bowl finish, or a commercial orange oil and wax finish.

I just looked up the commercial description of Pens Plus; it is sold as a friction polish containing walnut oil, shellac, DNA, and microcrystalline wax in some proportions.

So I think you could add more walnut oil, but I suspect the result would be to produce a solution that cures to a slightly softer finish that the original product. Or you could experiment with applying a coat of pure walnut oil, allowing it to cure, buffing slightly with either 4/0 steel wool or a gray scruffie, and then apply Pen's Plus Friction Polish as a top coat.

I use a lot of Tung Oil, and I've applied it straight from the bottle, or thinned with turpentine. Then, after the oil has cured, I've applied a friction polish over the oil as a protective finish. The Tung Oil tends to darken the wood slightly, giving it more character. One of the characteristics of walnut oil is that it doesn't darken wood nearly as much as Tung Oil, and of course, BLO is known for being even darker.

Why don't you experiment and let us know your results.

 

[egnald]

Greetings from Nebraska.

Although I have not used Mahoney's walnut oil, according to what I have read about it (WoodCraft), it is a food safe filtered 100% pure walnut oil. I am pretty sure that the Doctor's WoodShop Walnut Finishing Oil is also 100% Walnut oil as it is food safe too. Mike Meredith, the doctor at Doctor's WoodShop, uses it as a sanding lubricant before applying his Pens Plus finish (which I understand is Walnut Oil, Shellac, and his synthetic microcrystal wax.

Here is a link to Mike's Video: Doctor's Woodshop Pens Plus

So, I would say - most likely yes, Mahoney's Walnut Oil should work very well with Doctor's WoodShop Pens Plus.

Regards,
Dave

 

[MedWoodWorx]

Has anyone mixed Mahoney's walnut oil with pens plus? Thinking about trying pens plus but have a lot of Mahoney's walnut oil that I've used on bowls.

i don't think it's a good idea since it would change the PP recipe, why not use it when sanding and then use the PP as a finish? Pens plus contains wax,shellac and walnut oil in a determined ratio so that a film is formed; adding more oil would make the finish less potent IMHO, cheers

 

[montmill]

Thank you for your replies. I was thinking of using Mahoney's on the initial sanding aspects and finishing with Pens Plus. I've done that successfully with Mahoney's oil, finishing with walnut oil/carnauba wax and shellac finish on bowls. Just thought if anyone had done it I wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel.

 

[DrD]

I really like the results I get using Mahoney's for wet sanding from 220 thru the last Micromesh, 12000 I think. After a final wipe dowm, I apply 3 to 5 coats of Pens Plus, and follow that with a couple of applications of Ren Wax.

DrD

 

[penicillin]

Many commercial friction polishes do not contain oil. A common formulation is alcohol, shellac, and one or more kinds of wax.

 

[montmill]

I really like the results I get using Mahoney's for wet sanding from 220 thru the last Micromesh, 12000 I think. After a final wipe dowm, I apply 3 to 5 coats of Pens Plus, and follow that with a couple of applications of Ren Wax.

DrD

Thank you sir, just what I'd hoped for.