Most of all the trade secret finishes had linseed oil in them.
A good mixture is 1/3 linseed oil, 1/3 spar varnish and 1/3 mineral spirits. You can also do 1/3 tung oil (pure) not Minwax or Formby's, 1/3 linseed oil, 1/3 mineral spirits. Want a harder finish use more varnish (tung oil or spar varnish.
The better linseed oil to buy is Flax Seed Oil sold in Walmart, stores like that that have vitamins, etc. There are no additives to it.
Put on thin enough, by the next day it should be tack free.
Spar varnish alone takes up to 3 months or longer to thoroughly cure. I used this for refinishing bamboo fly rods.
Last edited by JDW; 08/09/16 06:01 PM.
