That is my reading as well, but I have noticed that the 'flexner card' gets played often by those who are debunking the usefulness of linseed oil in gunstock finishes.
My guess is that some folks don't actually get past page 75 where he says, 'Of all finishes except wax, linseed oil is the least protective.'
But then on page 77, he goes on to say polymerized oils (tung or linseed) do indeed give protection and a pleasing finish, and that linseed gives a better feel and quicker working timev compared to tung oil.
Page 78-79 goes further suggesting that 'When varnish [oil + resin] is built up, it protects the wood from all but the most severe scratches, and it forms an excellent barrier against stains, water, and water-vapor exchange.'
What most would describe as slakum, seems to be what Flexner would refer to as varnish, wiping varnish, or oil/varnish blend. All of these would have increased protection over simple BLO, which Flexner says 'works superbly' for gunstocks.
I opened the Flexner book expecting to learn that my interest in slakum was romantic nonsense. I found, instead, that an actual 'cover to cover' reading of the chapter on oils, is in no way an argument against the old finishes.
So I'm wondering if there are some here who are reading Flexner differently, since he seems to be invoked regularly by those pronouncing the old linseed finishes to be obsolete.
Last edited by Woodreaux; 05/23/20 01:45 PM. Reason: Spelling and additional paragraph
