Formby’s tung oil substitutes?

[Kmcmichael]

Chambers sells a good tung pil finish
Kibler sells some sort of finish I hear works well, but I have never used it.
I haven't been able to find formbys for years.

I’ve used Chambers oil for the 5 guns I’ve made. I like it but it seems to go bad quickly. I only seem to do one gun at a time. I’ve sealed it upside down and filled it with marbles. I have also stored it in my garage in Dallas? I just got some and will likely give 10 coats to the gun and the rest I will use on shovel handles.

It would be nice to have a finish readily available for smaller projects etc.

 

[Cvkotvkse]

Have used tung oil on wood arrows and bows for decades. The Minwax tung oil finish, which (last time I bought any) was already thinned with mineral spirits, was always recommended by friends in the furniture repair/restoration business over 100% tung oil, as the pure stuff does not penetrate nearly as well, and takes MUCH longer to dry here in the humid Southeast. NOONE in that profession has ever told me they use or recommend pure tung oil; everyone either has their own tung oil/mineral spirits ratio they mix themselves, or their preferred commercially-prepared product.
While tung-oil finishes/varnisĥes have been used in Asia for centuries, do we have any evidence or documentation of its use by eighteenth or early nineteenth century stockers or gunmakers?

 

[springfield art]

I see Tung Oil at Home' Despot' all the time in the Paint Dep't.

 

[Bobalou]

For your consideration, I have been pleased with the results.

https://www.realmilkpaint.com/shop/oils/half-and-half/

 

[Bucolic Buffalo]

Watch the videos at Sutherland Welles if you go that way. One describes making the different lusters they sell from the high luster finish. Simply the amount of their citrus based thinner added to the product. Sealer, Low Luster, Medium Luster all easily made. I did this and store it in those finish saver bags.

I have the Sutherland Welles product on-hand because it's what we used on our antique heartpine flooring. Which we are not yet done putting down.

They do offer other finishes that I have not used. I've only used the main product. Like all finishes, give it plenty of time to dry and harden.

 

[Scota@4570]

https://www.amazon.com/Bloxygen-Pre...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584001431656545&psc=1
This stuff is Argon. IT it heavier than air and non reactive. It insulates unused finish from oxygen. Just spray a short burst and close the lid.

I have found, over decades, that no polymerizing finish has any properties that are significantly superior than others. The various oils take a long time to "dry" and you end up with a varnish type of thing anyway. I sanded the wood and oil together to make mud and fill the grain. This works out with walnut. IT does take forever

With maple you need to work with an on the wood finish because the stain is on the wood. You can not make sanding mud to fill the grain. Maple is not open pored anyway. Soaking the wood with oils has not produced any effect I find desirable. So I do what I do based on experience. I am results oriented. The thinned commercial varnish dries fast and penetrates deep. Applied in very thin coats it never drips. It does not build up on the surface in a noticeable way. Many original long rifles were finished in varnish. They were results oriented too.

If a guy has no time constraints experiment and have fun.

These two stocks are done as I described with the thinned varnish and japan dryer.

 

[BadDaditood]

I just started using Tried and True varnish.
I like it because it’s not glossy and it actually dries by the clock, not calendar!

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Tried and True varnish oil mixed with equal amount of gum Turpentine works great for me.