Exterior timber finishing

[Guest 000]

Since I no longer have a boat in NZ we have gone back to kayaking and I have resurrected my interest (my wife calks it a fetish) in building Greenland style paddles which, as everybody knows, is the only proper way to propel a kayak and besides it makes you look just so cool...

This brings up the question of finishing the paddles and it also applies to bright work on boats.

Varnish is a pain in the bum and can be discounted unless you like scraping and sanding, Sikkins is ok if you're a fan of the yellow plasticky look so all that's left is timber au-naturel or some of the various other finishes peddled at chandleries at huge expense.

So I've gone back to the good old Linseed oil.

Linseed oil has a bad rap because of the perception that it takes forever to dry and is just sooo last century. True, linseed oil takes a long time to dry but boiled linseed oil doesn't, although why it's called boiled I don't know - boiled linseed oil is'nt boiled at all but is so named because it has additives (cobalt?) to promote drying.

Brush it on, leave for 20 minutes, wipe off, and that's it, more or less. I have always used the old furniture makers system of coats - one a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year (thereafter). This nay sound like a lot of work but it is'nt. There is no prep work other than the initial preparation of the timber required although the timber may appreciate a quick whizz over with 0000 grade steel wool between coats.

Linseed oil is denoted a drying oil in that it polymerises with oxygen, penetrates deeply, is reasonably waterproof, nourishes the timber thereby preventing checking, enhances the grain and gives a smooth satin finish.

And it's only 15 bucks a litre.

Here's how it looks on my current paddle that has had a bit of use already.

[Fish 0]

Nice.

I do like a solution thats been tested by time. You don't have to try and interpret the BS in the marketing material to infer what it may or may not do, and old stuff is usually either off patent, or isn't a trade secret anymore, so is as cheap as chips.

I might draw the line at stockholm tar though...

[Guest 000]

I do like a good bit of detailing hence I'm loving those blade ends.

Thank you.

The paddle is Totara and the protective blade ends are white Oak - an old breadboard given me by my neighbour. And so hard that a new blade in the jigsaw was smoking when I cut it. Linseed oil still penetrated it though.

[Island Time 1,234]

Hi Chris, I've never used a Greenland paddle.

I've a flash carbon one, but timber really appeals.

How much to get you to make one of those? Ideally a split version, so they can be transported in the kayak...

[ScottiE 174]

Chris - have you tried these guys for linseed oil pricing. I use them all the time for my bulk chemical requirements.

 

http://www.tmkpackers.co.nz/index.php/site/product/boiled_linseed_oil

[Guest 000]

Thanks for the link ScottiE.

I don't use much Linseed oil so am buying from Bumblings which is just down the road. A lot of good info on that link, though. I might see if they can supply me with Tung oil which is quite a bit more expensive and harder to get. I'm told it is slightly more waterproof, penetrates a bit deeper into the timber and gives a very beautiful and more glossy finish. There's a local chap here in Whangamata using it on his Townsend 32 with stunning results.

[Guest 000]

And for what it's worth, this is a modified Tung Oil finish on a Teak/Blackbean walking stick I made 20 years ago. Still showing a good gloss and I wish I could remember what the Tung oil product was.