Polishing cast iron tops

[Deadeye]

What do you use? I searched the forum but can't separate out the polish questions about wood finishes from those about making my planer/thicknesser work!

 

[Jacob]

You don't need polish but you may need to clean off resin etc - white spirit and wire wool. When dry, scribble with a candle.

 

[custard]

https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-m ... x-ax957553

 

[sunnybob]

This could end up as a circular discussion.
I asked axminster for advice on cast iron tables. i was told that in store they spray with camelia oil, NOT their machine wax.

I am one of the few people that seem to be happy with the camelia oil.
you pays yer money and you takes yer chances.

 

[Rorschach]

I scrape any muck off with a razor blade, wipe down with whatever solvent to hand and then put on some renaissance wax. Do that about once or twice a year, depending on what I have been up to. Zero rust on my tables and a nice patina is the only thing to show they are not brand new.

 

[Jacob]

Camellia oil derives from fantasy woodwork: somebody spotted that Japanese samurai do their swords in camellia oil ( don't know if this is true) and this sparked off a slightly silly and expensive fashion.
Candle wax is best (just a quick squiggle) and one candle will last about 10 years

 

[sunnybob]

Jacob, where ya bin? I havent had a good larf for ages.

I USE camelia oil. It WORKS. Aint no fantasy about that.

Of course, other options are available.

And thats a use for candles that I havent heard before. :shock: :lol:

 

[Bm101]

Candles are a bit exotic tbh Jacob. One of these modern fads catching out new woodworkers. No offence.
It's actually far more traditional to just hang a garland of freshly cut pine branches above the door of your workshop then on the first full moon after the summer solstice slaughter a white foal and drink it's blood. Take the form of Cernunoss and dance round a fire 3 times. It's (obviously) important to dance widddershins round the fire because otherwise the resin from the pine branches won't otherwise magically transmutate by the power of the Old Gods into a protective layer for your tools and rust can still be an issue. Then you'll have to be fart-arsing about sacrificing virgins ( a real PITA to find where I live) and stuff to Govannon (basically the god of metalworking, blacksmithing and all that sort of malarkey) to try and make up for messing it up in the first place.
DAMHIKT.
Remember now, it's widdershins or it's all that effort for nothing and you might as well go and buy that cheap modern rubbish that Custard mentioned for a couple of quid that has great reviews in what, the second reply to the thread and doesn't even pretend to be magical. Sheesh.
Cheers now.
Chris

 

[givusaclue]

liberon lubricating wax is what i use, works fine for me

 

[Tasky]

somebody spotted that Japanese samurai do their swords in camellia oil ( don't know if this is true) and this sparked off a slightly silly and expensive fashion.

It is not true.
No more than the modern idea of "traditional" folded Damascus steel from Japan (not Syria, where Damascus is) being the best steel for ultra-sharp Lakeland kitchen knives... not that properly folded Japanese steel is anything like Damascus steel, anyway.

The traditional option is Choji oil, a combination of mineral oil and clove oil, which is why the Samurai were such fragrant killers... or was that supposed to be flagrant? :lol:

Either way, I understand camellia oil is quite acidic, which is the absolute last thing you want on your sword blade, especially if you're into shiny etched folded steel ones.

liberon lubricating wax is what i use, works fine for me

^ Likewise. I read about it here:
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/how-tos/mi ... ables.html