Oak and Danish Oil, final steps query

[Ironballs]

I'm oiling my latest project, which is made from quartersawn oak, I'm 4 coats in now and plan to go to 6. My thought was to borrow from some finishing by Kevin Ley I saw in F&C when he was doing one of his many elm projects, he was doing his cutting back with sandpaper lubricated with Daniish Oil. The theory being that this would cut the surface back gently and the slurry would help fill any remaining holes or pores whilst the bulk is wiped off.

I plan to do this with coat number 5 and then finish with number 6. Is my plan sound or will the oil and paper look like rubbish and ruin the finish?

Ta muchly

Damian

 

[Philly]

I've done this before - makes a difference and leaves the the finish much smoother and filled.
Go for it!
Philly

 

[woodbloke]

Damian, not tried that before but sounds like a good plan. What's the project and when do we see picis? - Rob

 

[Sgian Dubh]

... he was doing his cutting back with sandpaper lubricated with Daniish Oil. The theory being that this would cut the surface back gently and the slurry would help fill any remaining holes or pores whilst the bulk is wiped off.
Damian

You don't have to use wet and dry paper for this technique. A fine nylon abrasive pad will do a similar job. The fine pads are grey or white. One factor to be aware of is that pore filling this way looks effective and level at first, but quite often the Danish oil and the rather hypothetical slurry of wood dust 'filler' sinks over time-- if you really want a slurry of Danish oil and wood dust to fill pores it makes more sense to use this technique during the first application, ie, over the bare wood with something like 240 grit wet and dry paper, and perhaps again on the second application.

Similar end results are achievable with wipe on varnish, which is basically regular varnish thinned about 50% with white spirits so that it's manageable with a rag or abrasive nylon pad. Again though, you might get some sinking in the pores weeks or months later when all the solvents eventaully evaporate. It can take a long time for oil based finishes to properly cure. Slainte.

 

[Ironballs]

Thanks all, I'll give it a go. The Kevin Ley project I was referring to was in F&C 145 (Oct 08 ), just looked it up, and he does as you say Richard and applies the first coat with 320 grit paper - should have read it first!

If it needs touching up over time then I can easily do so. The project is the Stickley Chair Rob, I'll get a couple of photos up of latest progress before it goes to the upholsterer next week