To add a little more to this topic, I order Bartley wipe on varnish from the US via
http://store.yahoo.com/kilian/barpasvar.htmlsee (
http://www.bartleycollection.com/finish.htm) a half pint pot of the varnish is 6$ and I just ordered 5 at a postage cost of 20$. And with the $ to euro rate being so good at the moment, it seems pretty good to me
Because it is flammable it has to be sent parcel post (sea) and therefore takes 5-6 weeks to get here, but I've enough left of the previous order to last.
I used to work in the US and got to know this product there, they also make Gel stains which are also good (at least the cherry one which I also used there). I do not know if these are the ones his Normness uses as I did not have a TV in the US (a rarity I can tell you) and Norm isn't on over here in NL. Only seem him a couple of times at my parents on visits home with the kids!
Bartley make very expensive kits for woodworkers. A friend of mine in Texas with no furniture making skills made a Queen Anne Highboy from them in Tiger Maple, it cost him 2 grand for the kit, but was beautiful. Of course being a hobby designer maker i was not impressed with such laziness, but hey I'll never be able to make such nice legs or shell carvings like the ones he bought!
http://www.bartleycollection.com/chests.htm
