For a very long time, I've recommended here and on other forums the use of Thompson's Water Seal on oil-finished gunstocks for protection afield from wet conditions. No more. The product I had been using was an older can of the solvent-based version, very thin, clear as water and very distinctive odor. It worked really well.

But I used the last of it recently, and bought a new gallon can of TWS. It doesn't remotely resemble the old product. It's a milky, icky product that has a weird, sticky consistency that cannot be thinned or removed with mineral spirits like the old product, needing acetone-based solvent for thinning or removal from brushes or whatever. I also see they have a more "environmentally friendly" green label product that is probably even worse.

Stay away.
JR

Sounds like you got the same crap we have been forced to try to use in CA for the last few years (probably more than 20 years now). It's completely worthless for anything other than brick pavers and not even very good for that. I have two buckets of the old stuff that I have been hoarding for special projects.

John, an idea is to go on ebay and watch for a gallon of the old stuff.

SRH

I intend on doing just that, Stan.
JR

I thought the old version contained soubean oil. Was going to mix some up with gasoline just to experiment with it on my deck, but never did.

I also fell prey to the new stuff by painting and entire deck surrounding my pool with it. Looked good. For about a month. It did not last a year before 99% of it was gone, washed away by rain or dried and blown away by wind. Worthless.

I ran into the same problems with the water based version of Olympic brand sealer.

I have a 5 gallon can!!!!
I dont use the stuff.

Any decent paste wax will provide as good a water seal as anything. Cheap, easy to renew, works on metal too, and looks great.
what's not to like? Why bother with anything else