doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com artist linseed VS BLO

Playing the stock finish roulette game and thought I give the Alkanet oil and slacum oil a go. Comments on which type of linseed you like and why would be greatly appreciated. In the past I have not been happy with my attempts at an oil finish. I'm going to try something similar to salopians slacum recipe. A fellow smith I know prefers artists oil, I see BLO often recommended as in salopians recipe. Thanks gents,
Steve

Only one man's opinion of course and well-worth what you're paying for it, but my experience with Peter's recipe has been that the key ingredients are the Venice turps as a drier and the carnauba as the build to a hardshell. Mine works so well that I can't help thinking any hardwre or paint store BL will work fine but considering the quantity of oil needed, I don't think a more highly-refined oil will break the piggy bank. I believe many of us are using "something similar". Recent report from Hansli in Texas states that he increases the proportion of carnauba. I am guilty of the same; accident on first batch for which I wished to halve the quantities but somehow weighed out 200gr. carnauba flakes on my scale rather than 100gr. I've made three other batches for friends and my favorite gun store clerk and stuck with the double dose of hard wax. I always include the original recipe from Salopian and tell my new Slacum convert that he can cut it with more linseed and min spirits if he wishes.

jack

Could you please post Salopian's formula. Thank you.

This is Dig Hadoke's recipe:

Boiled linseed oil – 16 oz
Spirits of turpentine – 2 oz
Carnauba wax – 200 gr
Venice turpentine - 2 teaspoonfuls
Mix together and heat until it simmers.

I'm looking to see what I have from Peter.

jack

somewhat later: Apologize for suggesting that I used a formula from Salopian. I actually use Small Bore's. Peter is a decent bloke and talking to him personally has obscured the real source of the mixology.

From Salopian in the same thread:

Here you go boys,
Purdey's London Finishing Oil
For Darkening, Filling & Polishing
All measures are in English (UK)
1/2 pint of Raw Linseed Oil
2 ozs of Plaster of Paris (Dental Quality)
1/2 fluid oz of Butter of antimony
1/2 Gill Spirits of Wine
2 teaspoons of Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Venice Turps.
You can leave out the Antimony if you don't want to darken the wood.
Leave out the Plaster if you don't need to fill the pores.
That's what is in Slacum Oil.


So you've got a grain filler and a swell poison in the Butter of antimony. And then in this same thread there was olive oil ot lube the final coat and I believe Peter suggested napthalene as a nice flasher-offer to me at the VC. Might be best to stick with Diggory to start.

jack

Preferred vinegar is one in which you pickle walnuts, ;-)

JC

Gentles,
My recipes are traditional London & Birmingham gunmakers recipes.Using modern ingredients should not do any harm at all.Artist's linseed obviously is more refined and if you are making personal amounts it has to be the way to go because the cost is relatively small.If you want a filling oil use the carnuabe and the plaster of paris.If you just want a smoooooooth finish just use the modified oil finish less the wax and silica.

Half the quantity of carnuba and make up the weight with pure beeswax and substitute terebene driers for turpentine for a varient.I tend to start with raw linseed thesedays.

Gill spirits of wine? will burgundy work? Just kidding. What in hell is it? Anything else work to darken the wood if you leave of the antimony butter?
Thanks a bunch. Between this and Alkanet root I should be busy a while.
Steve

Steve,

Spirits of wine is rectified Ethyle Alcohol.

A Gill (measure) is 1/4th of a pint or 5 fluid ounces.

Alkanet Root is classed as both a herb and also as a dye. Available from herbalists or other 'herb' outlets.

You could probable find all three with a web search.

Harry