finish drying very slow

[Zahid Naqvi]

If you sometimes venture towards the neanderthal side you might have seen a thread I started about a month ago where I am trying to rehab about 4 back saws. The project is at it's end, well almost. I am using, what looks like, Bocote(was sold as Cocobolo) for handles. My go to finish is the Jeff Jewitt brew (1 part naphtha, 1 part Poly, 1/3 part BLO). Typically I am able to put two coats a day and even more in dry hot weather. But on this wood even the wiped on finish is taking more than 24 hours for each coat to dry. The wood has a high oil content, something I discovered while planing and I neglected to clean/dry the surface with mineral spirits or alcohol. Now that I already have about 2 coats of this brew, which contains poly, I don't suppose I have any other option but to wait it out. With poly included in the mix I can't just wipe it off.
Just checking it there is anything I can do to speed up the curing process.

[Scott Holmes]

If it's not drying why can't you wipe it off? Use naptha and synthetic steel wool to remove the non drying finish.

[Zahid Naqvi]

the problem is I already have a first coat that's dried out, took about 2 days. The finish is not wet but I can still see finger prints if I press slightly hard. I guess I should have asked what next. Let's say I wipe it off and get it as clean as I can what other finish options do I have, go straight to poly?

[Scott Holmes]

Poly will have more troulbe sticking than any other varnish out there.

In general oily woods don't do well with oil/varnish blend finishes. The oil in the wood reacts with the oil in the finish and trouble is possible. On oily wood I like a light coat of super blonde de-waxed shellac and then a light coat of satin finish. I don't usually sand tool handles much past 100; that way they are easier to hold on to without losing you grip.

Another option - wipe it down with lacquer thinner and wipe on some varnish.

[Zahid Naqvi]

maybe I should just stick with Shellac and build a few coats after a good cleanup with lacquer thinner.

[Harvey Pascoe]

I agree with Scott. You'd best dip the handles in lacquer thinner to soften it up and take it all off as you will end up with poor adhesion and it will never cure properly. Plus, the thinner will remove the oil and give you a better base to start. Seal first with two coats of shellac. After that you should have no problem.

I've never had a problem with Bocote and oil based finishes. Bocote is yellow/black variegated and hard to misidentify. If the wood is dark red-brown its most likely cocobolo which absolutely must be washed in lacquer thinner and sealed with shellac.

Note: there is a differnce between woods that are oily and those that contain a resin. Teak is oily and has no problem with varnish drying, the oil does not interfere. Resin is not oil and is a different matter. Most rosewoods contain a resin that permanently inhibits oil based finishes from curing. Bocote is oily, cocobolo is a rosewood.

[Howard Acheson]

The wood you used contains an oil that reacts with an oil based finish (the poly varnish in your brew). It impedes and, most times, actually prevents the curing process. Oil based finishes will not fully cure properly.

You have a couple of choices. One is to use a waterborne, shellac or a lacquer finish after wiping down the surface with lacquer thinner or acetone. The second is to first apply a barrier coat of shellac and then a couple of coats of an oil based film finish.

Shellac alone would not be a good choice. Perspiration from hands will rapidly soften and deteriorate the shellac. Waterborne finish does not stand up well to perspiration either.

Finally, you will have to give up on your oil/varnish mixture. It is intended to be a penetrating finish. Any of the above choices will seal the surface of the wood preventing the penetration and absorption of the finish of an oil/vanrish mixture finish. In addition, the oils in your wood will attack the poly varnish component in your "brew".

[Zahid Naqvi]

I think I have a brush-on lacquer some where, if not the borgs sell lacquer (Deft if I remember correctly) in a can which I have used previously with good results.

[Harvey Pascoe]

The oils and acids produced by human skin is very unfriendly to all finishes. I've run into this problem on mahogany boats where parts that get a great deal of handling, that when trying to refinish these parts the finish doesn't dry after taking down to bare wood, an even if it does, it doesn't hold. These oils and acids go deep into the grain and the way we got it out was scrub it with lacquer thinner and steel wool. It occurred to me that your handles might have this problem.

[dave toney]

I have refinished a lot of furniture, all kinds of oils and waxes get in the wood (don't get me started on furniture polishes and waxes).
One tip that may work, take a soapy rag and wring it out, wipe over the tacky finish very gently, follow with a rag with clean water, also wrung out, again wiping with very little pressure, wipe dry.
Sometimes a film will form on the surface of the first coat from the oils in the wood, it forms a barrier that both keeps air from contacting the surface and the chemical reaction needed to cure.
It doesn't always work, but I am always surprised at how often tacky spots will dry, often within a few minutes, anyway, it is always worth a try.

[Harvey Pascoe]

I have refinished a lot of furniture, all kinds of oils and waxes get in the wood (don't get me started on furniture polishes and waxes).
One tip that may work, take a soapy rag and wring it out, wipe over the tacky finish very gently, follow with a rag with clean water, also wrung out, again wiping with very little pressure, wipe dry.
Sometimes a film will form on the surface of the first coat from the oils in the wood, it forms a barrier that both keeps air from contacting the surface and the chemical reaction needed to cure.
It doesn't always work, but I am always surprised at how often tacky spots will dry, often within a few minutes, anyway, it is always worth a try.

Are you talking about after one applies an oil base finish? I do varnish on cocobolo a lot, which is always washed in lacquer thinner and sealed with shellac. But all too frequently in sanding between coats, no matter how careful, I usually end up cutting thru to bare wood on corners with predictable results - sticky spots. I then have to clean it off with solvent, recoat with shellac and start again.

[dave toney]

I have used this method with lacquer and varnish.
I don't know if it would work with an oil finish.
The foreman of the finishing room at a furniture factory that I used to work at gave me this tip about 30 years ago.

[Zahid Naqvi]

I cleaned out the old finish using lacquer thinner. The wood looked visibly drier. After a couple days of sitting in my 90+ degree garage I applied two coats of shellac (1# cut) followed by Deft clear wood finish (I think it is lacquer). The resulting finish dried very quickly and has hardened within 24 hrs. I am sure it will cure some more over the next few days. Thanks for all the help guys