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Thread: Walnut Oil

  1. #1
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    Walnut Oil

    Anyone ever used walnut oil in place of linseed or tung oil? What were you're impressions of it as a finish?

    Chris

  2. #2
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    Why would you use walnut oil as a finish? It never dries and has little or no protect to water or water vapor. Both linseed oil and tung oil are drying oils and will provide some very minimal level of protection.

    Some folks advocate walnut oil for a cutting board treatment but it may be a danger to someone who is allergic to nuts. Mineral oil is a better and totally inert treatment.
    Howie.........

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Howard Acheson View Post
    Why would you use walnut oil as a finish? It never dries and has little or no protect to water or water vapor. Both linseed oil and tung oil are drying oils and will provide some very minimal level of protection.

    Some folks advocate walnut oil for a cutting board treatment but it may be a danger to someone who is allergic to nuts. Mineral oil is a better and totally inert treatment.
    Howard - Have you actually used walnut oil? I am under the impression that it is fact a drying oil.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLKM8...layer_embedded

    As for protection, if it is a drying oil, why would it be any more minimal than linseed or tung oils?

    Chris

  4. #4
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    You are right Chris walnut is a "drying oil". Here is a link on the subject worthy of a bookmark : http://www.cad-red.com/mt2/oil.html
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  5. #5
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    Feb 2012
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    Interesting read. From what I can tell from the above video link, the walnut oil referenced is refined such that the proteins are removed from it. Wonder if this helps with the tendency for walnut oil to go rancid.

    Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Murdoch View Post
    You are right Chris walnut is a "drying oil". Here is a link on the subject worthy of a bookmark : http://www.cad-red.com/mt2/oil.html

  6. #6
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    Feb 2003
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    Yorktown, VA
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    Mike Mahoney, a famous wood turner, markets a Mahoney's Utility Finish that is polymerized walnut oil. I use it on turnings and it dries very nicely. Have never had any issues with rancid using this finish. I did have problems once when i tried grocery store walnut oil. I turned rancid and never dried. I won't do that again . The polymerization process is also reputed to destroy the enzymes that cause nut allergies.

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