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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/finish on 60's rosewood furniture

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Expert: - 11/30/2009


Question
I have a high end 60'sdanish rosewood dining set. I assume that it has a hand rubbed oil finish. How can I tell?

John

Answer
Hi John, typically almost all of this furniture is finished with a "Danish" oil type finish, which are drying oil resins, phenolics and driers, that produce a hard, varnish like finish that penetrates the wood, so you'll see the grain clearly, and it won't look like the finish is sitting on "top" of the wood the way a film finish does....often they can be restored/renewed by sinply cleaning with some 0000 steel wool and mineral spirits, and if all looks well when wet with that, you can simply apply a new coat or two of a good oil finish after the mineral spirits dries. Watco brand is available with color in it as well, and the light or Medium Walnut is usually a good color for Teak furniture but I prefer the Waterlox modified Tung oil finish if a color isn't required....it's a bit tougher and won't waterspot as easily as the Watco. A few coats of either will produce a Satin, hand rubbed looking finish with little effort. If the table is marked, stained, or otherwise damaged, you'll have to chemically strip the Teak surface, and refinish. Be very careful about ANY sanding as much of this furniture is veneered, and very hard to tell if it is as well, and it's easy to sand through the veneer, ruining the piece. Hope that helps- regards- Greg

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000767/1616/Watco-Danish-Oil--Medium-Walnut--P...

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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