re: Lets Talk "oil finishes"

We use MinWax Antique Oil. We use it because, unlike BLO and most oil finishes, it doesn’t expand as it dries. It’s incredibly aggravating to find a few thousand dollars worth of finished items ruined by small checks at the end of every exposed medullary ray. To test for expansion during drying just pour a small amount of finish in a dish and let it dry over night. If it wrinkles up, it’s an expanding finish. Look for one that dries smooth as glass.

We also want our finishes to be relatively permeable. Our products are designed to reach equilibrium as quickly as possible when relative humidity changes. We’re far more concerned about shape stability in our products than actual dimensional stability. We want to get core moisture content equal to surface moisture content as quickly as possible. MinWax Antique Oil allows for this very well yet still offers surface protection from hand oils and other grime.