# Advice on finishing black walnut



## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Here's the scoop. I'm going to build a 7'x3'x14" book case out of black walnut 5/4 stock I get from a local guy who has a mill and a kiln.

I'm working on the finish before I start the piece because as we all know, finishing is 90% of the job.

I'm trying to get the most professional look as I can on this walnut.

I've been investing in Danish oil and have taken a piece of the walnut and sanded it to 320 and used Golden Oad, Red Mahogany, and natural danish oil on it and have decided that I like the Golden Oak tone best, and the natural second best.

My problem is that some parts of the wood look like they've blotched. 
Should I use Charles Niel's pre color conditioner on them?

What do you think.

Bear in mind, I'm going with the danish oil and not anything else except wax after it's done, so don't recomend some esoteric brand of stain or whatever, I'll try that next time. My mind is made up that Danish oil makes for a finish that appeals to me.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Personally, I use *'Natural'* Danish Oil one on Black Walnut all the time(most recently in class just last night). It looks very professional. I also have an aversion to coloring wood, although I do it from time to time, but mainly with bright transtint dyes. I use Watco.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Golden oak on walnut, I'm curious what it looks like. Can you post a picture?

I haven't tried a tinted oil on walnut but I have stained sapwood without problem. If you're getting blotching then a conditioner would be the ticket.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Wormil, I don't think a picture would capture the subtle difference. In walnut there is a confluence of medium to dark browns in the wood. The golden oak lightens up the lightest browns but doesn't really do anything to the darker. It increases the parameters of the color spectrum. The red does the same only a slight red tint remains and the board is generally darker. The natural works for me too, but I need to keep it from blotching. I didn't think Walnut blotched.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

BTW, for the class, I often just sand up to 150 and quit. Sometimes to 180, rarely to 220. I NEVER go past 220. I've never had blotching on Walnut.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Good point, I've never sanded walnut past 220 either. Could be the extra sanding is impeding absorption of the oil.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

I don't have near the experience with this kind of wood, but I would nearly always vote for natural


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

Ditto, Rance. Never blotched walnut and I always use natural color on black walnut…though not a big deal using something different.

Bookcases can get beat up a bit. You sure you don't want something over the Watco? It's really not that much protection from scratches.

Are you sure the blotchiness you are seeing isn't just some chatoyance? That's my favorite aspect of that wood. If it is blotching, then yes, use some pre-conditioner or seat-coat shellac…I'd just be careful with the amount, else the oil can't do its job.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

If you've sanded to 320, that would keep it from absorbing and, therefore, prevent blotching. Though perhaps its just that some areas are not absorbing at all.

I'd use a scraper instead of an abrasive….or at least as a final go-over. Bookcases are easy in that way.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Here are a few examples of the blotching.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Nice figured walnut, the photo doesn't show the blotching like I thought it might, I can't really see it clearly.

I have never tried anything else other than a clear coat on walnut, but the photos do make the color look good.

All the best!


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

Not seeing the blotching either. That 3rd picture looks like chatoyance to me. Lightly sand that back with 150 to 180 (or better yet scrape it) and apply more of the Watco. See what happens.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Cosmic, I don't think he planes them. I have a planer that I need to set up and I plan to plane and joint every board, so maybe that will make the difference. I just sanded the kerf marks out of it without anything else.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

Oh, I'd bet that's the issue.

Sandpaper is one of those things I am learning to do without. I use my hand planes and scraper for the majority of my prep work now. I save the sand paper for plywood and finish work (between coats). I'll also use it on end grain if I worry about too much absorption.

I'd do some test boards after running them down with a good No. 4 plane or a scraper.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I wonder if I wait for the oil to cure if that blotch will go away.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

It won't.

If you have more testing wood, try applying the same finish to differently prepped boards. It'll be very instructional.


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## oldworld124 (Mar 2, 2008)

From the photos it looks like you are confusing blotching with figured wood. You have a lot of figure in those boards and they show up when a finish is applied.

Unless the actual blotching does not show up in the photos you posted.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm with John. That looks like some NICE figured walnut with an oil finish. Walnut with grain/figure like yours will always show color variations like I see in your pics. If you hate it, I would love to have it!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Another thought, it could be a few spots are absorbing oil faster and are just dry and dull.

I couldn't see blotching in the pics either.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

@gfadvm @wormil after a few hours the blotch seemed to mellow out some. I'm going to pay more attention to what the wood looks like before oil and see if it's mottled wood or blotch.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

The offer to take it off your hands is still good! LOL


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## Bonka (Apr 13, 2012)

Here is a great finishing site. Register and go to the recipes section and there are some great finishing schedule there.http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/phpBB2/portal.php?sid=ec32243188a3745b3303bf38b67d1e09
Also Charles Neil's site has how to use and purchase his blotch control product. I used it and it is fantastic.


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## Arminius (Dec 27, 2007)

You might also get better results if you thin the oil - I make paddles that I take to very fine grits (400 in some places) to ensure they are smooth on the hand. But as others have suggested, a bookcase surface doesn't need to be that fine. I'd also second the plane not sand recommendation.


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## JonathanG (Jan 18, 2010)

I'm a bit late to the show here, so I'm mostly seconding a few comments above. If you are going to sand it, don't sand it so high before applying the first couple of coats of Danish Oil. I'd take it to either 180-grit or 220-grit. I'd only sand higher than that if I were going to wet-sand a final coat of the Danish Oil in to help fill the pores and smooth things out.

I am also not seeing any blotching from the photos, but am seeing some nice figure. Maybe the wood is absorbing the Danish Oil at different rates, especially since you sanded to 320-grit, and also mentioned that it seemed to dissipate after it started to dry? I've made the mistake of sanding too high and then trying to apply a finish over it and it just didn't take evenly (although I went quite a bit higher than 320-grit.) I'd keep the pores "open" around 180-220-grit for a penetrating finish such as Danish Oil.


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## BHolcombe (Sep 19, 2012)

To darken walnut I've used 'Dark' tung oil then fallowed up with waterlox sealer. It's the only oil finish I use, it's relatively sturdy. I apply the finish by wiping it on and build up enough to do the job but not so much that it starts to look like it is building up on the surface. I make an effort to really burnish in the finish when applying it.

Also, I bring the wood to 220 by machine, then fallow up with 0000 steel wool by hand. If nessecary I use the steel wool polish out any junks that appear in the finish after it dries, but I always complete the job with an untouched layer of finish, if that makes any sense.


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