Ready to spruce up my Khorns any tips ?

[charlieboy]

I have a 1983 set of OO Khorns that are perfect!!! I want to give them

the Linsedd treatment. I bought the Boiled Linseed oil and a

bag-o-rags. Any suggestions on how to apply. I have not had much luck

with the search engine. Thanks.

[RichardP]

I just oiled my walnut Fortes last night, so I'll chime in. Some

here cut the BLO with a little turpentine, some don't. Some add a

little stain to keep up a desired color, some don't. Most use

rags to apply, especially if the current finish is good. Otherwise, if

there are rough spots or lots of dirty buildup (rag comes away

gray/brown), some use fine steel wool (0000 grade) , fine sandpaper

(400-600 grit) on a block, or the finest grade (white?) of scotchbrite

pad used for auto body sanding, to apply the oil/turp/stain; this is

usually followed by another application using rags. As you said

your Khorns are perfect, I would just apply a little BLO, maybe cut

with a little turpentine, with a rag. Rub it in good, leave it

kind of wet (but not dripping or running) for an hour or so, then wipe

off excess. Any remaining oil dampness should evaporate or absorb

in a few

days. Don't get any oil on the grill cloth. Also, probably not a good

idea to place any objects on the wood for a few days.

Make sure you dispose of the rags correctly. BLO-soaked rags WILL ignite (remember jr high science class, spontaneous combustion? it really does happen).

[DRBILL]

RichardP did a good summary. The formula for non-tacky surface is

1: BLO

3: Gum Turpentine

Apply it 'till the wood stops taking it up. I use a foam brush. Immediately dry it with a clean rag (cheesecloth is traditional).

Take the spontaneous combustion warning seriously. I use a metal container with an air tight lid and set it outside on the birdbath until I'm ready to dispose it. Disposal varies from community to community.

DRBILL

[meagain]

There's some various suggestions in this thread: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/698764/ShowPost.aspx

[WMcD]

I think there is a potential danger in what has been described above. It is in the use of steel wool. Don't do it.

The classic books on oak "finishing" point out that iron, in conjuction with some other fluid, will stain oak with great effecitveness. If you want to stain oak to black, you put steel nails in vinegar and use it as a "mordent" (?, perhaps not the correct technical term). The fairly clear solution reacts with the tannin in the oak wood and the wood goes black. Of course that describes a situation where we wantt to give oak a dark color. You want to avoid that.

Naturally, steel is a combination of iron and about 1 percent carbon. Steel wood is mostly iron. Therefore the shards of steel wool could cause a dark stain.

This sort of thing shows up in stains on oak floor. Stains are caused from run off from metal plant containers which have some iron content. It could be that doggie pee is involved too.

The older woodworking publications sometimes suggest the use of steel wool as an alternative to fine sand paper. Such pubications are not really addressing oak stain issues and are not telling you about the down side.

They also did not envision just how good a substitute Scotchbrite can be. Years ago we used Brillo on frying pans. Now we use Scotchbrite on frying pans. Same thing here. So don't read old text as steel wool as being a secret classic magic. .

Also, in my view, Scotchbrite does everything steel wool can do, and do it better.

Further, steel shard could get into the magnet gap. Another bad thing.

Best,

Gil

[PrestonTom]

I agree with Gil about the difference between steel wool and a scotch brite pad.

One thing keeps coming up on the forums that bothers me. The issue is adding stain to your mix of oil and Turpentine. I beleive that if you add /apply stain, then the surface must be treated first. This could be a good cleaning or a light sanding (I said light). If stain is applied to to a dirty surface (or worse yet, one that has had furniture polish with silicone applied) then the stain can be quite uneven. Although this is not as problematic when diluted in the oil. I guess I am leery of adding stain to your "once a year" treatment.

On a positive note, there has been some good advice given.

Good Luck,

-Tom

[charlieboy]

Thanks all. I found it odd and would not consider adding stain. I just

wanted to basically "feed" my Khorns since I'm sure they have not been

since they left the factory. I do not want to damage their perfect

status with the wrong procedure or steps. I will try to read more.

Thanks again!

Charlie

[Klipschguy]

Nothing odd or new about tinted oil. One certainly does not have to add stain to the oil, but it helps produce a nice, even finish in ugly old dried veneer. The original stain remains the predominate color in the veneer and is only enhanced by the stain mixture.

I've been finishing wood for 20 years and the oil technique I have been recommending looks professional, but it is for tired looking veneer. "Perfect status" Khorns don't need tinted oil, wet sanding, and a Scotchbrite pad. Just a light application of straight Danish oil will do it. Let sit 10 minutes, then buff with a soft cloth.

Andy

P.S. Straight BLO yields unesthetic results, IMHO. But to each his own.