Heresy HWO wood care

[T_Phillips]

I'm new to the forum and recently purchased Heresy HWO (1975) speakers. The wood is in great shape with little evidence of water stain. I have no desire to try to remove the stains, but I do want to use a good oil to protect the wood. I purchased Old English lemon oil today, then decided to get on here and ask for advice. I know boiled linseed oil can be used, but would rather not mess with it unless it is necessary. Will the lemon oil hurt the wood in any way? Will it protect it adequately? Is there any special way to use it that works best?

Thanks in advance for your advise!!

Terry

[Daddy Dee]

Terry,

welcome to the forum. I've used old english on OW finishes and like the results. Just wipe it on and let it sit for a few minutes to soak in. Wipe off any excess and polish with a soft cloth.

[WMcD]

There is a flyer from Klipsch about Heritage which a little blurb about care of finishes.

I'll try to put it up, here, tomorrow.

Generally, it looks like they are suggesting furniture oil, like Formby, or Old English lemon oil.

Klipsch (and Formby) does not describe the substance of these products. They are, though, mineral oil (read motor oil) with some lemon rind oil to make it smell good. Not that this is bad, but there is no magic.

These products do not build a finish. They do bring out the beauty of the wood because of optics.

My view is that that the very nice walnut veneers are dead wood cells which have lived their natural life for the purpose of sucking up water. Internal oils control that, a bit And in death, they are sponges for for water and nasty run off from planters.

Therefore, we're better off saturating them with oil.

I put on Formby. It seems to evaporate after a week or month or so.

Gil

[Marvel]

You might find this helpful.

http://www.weiman.com/products/furniture/lemon_sunscreen.php

[Daddy Dee]

Bruce,

Nice avatar!

[Groomlakearea51]

Old English Lemon's good. Also their Almond. I always liked their "redwood oil" which is becoming hard to find. I'm not sure if they make it anymore, and I'm conserving my last bottle!! Many forum members also recommend Watco oil, particularly the "Danish" or teak oil.

Dependent upon the amount of sunlight to which they are exposed, temperatures and humidity, you may have to apply oil as often as once a month. Always, however, use the same amount (e.g. 10 drops on tops, etc) to ensure that the hue remains the same.

Some stains and light scratches can be very, very lightly sanded by hand with 600 grit, then wiped down with mineral spirits, then Old English light scratch remover. After wiping with a clean dry cloth, apply the oil.

There are many recommendations for application and wiping. One method is to rub the oil in, let it sit for about 15 minutes and then wipe off completely dry to the touch with a clean dry cotton cloth. Avoid "over oiling", since the veneer can "lift" from the substrate (plywood underlay) if not careful. Multiple light coats, especially the first time with dry veneer, with the oil on the cloth is a safe, conservative method.

The comments about the "cells" is a very good way of describing the situation with the veneer wood. The key is to keep the cellulose "cell walls" flexible and since the natural oils and "good" moisture are long gone, a mineral spirits based oil generally does that job well. The more dry the wood, or in this case the veneer, the more prone to scratching it will become. Well oiled wood tends to resist some minor scratching because the wood itself is "flexible".

Another suggestion is to apply various oils, etc. to a piece of scrap walnut veneer, if you have any available. If not, check with a furniture/ cabinet maker in your area. If not available, generally "experiment" on the bottom of the speaker first.

Welcome to the forum and good luck.

[Marvel]

Bruce,

Nice avatar!

Thanks, we had a wonderful time in Macau.

Bruce

[WMcD]

This manual (attached) has appeared on the forum. There is a short section on wood care.

= = = = = =

I'll point out, as I usually do, that the term "oil" is broadly used for different products. Much if not all of the furniture oil sold in grocery stores is just mineral oil with some perfume. They don't contain anything which builds a finish. I'm not saying that is bad. They are good for removing grime and they do provide some protection for as long as they last. They do evaporate eventually. [You really have to read the Weiman description like a lawyer. It descibes lemon oil, says it uses lemon oil, and says the oilS used in the product are pure. I'll bet a penny that the product contains 99% mineral oil and 1% lemon oil, if that.]

On the other hand, Watco is a linseed oil based product which does build a finish. What is sold as tung oil usually is not pure tung oil, but it does build a finish. There are other wipe-on finishes which are thinned down varnish. I'm not saying you should not use these, but please know they are a permanent coat. I'd think the easiest way of determining whether a product builds a finish is to read the label. If it mentions sanding between coats, you are building a finish. Of course you don't find that on bottles of furiture oil sold in groceries.

There is one other way of determining the end result of what you're using. Wipe a thin film on a plate of glass and let it sit for a day.

Gil

Klipsch Instruction Manual c.1996.pdf

[Marvel]

Tung oil and Linseed oil are self catalyzing, and are, for want of a more complex description, the organic versions of synthetic polymers and polyurethanes. It took a while, but I was able to get an msds for the Weiman products. They are mostly white mineral oil, which are petroleum based products. The reason they are used for furniture cleaners/polishers/restorers is precisely because they do not self catalyze, or, as Gil has correctly pointed out, they do not build a finish. They just dry out over time.

Bruce

[colterphoto1]

The recommended Watco product is their Rejuvenating Oil. Follow the directions exactly. Do not apply too thickly and allow to dry completely between coats.

[Groomlakearea51]

Especially good for the WAF potted plant attacks.....[]

[LarryC]

Formby's lemon oil works very well for my 45-yr-old mahogany lacquer. I was told by a furniture restorer NOT to use a silicon oil, which a lot of store products contain.

Larry

[WMcD]

Michael,

You are saying that the Watco product shown is what the Klipsch factory officially recommends?

As you might infer, it seems to me the customer deserves a more definite statement than just "furniture oil" because of the many products using the term "oil".

If Watco Rejuvenating Oil is the factory approved stuff, I'll certainly get some.

Best,

Gil

[Marvel]

... and it contains:

Chemical Name / CAS Number
Raw Linseed Oil / 8001-26-1
Resin Solution / NOT AVAILABLE
Hydrocarbon Resin / 152698-66-3

[Groomlakearea51]

Another "laquer" owner that oils them! I thought I was the "lone ranger" on that. I have a pair of laquer Cornwalls that over time, the factory laquer simply dried out and crumbled away. After using some almond oil (OE), they immediately "came back to life'. The factory laquer top coat, if exposed to sunlight over a period of 20-30 years simply deteriorates. It's not just Klipsch speakers. We have the same problem with our dining room table; laquered maple. Over time... I oil it now and it looks great.

[kg4guy]

I also have always used Watco for my speakers cabs .

[SilverSport]

I got this from our own Dr. Bill and it has worked for me...

Thanks to Dr. Bill's recipe'...I just oiled all my speakers...nice little work out...so much work (teasin') that I am a little light headed...perhaps that's just the recipe' talkin'...I oiled 4 Heresys, 1 Academy center, 2 Klipschorns and a dining room server and the walnut case for my McIntosh MAC1900...easy as the Dr. says...soaked right in and after a light wipe with a clean cotton rag, ready for another year...

*remember*

BLO heats up as it dries so any rags and whatnot should be thouroughly washed with water and soap and disposed of safely...preferrably outside...

the Drs. recipe' IIRC: 3 parts Gum Turpentine to 1 part BLO...I found mine at Home Depot but should be able to find anywhere...good luck but wanted to share...mmmmmmm, smells nice...

Bill

[WMcD]

I have now edited what I typed last night; it was too much of a rant. It was not my intent to challenge or annoy Marvel or anyone else. My apologies.

- - - - - - - - - -

I'm going to beat a dead horse, mostly because the lack of useful information out there [meaning the sellers of wood finishing products] was a great annoyance. "Parts are parts" is a mockery of the chicken business. But newcomers are inclined to wonder: oil is oil?, or Watco is Watco?

1) I looks like Klipsch is recommending the use of oils which do not solidify without coming out and saying so. This may arise from a spirit of not endorsing any manufacturer over another,and any type of product in many product lines. Any implied endorsement is trouble, and lack of endorsement is trouble. Better to say nothing. Yet owners are left in the dark. My gripe.

1,1) The use of non soldifying oils is a good idea for pedestrian owners. Otherwise, you are building up a finish. Building a finish may be what you want to do, but cosmetically dangerous if you are not expecting to. Granted, it is safer to tell people to use an oil, which stays an oil. No puddles, drips, sags, etc. They may evaporate, but you put it on again.

2) The indistict terminolgy of oils which solidify versus those which do not, is duplicated if a Watco product is purchased without close inspection of the label. Most of Watco products soldify, but the rejuvenating oil does not.

3) The age old problem in building a clear finish is to find something which goes on as a liquid, soaks into the wood, and then solidifies. If there is gound down pigment included, it is called paint.

4) Natural oils like linseed and tung don't solidify any more than kitchen olive oil does. But if they are heated first and some other things are done, then they solidify when exposed to air. Please note carefully formulations which use raw linseed versus boiled linseed. "Boiled" is to say the oil has been processed so that it will harden. So this is something to observe when reading labels.

5) Shellac is a different type of "solidification". The shells of the lak bug is disolved in alcohol. When the alcohol evaporates the shell re solidifies. But alcohol will re desolve it. Laquer is similar.

6) Laquer is used industially because it dries fast. Furniture gets a quick coat and then it is out the door. But it is not always very durable in the thin coat. I don't doubt comments by owners that the finish has flaked off. I've seen that with other furniture. Then I sand lightly and apply a wipe on varnish.

7) It is a bit disapointing that Klipsch "oiled" walnut seems have no finish with a build and not much oil (at least after some short time). It is somewhat vulnerable unless we keep up the oiling. The squib in the instruction booklet really doesn't provide enough guidance, in my view.

Gil

[Marvel]

Gil,

I hope you don't think I am in disagreement with you and wanting to argue. I am not. Thanks for pointing out the difference between the boiled and raw linseed oil. I had totally missed that, and the difference is important.

[WMcD]

Nahh, sorry to rant. I'm certainly not disagreeing with anyone, particularly Marvel.

I was a little surprised about the Watco rejuvenating oil until I noticed the "raw".

Now, my rant about the Cubs . . . .

Gil