Kenhorns Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Not sure whether to post this here or under Upgrades and Modifications, but it does apply to Selling Your Speakers! Here's a "Tip" from Forum Member Keith "T2K" - See "Klipshorns" Post here. Boiled Linseed Oil is GREAT for original oiled cabinet finishes. Keith says it is what Klipsch recommends and I concur, having just oiled my Khorns. Lowes sells a Quart for $8. Take a cotton cloth patch, dip, squeeze, rub on, let stand 5 minutes ....then, wipe off with a clean terry cloth towel. Fantastic results!!! I used a 1" pure bristle brush, the cheap one's at Home Depot made in China/Indonesia ($0.59) to apply the oil next to the grill cloth. Yeah, took the easy way, rather than removing the cloth,but was real careful using just a scant amount of oil on the brush bristle tips and making sure not to touch the grill cloth. Use an ample amount of oil on your patch, but not too much. No dripping. No soaking. Just a good dampness to the patch. The key is to wipe the oil off with the soft, clean, terrytowel after 5 minutes. Let it soak in and dry for 24 hours. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 linseed oil is great if no sun light will hit your cabs.....else they will turn a very dark yellow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Who Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 My personal preference is Watco Danish Oil. It can be used in either clear or various shades of color, and it's great for speakers with an oiled finish, especially if they're a bit nicked up. Just wipe the speaker down with Watco of the same shade as the veneer until wet, then wet-sand it with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper. Wipe it down again, and you won't believe the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowntnbkr Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 BLO is great, but I thin it down with mineral spirits. It helps is lay down better and is not so thick. I initially use a 3:1 ratio, then I use a 2:1. I also use 0000 steel wool to buff it and it gives it a nice sheen and makes is smooth as a baby's bum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Klipsch also recommended Watco Rejuvenating Oil. Reason: It's neutral, and will not yellow like linseed. The linseed method, is however, a very nice "mellow" finish. It will however, as SF said, yellow over time. That can be good for oak and walnut, but may not be the "best practice" for cherry, rosewood, etc. Oils are in the same category as "what's your favorite" amp, and a good analogy is motor oil. While I may "swear" by Castrol GT, my friend likes Valvoline and his buddy will have nothing but Pennzoil... As long as it's a good quality... Some folks like tung oil. I would recommend to anyone that before applying oil (or stains, etc. for that matter), they get a small piece of veneer of the wood on their speakers. Cut the piece into a bunch of 4" x 4" squares. Then stain, oil, etc. using different products and then pick the one you like best and stick with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I've heard that rags soaked in BLO can spontaneously combust so use caution. I'd recommend working in an adequately ventilated dust-free environment in any case. I use the Watco Rejuvenating Oil. Good stuff and easy to find. Follow the directions on the can and DO NOT OVERAPPLY. Several light coats is best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenhorns Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Got up this morning and put Harry Chapin's LP on, "30,000 lbs. of Bananas"! Yikes! I swear my speakers are turning 'yellow' already! Anybody got any ideas on how I might mitigate the coat of Boiled Linseed Oil I put on them? I hate to listen to KHorns in the DARK for the rest of my life.....thought about Bar-B-Que Grill Covers, a Tent, film on the House Windows, etc., but maybe someone can recommend a different Oil that I can use...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 CP is right (for any oil). More is not better. Thin coats, wipe "dry", re-apply, wipe etc. Then let it dry for 24 hours and see whatcha' got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Yikes! I swear my speakers are turning 'yellow' already! Anybody got any ideas on how I might mitigate the coat of Boiled Linseed Oil I put on them? Oh well.... Try this: remove the side grilles, move them to where you can work on them, and take off the top sections. Tape the grills off in the top sections with blue painters tape. Turn the bins on their backs on the tail boards (so you can work on the front piece. Get some rubber gloves, white cotton shop towels, a paint pan, and a gallon of mineral spirits. Pour some in the pan, and liberally soak the cloth, wring out the excess and wipe them down repeatedly. Watch the cloth and it will turn "yellow" pretty quick. Use fresh spirits on a clean rag each time, and when the cloth starts being "clean" your are getting close. After you've done this, let them sit for at least 24 hours, and do it again. The mineral spirits will lift/leach the linseed oil out slowly but surely. When you have finally "de-yellowed" them, let them dry out for at least 24 hours. Then if necessary, find the appropriate stain you want, wipe them down with the stain, wipe off stain with mineral spirits as you go, until you have the hue you want. Then apply Watco, Old English, or whatever your choice is. An interesting choice to use in the initial oiling process is Old English Almond oil. Very neutral, puts oil back in the veneer, and you can then select Danish teak, Rejuvenating, etc,. as the final coat of oil. Leave the used rags outside in an open bucket until you are finished (that way when they blow up... at least it's outside...). Good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2toobs Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I've heard that rags soaked in BLO can spontaneously combust so use caution. I'd recommend working in an adequately ventilated dust-free environment in any case. I use the Watco Rejuvenating Oil. Good stuff and easy to find. Follow the directions on the can and DO NOT OVERAPPLY. Several light coats is best. You're correct, I was doing my Heresy's and I could smell something burning. Looked down at the waste can, and there was smoke boiling out where I put the surgical sponges that were used to apply the linseed oil. So much for waf of Heresy's [] I then went to the garage trash can because I put some rags in a bag and I was lucky to catch those. They were smoldering and dark brown with heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Rinse them through with soapy water...you should be fine...but the spontaneous combustion is a valid worry... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblio Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Useless trivia alert ! 'Pistachio nuts are highly flammable when stored in large quantities, and are prone to self heating and spontaneous combustion.[5] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 But then again that's important if you are a nut person...[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 What to use to clean and oil? black veneer Klipsch cabinets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Black Ash veneer or vinyl black? (really big difference....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 You know, I believe it is vinyl! Appears with dark grayish wood patterns amongst the black look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Be very careful with the vinyl. No oiling..... Use windex, or a mild soap solution. That being said, you can use some "Armor-All" as it's intended for automotive vinyl. Whatever you use it must be for "vinyl" (as in car seats....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 LOL! Glad you caught that "difference"! Sounds like the thing, Armor -All! Got some here! Thanks a bunch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 We all here pretty much thrashed this subject to death in another thread. In my view, the oiled walnut speakers come from the factory with a minumum of "oil". Therefore any added oil makes things look better. Great sheen and contrast. BLO is a traditional product and people think old is better . . . but not so.. It does build a finish. It is a fire hazard. "Building a finish" here means something that you put on as a liquid and solidifies. But modern wipe on finishes from Minwax or Formby or the gun stock finishes are better and not a fire hazard. Again, here you are building a finish. The results can be very good. As always, thin coats are needed with a light go-over with a Scotch Brite pad in between. These wipe on finishes are all a variation of thined-out varnish. There are plenty of "oil" products which do not build a finish because they do not solidify. Old English or Formby "Lemon Oil" are mostly mineral oil (read thin motor oil with a little lemon scent). They are good for cleaning and look great for a few months before they evaporate. The Rejuvenating Oil is non-boiled linseed and will eventually evaporate too. "Boiling" indicates treating with heat but there are usually other additives. It all depends what you want to accomplish. The mineral oil type is certainly the most easy but count on applying it every six-months. It will prevent water stains and maybe some minor abrasion. OTOH, a wipe on varnish will give you a permanent covering. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleJ Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well said, Gil!! I use Birchwood Casey Gun Stock Oil on my K-Horns with great success. Not very noxious and safe to use. This is very important when its dead of winter and having windows open for very long periods of time isn't conducive. [] This tip came from a long term Klipsch employee so I didn't have any concerns/hesitations about using this product. Thanks JJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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