On 2007-07-09 19:14:43 +0100, Stuart Noble
said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-07-09 17:56:10 +0100, "
said:

On 8 Jul, 12:34, Stuart Noble wrote:
Andy Hall wrote:

Then you can give the door two coats of oil and wax. The whole
exercise can be completed for a door in half an hour, tops, so it's not
a huge burden.

This product is particularly good

http://www.oakdoors.co.uk/_hard_wax_oil_uk.php

One wonders what a "natural", "hard wax oil" might consist of, since
hard waxes are all but insoluble at room temperature.

In answer to my own post.......
"Key ingredients in Hardwax Oil include sunflower, soybean and thistle
oil, plus two hard, natural waxes, carnauba and candelilla"

which sounds like a dog's dinner. The oils are non-drying and the
waxes insoluble. I don't think I'd want that particular combination of
natural ingredients on my woodwork

The term actually covers a range of possible preparations. Most
likely, it is carnauba wax in this case.

In any event, the waxes
certainly are soluble and they are drying as well.

"Carnauba wax is typical of the hard waxes that have the highest
melting points among waxes of plant origin. It is soluble in
chloroform,ether and petroleum benzene when hot, but only sparingly
soluble when it is cold".
i.e. to all intents and purposes it is insoluble at room temperature.

For wood finishing it's a question of whether the *oils* are of the
"drying" type.

Obviously.


At best these are "semi-drying", which means they solidify to a degree
over time, but never fully dry the way tung or linseed does.

This product also contains linseed oil and turpentine..... It is
certainly drying and does a good job.