THE KEY: UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLE, UNDERSTAND THE PRODUCT
If you understand the principle behind the Odie’s Oil products, you will understand how to use any product in the Odie’s Oil Finish Product Line successfully.
The principle behind Odie’s Oil products is as follows:
Wood is made of a system of straws-‐wood fiber, cellulose. The main purpose of this system is to move water and lignums (oils) throughout the living tree. When the tree dies and the wood is dried, the wood fiber is now almost absent of the water and lignums that were once present. The wood is now like a dried out sponge. It is ready to absorb whatever moisture it comes in contact with, and this can be very problematic. As the ambient environment and moisture levels change, the wood will absorb or lose moisture and this will cause it to move substantially. This is what causes warping, cracking, and joint failure. What better way to avoid movement, warping, cracking and joint failure than by re-‐introducing and stabilizing the wood with actual lignum oils and waxes natural to plants and at home in wood. Odie’s products are designed to saturate, move through and bond with the wood fiber, creating a barrier against the elements like nature intended. Odie’s products are made with only the most superior natural oils and waxes to condition the wood, ensuring its longevity in the most natural way (like nature intended) and at the same time leaving a naturally esthetically pleasing finish that cannot be matched, a finish that can be taken to any level of luster desired, without any harmful solvents or toxic chemicals, which in turn helps us ensure our own longevity. What could be better than that?
USES FOR THE FIVE BASIC ODIE’S PRODUCTS
Odie’s Oil
This is an all around wood finish and stabilizer and can be used in virtually any application. Unlike many other oil brands, Odie’s Oil actually dries and performs as it should!
-‐ Use for exotic woods.
-‐ Use to achieve any luster level desired.
-‐ Use for exterior or interior applications.
–Use as a wood stabilizer and sealer.
Odie’s Oxi Oil
Just like Odie’s Oil, Odie’s Oxi Oil is an all around wood finish and stabilizer. Its special talent is the ability to really bring out and enhance the deep, natural color of wood.
-‐ Use to darken wood and bring forward blacks and contrast with age.
-‐ Use for an ambering effect.
-‐ Use to achieve an antique effect on oak and pine.
-‐ Great on mahogany, cherry and darker woods, including all exotics.
-‐ Intended for interior use.
Odie’s Wood Butter
Like Odie’s Oil, Odie’s Wood Butter is a great wood finish and stabilizer and it also will achieve a higher luster than the Odie’s Oil and Odie’s Oxi faster, with less color change. It’s more like a soft wax, but has many more properties than a typical wax.
-‐ Use over Odie’s Oil or Odie’s Oxi Oil to increase sheen and stability.
-‐ Use to turn wet wood and to stabilize wet or problematic wood projects.
-‐ Works great on exotic woods.
-‐ Use in conjunction with other Odie’s products to get a wet high luster look. See tips.
-‐ Use for exterior or interior applications.
Odie’s Wax
Odie’s Wax is a high quality, super hard wax that can be used on all wood surfaces.
-‐ Use alone or as a high luster wax over any finish.
-‐ Use over light colored wood when minimal color change is desired.
-‐ Great for white maple, it will increase the sheen with virtually no color change.
-‐ Use in conjunction with other Odie’s products to get a wet high luster look. See tips.
-‐ Use for exterior or interior applications.
Odie’s Super Penetrating Oil
Odie’s Super Penetrating Oil has all the benefits of Odie’s Oil, but contains a natural citrus solvent that improves spreadability.
-‐Use in applications where a solvent based finish is necessary.
-‐Use in conjunction with other Odie's products to achieve a wet, glossy look. See tips.
FINISHING WITH ODIE’S PRODUCTS COULDN’T BE SIMPLER
The great thing about Odie’s Oil and its companion products is there is no wrong way to finish with them. Just remember -‐ Use all Odie’s finishes like a wax. Apply the product, wait for it to set up and vigorously buff off to a beautiful luster! The only hard rule is that all of the Odie’s finishes should be completely buffed from the surface. Otherwise, we say, “be creative and have fun”. It’s that easy.
Plan Your Approach
Each piece you finish with an Odie’s finish product can be approached in unique ways to achieve your desired results. For example, take into account the following details that could affect the final outcome of your project:
-‐ Wood grain and color
-‐ Wood moisture content
-‐ Desired sheen
-‐ Finish prep* -‐ for example – level of sanding
-‐ Amount of time you want to spend on finishing
-‐ Function or final use
*Using Odie’s Safer Solvent is the safest and most effective way to prep and clean.
Now keep in mind that the Odie’s Finish Line is a system that works with the natural qualities of the piece. Each Odie’s finish product is not a surface of its own separate from the wood. It forms a bond with the wood on several levels and becomes part of the wood. With all this knowledge, every piece should be approached, prepped and finished with any combination of the Odie’s Finish Line for the piece’s own unique qualities and your desired results.
There are many ways, combinations and techniques to use our products. Unlike with other finishes, there is not a “one size” fits all “get the same coating” technique for Odie’s finish. We have noticed that our customers use our products in their own unique ways to reveal the intrinsic beauty of each of their pieces. The Odie’s Finish Line is definitely not boring! It is nothing like a polyurethane or other topcoat type finish that gives every piece the same fake “plastic look” coating, regardless of the wood or it’s natural inherent qualities. If you appreciate how unique each piece of wood can be, Odie’s Oil is your finish for sure!
GETTING DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY
You have planned your approach. You have sanded and prepped your wood. Now you are ready to finish it.
Tips and Instructions for using Odie’s Oil and Odie’s Oxi Oil
The Basics
- -‐ Apply the Odie’s Oil or Odie’s Oxi Oil finish with a brush, abrasive pad, (steel wool or other), your hands, or a rag. Almost any applicator will work! When applying the oil, always rub the finish into the surface. This will push the special formulation of oils and waxes into the wood surface, thereby activating the wood fiber to draw in more finish, thus activating the oil and wax, and in so doing, creating a bond between the wood and the oil. Really rub vigorously! The more effort, the better the result! Apply more oil as needed. More oil is needed when the wood absorbs all the oil from the surface. You have applied enough when a light film of oil remains on the surface.
- -‐ Give the oil a good 30 minutes to sink into the wood. If the surface has absorbed the oil and feels dry to touch, apply more. Repeat the process until the wood is fully saturated. If the work piece no longer absorbs oil and oil remains at the surface of all parts of the work piece, then the piece is fully saturated with oil.
- -‐ Now that the piece is fully saturated, set it aside and allow the finish to “set up” for at least 40 minutes. You can wait longer, up to 24 hours. Just remember, the longer you wait the more difficult it will be to buff (results will vary).
- -‐ After the 40-‐minute set up time, take a dry and clean lint-‐free cloth and completely buff the entire surface until all the oil is removed from the surface. Buff vigorously! The piece should feel dry to touch when finished.
- -‐ Put the piece aside and let it dry 72 hours before use.
Adding Coats For Additional Sheen and Protection
After the first 24 hours of dry time you can apply a second coat of Odie’s Oil or Odie’s Oxi Oil for additional sheen and protection. Just repeat the process described above. You can apply as many coats as you desire.
Tips and Techniques For Using Odie’s Wood Butter and Odie’s Wax
Both Odie’s Wood Butter and Odie’s Wax can be used as finishes by themselves. They both give their own unique glow and luster.
Using Odie’s Wood Butter To Reduce Checking
Odie’s Wood Butter can be used on wet wood with Odie’s Oil or Odie’s Oxi Oil as a wood stabilizer. When using Odie’s Wood Butter in conjunction with Odie’s Oil, turners can actually turn a wet piece to its final shape and use the Odie’s Wood Butter to reduce checking and movement in the piece. For best results, try the following technique:
1-‐ Turn the piece and apply Odie’s Oil to full saturation without buffing off. 2-‐ Then apply a coat of Odie’s Wood Butter as a topcoat.
- ‐ Set the piece aside out of the sun in a stable environment, until it reaches its EMC (equilibrium moisture content).
- ‐ Finally, reapply a coat of Odie’s Oil, Odie’s Oxi Oil or Odie’s Super Penetrating Oil to reactivate the finish and buff the residual finish off to the desired sheen.
Odie’s Wax as a Top Coat
All Odie’s Wood Finishes can be top coated with a coat of Odie’s Wax for extra sheen and extra protection!
Fun Tricks and Techniques
For Added Sheen and Protection
Add a coat of Odie’s Wood Butter or Odie’s Wax after the initial application of Odie’s Oil or Odie’s Oxi Oil to increase sheen and protection. Odie’s Wood Butter and Odie’s Wax are applied basically the same way. Just follow the previous instructions. Add as many coats as desired.
A Layering Trick For an Even Higher Luster
Wait at least 24 hours for your application of Odie’s Wood Butter to dry and add another light coat of Odie’s Oil or Odie’s Oxi Oil, but buff out this coat immediately (no set up time). This will give the piece a bright, high luster wet look! The purpose of this last, light coat of Oil is to level out the previous coat of Odie’s Wood Butter. You can use the same process with the wax.
Get a Wet, Glossy Look with Odie’s Super Penetrating Oil and Odie’s Wood Butter
To achieve a wet and glossy look, use Odie’s Super Penetrating Oil over Odie's Wood Butter. It levels out the previous coat of wax to achieve that ultimate shine.
A Time Saving Trick
For another way to finish with Odie’s Oil and get a higher sheen than just a coat of Odie’s Oil, but without the wait of the previous tricks, try the following technique:
- ‐ Apply one heavy coat of Odie’s Oil, Odie’s Oxi Oil or Odie’s Super Penetrating Oil and then immediately apply Odie’s Wood Butter in the same application.
- ‐ Work this slurry of Odie’s Oil and Wood Butter into the wood surface. Try to get as much as possible to absorb into the wood. Once again, if the surface starts to feel dry, add more of each product until the wood fiber is completely saturated.
- ‐ Wait the 40-‐minute set time or longer and VIGOROUSLY buff the surface
COMPLETELY clean and dry to touch.
- ‐ Let the piece dry for 72 hours before use. This process will give a higher luster than the Odie’s Oil alone application, but usually not as much as the layered Oil/Butter or Wax then Oil approach described in the previous tricks.
A Note About Friction Polish and Buffers
All Odie’s finishes can be used like a friction polish, and all Odie’s finishes can be used with mechanical buffers. In fact, the friction and heat caused from the lathe or mechanical buffer will speed up and enhance the application process. In most cases, the work piece can be buffed out to its final polish immediately after applying because the heat caused by friction shortens the set up time.
Final Thoughts
A Reminder About Oil Soaked Rags
Warning: Oil and Solvent soaked rags are combustible. Please dispose of rags in a sealed container.
Odie’s Oil Wants You To Flourish
All of the Odie’s products are made to work together or alone. With this flexibility, you are allowed to customize your finish, and you are given the freedom to create a project that is uniquely yours.
We can only give tips on how to achieve different results, but in your hands, you can take it to any level desired. It’s the easiest finish to use and get great results. Odie’s Oil is a finish that brings out the true artist in everyone!
© 2013 All rights reserved by Odysseus Cornwall’s Outstanding Oils and Waxes Duplication and reprinting permitted for personal use only. No reprinting, copying all or part for publication or any other use without written permission.