What is Scandinavian Oil?

[GregL]

I have just joined as a member to try and resolve this vexing question - What is Scandanavian Oil?
I have recently completed four chests of drawers and used Feast Watson "Scandinavian Oil" with good results but is was a lot glossier than I was expecting or wanting.
I am now mid way through building some large book shelves and would like to finish them in a flatter oil finish.
That has led me to do some research on the web and I am currently of the opinion that the term "Scandinavian Oil" is a generalization akin to the term biro. "Scandinavian Oil" appears to be any mixture of chemicals that is wet that you would like to put on timber.

My research has led me to the following so far:
Feast Watson "Scandinavian Oil" has polyurathane in it as per the back of the can.
Wattyl "Scandanvian Teak Oil"(sounds like they couldn't decide what to call it). I was advised on the phone by Wattyl that it is turps and linseed oil and Wattyl decided that was a good name to call it.
Solverpaints has a product that sounds like the "Scandinavian Oil" I have heard about.

Can anyone shed some light on what is real Scandinavian Oil and where can I get some.

Thanks
Greg

[silentC]

I think you will continue to find that Scandanavian Oil is whatever the manufacturers want to call it. I believe it is more a style of oil finish than a hard and fast recipe. It traditionally contains tung oil and linseed oil. It is distinguished from Danish Oil by the lack of polyurethane or varnish, which dry to a hard finish.

Try here and here for more info.

[ozwinner]

Danish oil is what Sven applies to Helga to the lead up to fun times.

Al

[Auld Bassoon]

Most commercial Danish Oil compounds today are a mixture of Tung Oil and various driers and urethane(s). As such they dry faster and leave somewhat harder surface than older style boiled Linseed Oil or pure Tung Oil.

Scandanavian oils are, as far as I know, an Ahem! "abstraction" of the term Danish, and thus cover whatever the manufacturer wants.

If the finished surface you have achieved is moderately high gloss, then it's likely to have a proportionally higher urethane content (ok, so long as you understand the import of this, and the increased degree of difficulty of refinishing if required attendant to it).

My personal preference in oils is Feast Watson's Danish Oil followed by, when dry, with uBeaut Traditional Wax. This gives a good natural high sheen, and cen be refinished in the event of scratches, etc with greater ease than a high urethane product.

[Neil]

Think you'll find Scandinavian Oil (also often called teak oil) was originally designed for the upkeep of teak furniture which was in a proliferation around 35-40 yrs ago. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure the name was also to do with the teak furniture which was often of Scandinavian origin or at least that's what the manufacturers would have had us believe.

We had, up until about 6 mths ago a teak buffet which was Pauline's glory box, given to her for her 21st birthday. We were told to use Scandinavian Teak Oil on it from time to time to keep it in good condition. We did this for many years and it always had a beautiful glow.

Stopped using the oil in the late 80's when we started making our own polisher.

Originally Scandinavian Oil was basically a watered down solution of linseed oil mixed with turpentine or white spirits, some had the addition of a little Tung (China Wood Oil) and some had a bit of long or short stand oil, the stuff that oil varnish was made of.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil