Durability of Milk Paint

[Bunyip]

I have recently fixed-up and refinished an old country style kitchen table (its most recent clothing having been a pink laminate top and grey-green legs :eek: )

A zillion coats of oil paint were stripped from the legs and rails and they were finished with shaker blue milk paint (Porter's). The top has been oiled, and oiled, and oiled ...

My question; how durable are unsealed milk paint surfaces? I have left the milk paint unsealed because I like the colour and texture. If I seal it with oils the finish darkens incredibly, or with wax it becomes patchy. Don't even suggest polyU!

Any suggestions, or am I just inviting trouble later on??
Thanks

[peardo]

Bunyip,
Have just used milk paint for first time on kitchen cabinet i restored
Ended up coating with porters sealer after about 3 weeks swmbo complained about the "white stuff" coming off HOWEVER we now have unhappiness "it is no longer a pretty white".
From all my research the surface is probably not that durable, but it must have been durable enough for those that invented it and a little bit of wear gives character.
I am now sanding back to recoat

[echnidna]

Most of the "authentic" recipes I have seen for milk paint indicate that the good ole aussie name for it was "Kalsomine" so its not durable and needs a sealer as a topcoat.