Oil based varnish

[Guest]

I'm looking for experiences on an oil based varnish called Tonkinoise, which is told to contain a lot of "Chinese oils". I've been using Benarolje from Jotun, which is the equivalent of Deksolje. Good stuff, but Jotun is now just making a "Marine" version which contains a lot of brown UV stuff which makes our clinker built double ender very dark if I only use that stuff....

 

[ccscott49]

Never used the french stuff, tonkin....., But have you tried varnol, available from Black Dog Stores, sorry I dont know the address.

 

[bryantee]

Yes used it ,its ok .Try it its a little darker than some.but 4 coats and it starts to look very good.used it on some new teak cockpit cove lockers.

 

[Guest]

I've used Tonkinois. And I've written it up in the magazine. I loved it because after putting 15 coats of normal stuff on my spars in 1998, and having it all gone by late 1999, I was desperate for something better. I used Tonkinois for my handrails and hatch and cabin sides at first, but now I've used it throughout the cockpit. I'd agree that it's a little darker than some, but the colours are incredibly rich, and the grain really stands out. It's also soft, so it doesn't crack when you drop a block on it, so water doesn't get in so easily. It has amazing grip, the first coat disappears right into the wood. But the second sits on top and after four you're done.
Seemed a reasonable price at Boats on Show where I got mine at the time too. I dealt with Derek A Murkin, 71 Lulworth Road, Reading, Berks. RG2 8LX
Tel: +44 (0)1189 671504

 

[Mirelle]

\"Chinese oils\"

Poor translation here. They mean Tung Oil, which is the main ingredient in "long oil" or "spar" varnishes. It was once imported from China. For a full explanation, read Rebecca Wittman's book on Brightwork, which is the Bible of the varnish fiend.

Yes, good stuff, but so is Epifanes, which is very similar. Be warned both are classic varnishes; no short cuts!

 

[Guest]

Re: \"Chinese oils\"

"Tonkinoise" is a brand of Oil based varnish. I really enjoyed it because I tested it on my mast and it really resisted wear and tear and a norwegian winter better than the Jotun stuff. And since Jotun stopped making the original stuff, I will convert to Tonkinoise and are looking for a good source. Thanks Dan, I'll call your source next time I', in the UK.

 

[amfibi]

Hi

In Finland many boatowners and boatbuilders, including me, have used Tonkinois with great success. It is a quality varnish, very long-oil, glossy and quite lasting too. It is very easy to apply, and in that way differs from e.g. Epifanes, also one of my favourite varnishes. Tonk. doesn´t contain any solvents, and doesn´t become sticky few seconds after applying, so it is possible to correct runs and sags after some minutes. This you cant do with oleoresinous varnishes like Epifanes or Spinnaker.

But beware, it takes at least a full 24 hours to "dry", and it will be quite soft even longer, so it won´t be resistant to abrasion of any kind before one week or so. Of course this depends much of the climate you are working in, but I´m talking Finnish summer here...

Pete

 

[Guest]

Yeah, I'm in Norway, so the climate has is an important factor. I've also experienced that it takes quiet some time to harden, but it seems like it builds more than normal varnish? The folder I got with my test box claims that it hardens through some kind of oxidation process...?

Thanks,

Brox

 

[amfibi]

yes, all oil-based harden via oxidation, and by that way they get more thickness by drying. If a varnish also contains resins, these harden when the solvent evaporates. Pure oil varnishes (like Tonkinois) become thicker, and by that way builds more than solvent-based varnishes. Thats the reason why it is important to apply the varnish in thin layers, so that the hardening happens evenly. If one applies too thick layer, the surface will become wrinkled.

Oxidation is accelerated by light, the temperature is not the only factor. And light we´ve got in Norway and Finland, at least at summer time, so we will have some chance that the varnish hardens...

Pete

 

[Guest]

Re: "Chinese oils"

One of the ways to increase the "oil length" of a varnish is simply to add oil.

Tung oil is available, and some of the oil mixes blended for teak treatment are good too. I like a product called Seafin.

This oil heavy varnish mixture is especially good for damaged finishes, where a complete strip and refinish job is just going to be too hard on the wood. Alternatively, it is also good where adjacent finishes already have a patina, and a finish built up from freshly sanded wood will be just too bright.

Adding oil retards the drying time a lot and therefore increases the penetration of the oil-varnish mix. My own experience is that you can add a LOT of oil, (50% is ok) and still have a highly reflective surface when the mixture dries.

Another benefit to adding oil is that it increases the "body" and raises the viscosity of the varnish, by raising the "solids" content. This increases the ability of the varnish to fill small gaps, splits and voids.

So long oil-enhanced varnishes both fill well and they penetrate well. This is very useful when dealing with water damaged verneers in the cabin interior, when the "right" way would be to replace the verneer, but neither available funds nor the owners patience justify such an extensive repair.

An oil enhanced varnish is also a mechanically softer finish, when cured, with the consequence that it does not tend to chip so easily.

Best wishes,

Robert