My next stock refinishing project

[Woodcarver]

@Woodcarver , I think I'll try giving a week between coats of LinSpeed. Do you do anything after applying the Linspeed other than wiping off the excess?

Nope. Just make sure there's no drips hanging or little fine ridges and hang it to dry. 20 minutes a week is a small effort with beautiful end results. I do actually keep a little sticky note close by that I note the date of each coat, otherwise I lose track, lol. (and a day or 2 either side of a week works just fine)

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The reason you're experiencing an easily scratched, "soft" finish, is due to the oil taking literally months & months to actually begin drying when it is applied in what amounts to a very thick coat and gets sealed in by the top coat. Even allowing just 24 hrs between coats will allow each coat to harden some. If you really want a durable finish, let each coat dry a week before the next. Takes longer for sure (months, not days), but the end result is a durable, water resistant, easily maintained, deep finish. Topped with Renaissance wax on an annual basis, a proper oil finish will withstand a lot of abuse and still look good. Too many people are too impatient to achieve a good oil finish (think that's why poly was invented).

A psa for those looking at refinishing a stock. DO NOT use straight linseed oil; it literally will never dry. Boiled linseed (BLO) will, but it does not dry overnight. Tung oil suffers the same issue, but it's requirement is additives, not boiling. There are a lot of wood finish products that combine the 2 to take advantage of both oil's properties. LinSpeed is a BLO with additives (thus the "Speed" part of the name) that works well, and will return a beautiful finish, but it must be allowed to dry between coats to get the full benefit. Avoid TruOil completely.

True Oil is not very pretty for sure.

Yes, Linspeed does require days between coats if one desires glossy finish. I was big on glossy look in my younger years. But no matter how long the final coats are aged, the finish is still not very tough relatively speaking. Personally, I find the feel of satin finish (i.e. rubbed down to surface of wood) much "warmer." Glossy finish is cold in winter and "sticky" in summer. Satin is not slippery, it just feels good. To me anyway.

Toughest finishes are synthetic lacquer or polyurethane but surprisingly poor for protection aganst moisture. Best protection, believe it or not, is natural lacquer but it's very soft, as is spar varnish/urethane for boats. The reason they protect better against the elements is because they are soft. The softer finish moves with the wood in expansion and contraction. Stiffer finishes crack (microscopical), especially in hot environments. Oil finish is even softer.

 

[Nhoro]

I would rub the finished down with sandpaper wrapped around a block between coats. You can use 400 or 600 grit and always with the grain. That flattens the finish and smooths any ripples or high spots before the next coat. You end up with a much better quality finish whether satin or glossy.