Clear Protective Finishes Beeswax: Beeswax is the classic polish for antique furniture, beloved by dealers and collectors everywhere. It gives a lovely soft mat sheen but is slightly tacky and tends to attract dust. By adding some carnauba wax or powdered resin in the proportions one to four, you will get a higher gloss finish and the polish will be harder and less tacky. Purchase bleached beeswax if the polish will be used on light woods; unbleached if it is for darker woods. Formula for the polish: 1. Use 4oz/100g of beeswax to 1/2pt(250ml) of pure spirits of turpentine. Grate the beeswax into flakes using a cheese grater. 2. Put the flakes of wax into a bowl or clean tin and cover with pure spirits of turpentine (DON'T USE TURPENTINE SUBSTITUTE). 3. Put the container into a larger one and pour boiling water into the outer container. Be careful not to get any water on the beeswax and turpentine, and keep the turpentine away from heat. 4. The heat will make the flakes dissolve into the turpentine. To speed the process, stir with a wooden spatula. It the flakes do not dissolve completely empty the outer container and put in more hot water. 5. Put the liquid into a clean jar or can, but do not put a lid on it for 24 hours. Brown polish can be produced by adding dry burnt or raw umber pigments to the liquid before it sets, and mixing well. This gradually darkens the surface it is applied to. 6. Apply a thin coat of polish to the clean, dry surface and buff with a soft cloth. Repeat as often as necessary, remembering that several thin layers are better then the occasional thick one. Boiled Linseed oil Boiled linseed oil is a natural finish that can be applied bare wood. It imparts a slight sheen, but with successive applications will build up to a "pleasing patina". Place boiled linseed oil in a glass or china cup; then put this into a pan of hot water until the oil is warm to the touch. Apply the oil with a clean cotton pad or clean 2"/5cm paintbrush, working in the direction of the grain. Keep applying the warm oil until the wood rejects it. (you will notice the excess staying on the surface) Allow to stand for a few hours, wipe off the excess with paper towels and leave the piece until it is completely dry. This will take several days, even in a warm room - the disadvantage of this method. Repeat the whole process if necessary. Finally, rub hard with soft cotton cloth and then apply furniture wax if a higher shine is desired. Keep the piece well dusted. Anyone using Linseed oil should be especially CAUTIOUS how the rags and brushes are stored. Fire hazard from spontaneous combustion is a real threat when using Linseed oil. Use only FIREPROOF containers. Teak Oil Teak oil can be applied to other woods as well as teak, it has the advantage of being quicker drying and more resilient then linseed oil. Apply with a soft cloth or 2"/5cm brush. Wipe off the excess after an hour of drying and apply a second coat. Rub down 36 hours later, or when dry, with very fine steel wool lubricated with furniture wax. Buff with a soft cloth. Repeat application as necessary. Alternatively, petroleum jelly can also be rubbed into teak and rosewood. Remove the excess after 24 hours with a soft cloth. From the book: How to Restore and Repair Practically Everything. Regards Tim Sweet Website: http://www.tritco.com/most/most1.html M.O.S.T Watch & Clock Co. BHI - 17340 AWI - 27151 NAWCC - 0126750 President NAWCC Chapter #117 Rio Grande