After the piece has been repaired, washed, treated and touched up, it is ready for its final finish. In some instances the treatment and touch ups are all that is needed, but if the treated finish or touch ups are dull then a final finish should be applied. Moses T’s provides a complete choice of finishes. For a satin oil finish, St. John’s Oil is the choice. If wax protection or a rich wax luster are required then St. John’s Wax is selected. For those who prefer a high gloss or bright shine then Gunstocker’s Finish is the one to choose.
Moses T’s All Natural Products are blended from the highest quality ingredients to traditional formulas. They have provided hundreds of years of proven history and have stood the test of time.
The surface should be allowed to firm up after treatment any touch ups should be allowed enough time to completely dry. Any irregularities in the surface should be smoothed with 0000 steel wool or 600 grit sandpaper. Any dust should be wiped away from all surfaces, then one of Moses T’s fine finishes can be applied.
Moses T’s St. John’s Oil produces a satin hand rubbed finish. From medieval origins this oil has been a standard for furniture builders and cabinetmakers for centuries. The beautiful patinas created by repeated application have lasted and protected for hundreds of years. By far the most common furniture finish, St. John’s Oil is faithfully recreated by Moses T’s for continued use today.
St. John’s Oil is applied evenly to the surface needing finish. A thin covering is all that is required. It is allowed to soak into the wood or finish for 10 minutes. Then all excess should wiped off with a clean cloth. A thick film should not be allowed to dry on the surface. If this happens and immediate application of St. John’s Oil or in extreme cases Reviver, are required to soften the sticky deposits. It is easy and will save you extra work if all excess is wiped from the surface within 15 minutes after application.
If the surface is too dull after the finish dries then additional applications of Moses T’s St. John’s Oil may be required. The amount of drying time varies from a few minutes to several hours depending upon the condition of the wood or finish and the surrounding temperature and humidity. Periodic treatment with Moses T’s St. John’s Oil is all that is required to maintain the surface of the furniture. The oil strengthens the internal fibers of the wood and strengthens and enhances the finish.
Moses T’s St. John’s Oil is an excellent first application for finishing with St. John’s Wax or Gunstocker’s Finish. If the wood has open grain and needs to be filled with whiting or rottenstone are mixed with a small amount of St. John’s Oil and wiped into the grain of the wood in a circular motion to deposit the filler into the grain. The surface is then wiped smooth, but not hard enough to remove the filler from the grain. Allow the filler finish to dry completely before any further finishing. A light sanding with 600 grit sand paper might be required.
Moses T’s St. John’s Wax is an oil wax finish that is easy to use, provides beeswax protection from moisture damage and does not build up. The waxes are in a fine suspension within the oil and are deposited on the surface of the finish or wood and maintain the moisture barrier when properly and evenly applied.
St. John’s Wax is applied in a circular motion to deposit the wax into any open grain or uniformly cover the surface. It is allowed to soak in for 10 minutes and then the excess is removed with a clean cloth rubbing in the direction of the grain. St. John’s Wax can also be used to fill any open grain of the wood.
While the excess wax is being removed with a clean cloth, it will polish itself and buff to a beautiful wax luster. If necessary the process is repeated and after the final application has been wiped from the surface, it can be buffed to the desired wax shine.
On table tops, counters and other areas exposed to water, several applications of St. John’s Wax may be required. On exterior wooden doors the frequent application should be in relation to the amount of exposure the door has to the weather. All heavily exposed areas should have frequent treatments of St. John’s Wax to provide continuing protection.
For those who prefer a finish capable of a high gloss, Moses T’s Gunstocker’s Finish, a hard natural resin oil finish is recommended. Gunstocker’s Finish was originally used in the early nineteenth century to provide a fine finish capable of a high gloss for rifle and pistol gun stocks. It is easy to use and provides the necessary protection for both metal and wood on those gun stocks. Gunstocker’s Finish contains rare gums and valuable resins including amber, to produce a durable shiny finish. Moses T’s Gunstocker’s Finish is applied to the entire surface needing a finish. It is allowed to stand for 10 minutes to soak in any excess is wiped from the surfaces. Just follow the direction on the container and do not allow a thick film to dry on the surface or the surface will be sticky. Wipe off all excess. It is easier to get a better finish with several thin coats rather than one thick coat.
For a high gloss, several applications may be required. It is important to allow the previous coat to dry before applying the subsequent coats. The time required to dry can range from a few minutes to several hours. Once the final application dries, the surface can be buffed by hand, a lint free cloth or a soft power buffer can be used to bring a high gloss to the surface.
The gums and resins are deposited on the surface while the oils penetrate to strengthen the wood fibers or the finish material. These gums and resins produce friction on the surface that allows Gunstocker’s Finish to be buffed to a high gloss.
If the surface is damaged then another application of Gunstocker’s Finish can be applied to repair the finish. If extreme damage occurs a treatment of Reviver might be recommended.
