# Oil finish ???



## jwtcustomgamecalls (Aug 6, 2014)

I've got a question about oil finishes. I've been doing a oil finish on my calls for awhile now. I'm wondering, if putting the call in the oil, instead of letting it just sit and soak for a bit, would putting it in the vacuum chamber and drawing a vacuum on it for 30 min to an hour would help it soak up and be beneficial. Or would it just be about the same. Thanks in advance. Waylon.


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## elnino (Aug 6, 2014)

What kind of Oil finish? I honestly don't think you would get any benefit really just wasting a lot of finish. Is there a problem with your finish on the calls currently?


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## DKMD (Aug 7, 2014)

I'd worry about the oil inside the wood not curing properly with a vacuum application... I think multiple lighter coats would be better than a vacuum soaking, but I don't have any first hand experience with the vacuum version. Why not give it a try?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## BrentWin (Aug 7, 2014)

My concern would be that it would never let the oil on the surface truly dry. It might stay gummy and sticky like an oil finish on oily wood like cocobolo does. I don't know, just thinking out loud.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike Jones (Aug 7, 2014)

In his book _"Understanding Wood Finishes" _, Bob Flexner pretty much dispels the value of 'in-the-wood' finishes versus surface protection. There is some risk of the oil going bad before it can dry, and little benefit at best.


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## jwtcustomgamecalls (Aug 7, 2014)

Thanks guys. That was my main concern with it. Didn't think it would dry like it was supposed to.


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## SENC (Aug 7, 2014)

Interesting thoughts about whether it would not dry properly or cause drying problems. There is so little wood left (thin walls) that I can''t imgine this would be a significant issue. There are callmakers who do oil under vacuum for maximum penetration... though I've not tried it myself.

Mike - I think the reason some callmakers do this is not to improve the finish but to maximize penetration to reduce future moisture absorption and movement. These calls get subjected to highly variable and often very wet (sometims even submerged) conditions. Whether the treatment has the intended effect, I do not know. I'm slowly moving towards all my barrels and most inserts being stabilized for this reason.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike Jones (Aug 8, 2014)

_"Mike - I think the reason some callmakers do this is not to improve the finish but to maximize penetration to reduce future moisture absorption and movement. These calls get subjected to highly variable and often very wet (sometims even submerged) conditions. Whether the treatment has the intended effect, I do not know. I'm slowly moving towards all my barrels and most inserts being stabilized for this reason."_

Henry, I often use the "Duck Call" as an example of a turned item that is subject to extreme conditions. (warm humid breath, freezing temps, rain, fog, duck blood, alcohol, {from the duck blind heater }, etc., and etc. And, I think that Flexner's point here is; would you expect a duck call to resist all that without a durable topcoat? 

Whether we're talking about game calls or salad bowls, the turning depends upon surface protection to resist what the user (and mother nature) will throw at it. The "finish" is maximal. What lies under it is minimal.

Add to this thought, that all nut, seed, and veggie oils will rancidify in time and the only thing that stops rancidifcation is complete polymerization. Walnut, Tung, and Linseed oil depend upon gross exposure to oxygen to cure (polymerize). This leaves the questions: how are we to know if it has cured in the wood or not, and, if not, is rancid oil in the wood a bad thing?

I would have a lot more confidence in a vacuum pulled, resin stabilized, call than one soaked in oil.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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