# Danish oil on walnut issue



## Marktime56 (Mar 17, 2017)

I have a guitar with an American walnut top and trying to achieve a warm brown color as an oiled walnut should have. I have attempted an oil finish with 
non tinted Watco Danish oil and while this appears
nice with a near light source on the wood it appears to 
have little darkening effect with a light source at a distance. I am wondering what can be done or is this the norm working with an Danish oil finish. I have included photos of near and one at a far distance from the light source.
Is there any technique to achieve the darkening at both
distances from the light. I like the way it appears with the near light source.

Thanks in advance​


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

That's about the way it should look with natural Danish oil, if you have some scrap, sand it to the same level you have , and try some of the darker finished Danish oil, you might even have to mix a couple different shades of oil to get what you want


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Walnut has a bit peculiar look to it when it's freshly finished. In time especially exposed to sunlight it will get the warm brown look you are wanting. Just keep it oiled and nature will take it's course.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Watco is available in these colors:
Light Walnut
Medium Walnut
Dark Walnut
Black Walnut

Also Watco makes a wax to use on top. 

I love the Watco products.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Also, if you're comparing the two photos it could be how your camera catches what it sees. The first one is a dark background and the second is a light background. Are you using your phone or a camera? Is it averaging or center weighted on exposure? Is the lighting the same or is one incandescent and one fluorescent, some artificial and some natural, all artificial, etc. for example? Does it appear that way to your eye or is it not as drastic?

Just for an example, here are some Walnut plaques I did a few weeks ago and these are with no stain, simply clear coated with Nitrocellulose sanding sealer and gloss lacquer. The first one is fluorescent lighting in the shop and the second is incandescent inside the house -
















David


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