Debunking Hardwax Oil Wood Finishes 

Check out Suman's video here - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6QUaiWeWjP0.htmlsi=VIMEuuyUN7UL-dfx

Sorry I passed out from the fumes during testing. My video is almost done 😂

I am a biochemist, and for what it's worth, I am impressed at the way you handled the complex conversation around VOCs. I love seeing people acknowledge risks and uncertainty, and I do appreciate the pragmatic take.

Thank you for putting in the effort into these types of videos! I really appreciate the clarity this brings with all of these hard wax/oil finishes!! Upon closer look I recognized the logo on the ceramic coating used on sample #4, I am looking forward to that video!!

As always, great video with the right touch of fun and keeping the topic interesting! Really like your channel!

Love your build and finish videos! After many years I’ve just started paying much more attention to this. While I’ve settled on the look and feel of pure bees wax for finishing most of what I’ve been doing, I’ve been looking into more options. Thank you for this

I rarely comment on any YT videos, but this series that you’ve been doing on finishes has been fantastic. I know you put a lot of focus on video performance analytics as to which videos you leave on the channel, but all of your finish test videos are better than any others out there.

Thanks for all the hard work and time that went into making this very informative video!

This is great information for all new woodworkers to watch (and honestly a lot of veteran wood workers too). It's a very dangerous hobby/profession that can be amazingly fulfilling when handled appropriately and safely. It's a great reminder that the risks are not just with the blade aspect but the chemicals we use and the byproducts around. So thanks for shedding this light, and hopefully it encourages other woodworking influencers to lead by example and educate while entertaining.

Thanks again for giving our Bee’Nooba Wax a shot 🐝 💪

Thank you for a great video. As always it appears to be unbiased and loaded with a very appropriate level of humor. Did you consider re-applying the finish after the stain test to see how easily or difficult the stain is to repair?

First time visitor here and I must say, well done! Coming from an automotive paint background I agree with your recommendation for using a respirator. The thing most people don’t realize is that if they have been using these products for a long period of time they have probably become desensitized to any odor they emit so they don’t smell anything. Pay attention when visitors come into your space and comment how much it stinks! Wear a respirator!

I consider myself a hobby woodworker but have sold about 10 pieces of furniture to friends and family and I have used all but 2 of the products you listed and have settled on Osmo. And per your comment on how we have fooled ourselves into believing we like dull finishes I have been using the glossy osmo 3011. I came to this conclusion myself after showing test boards to friends and family and the few clients I build for and ALL of them picked either the 3011 or conversion varnish. I must admit I have moved back to spraying finishes on large projects and table tops as the water based conversion varnishes are now very good and it is ultimately faster. I know people are going to say “film finishes are not repairable “ but for me, a guy who builds mostly mission furniture out of dye stained QS W. Oak, if you have a finish failure your repair process is complicated no matter the finish.

Fantastic work Jon! Really appreciate all the time and effort you put in to this.

Hi Jon, it is extremely valuable for manufacturers like us to understand the market needs and expectations. Thank you for preparing this video. Nevertheless, we would be more than happy to send our products for your review.

Great video! I really appreciate all of the time and effort you spent in the execution of your experiment including the assistance of others. Job well done!! This will assist me greatly in my decision process in which product I will use/try on my projects.

Fantastic video as usual! Glad to see a ceramics video is on the way. If it's not too late, I'm super curious to see woodworking ceramic coatings up against a typical automotive ceramic coating.

Very informative, I think you are one of the few RU-vidrs that only recommends products that you have actually tested and used and that’s why I will keep watching! 😁

I don't even do any woodworking myself but watching someone talk about something they are passionate about is always fun and interesting.

I probably only finish three or four pieces of furniture a year, but this has convinced me I should get a respirator, since I do mostly use Osmo.

Thanks for all the time you put in to this. I have never used osmo or general finishes and want to try them both

wow! that's a lot of work and time invested in that concise video! Thank you and keep it up!

Very slick and informative presentation. As a 'noob' WRT to these finishes, I feel much more informed not about these hardwax oils, but also side bar information about finishes in general. Merci beaucoup

I don't often find myself anxiously awaiting a youtube video, but I am anxiously awaiting your ceramic coat review video. I feel embarrassed that I've never heard of this before watching your video today, but I'm impressed by just your brief demonstration. It looks durable and beautiful.

I went with number 3 😁. Incredible video, thank you.

SO grateful for this video. between this and the sandpaper tests alone you've already contributed so much to this community, appreciate you sir

I used osmo on my kitchen worktops. Great stuff, easy to use, lasts ages before having to sand and reapply. In 6 years I’ve only sanded and reapplied once, that said it is due another soon

I truly appreciate this information. Really helpful.

Interesting note on the variation between different chunks of wood. My guess is this might be down to the direction of the grain, especially with open pore woods like walnut. Whether the grain is more parallel or perpendicular probably affects how well the finish soaks into the wood. I did similar tests and Monocoat outperformed Osmo in my test. Though I've been using Tried & True for most stuff these days, the cost, ease of application (no mixing of two-parts, I'm looking at you Monocoat), shelf life (again, Monocoat is terrible in this regard) and ability to build up a nice sheen if you sand to a high grit are what won me over. For table tops and such I use Tried & True Varnish Oil - which has a pine resin in addition to the linseed oil and wax. I haven't done any scientific testing but this seems to be noticeably more durable than the original T&T oil+wax finish. It also builds a glossier sheen than most other oil+wax finishes. T&T Danish Oil - a confusing and dumb name as this is simply pure polerymized linseed oil - is a great finish for tool handles or other things around the shop too

This is really helpful, finishes are always stressful to me. I typically just use Tung oil and that's it but I have thought about trying something else.

Great video. Fair assessment and very well tested.

I'm scratching my head, feeling akin to watching a weather report telling me it's sunny out, but when I look out my window I see that it is raining. I have been in the high end of wood finishing for well over 30 years and my own experience with Odie's, Rubio and Osmo could NOT be any more different. After years of using Rubio, learning all about it's strengths and weaknesses, we switched to Odie's, because basically it addressed all of Rubio's weaknesses and brought some truly unexpected bonuses that we were able to turn into more offerings and business in general, as well as happier customers. For example, Rubio failed time and time again on certain exotics, especially oily ones. Odie's did amazingly well on those or any species. Rubio sets up in 15-mins and the application and buff off cycle has to be completed within that time frame. Imagine doing that on 2000sf! It gets annoying and time consuming constantly switching pads. With Odie's we can complete the entire job application and buff off after without stress of having waited too long. Much more efficient work flow, especially on large projects, which was the exact opposite of what you said in the video! Rubio requires that the highest you sand is about 120. Why, if it's truly a molecular bonding finish as they claim? It's because once you mix it with the catalyst, it bonds to that instead of the wood fiber and needs the scratch pattern for adhesion. Not so with Odie's. You can sand up to 5000 if you wanted to, it will still bond. Which brings me to my next point (one of the unexpected bonuses I referenced earlier). You can get a high gloss with Odie's! The higher you sand, the higher the shine! Try that with any of the others! Odie's is tung oil based. It is truly a marine grade finish. It performed much better in kitchens (or outdoors) than Rubio. I know because I had both in my kitchen with 4 kids and a big dog. :) The VOC topic in this industry is confusing at best, lies at worst. VOC's are not the problem. Trees emit VOC's. Isocyanates found in the catalyst is what we should be worried about. Rubio has isocyanates, Odie's does not. I could go on and on and on. We tried most and we only use Odie's on all our products at this point. However, I will submit that we too had failures in the beginning. Learning how to correctly apply and remove the product was key!

I chose #2 actually. I have a question about the wipe test. What does it take to repair that wipe damage?

Great video I’m new to woodworking and I like the natural look of the woods I don’t like it hit it under finishes, so thanks for all the great information. Very helpful.

I have seen Suman's video - great video got some new insights. Loved your video. Your both videos complete each other!

Another brilliant video. Very helpful, thank you 👌

Absolutely fantastic video, thank you both for the incredible amount of time and planning this took! Woodworking and finishing go hand in hand, and one of the things everyone finds out eventually is that you cannot trust the label on your finishes. It's unfortunate that manufacturers are allowed to get away with this nonsense, but we are extremely fortunate lads like you are out there testing this stuff exhaustively. Cheers, and subbed

High quality content. Thank you.

Hey Jon, thanks for doing all the hard work for us. If I had to do this testing on my own, I'd lose it about halfway through and pull the car back into the garage...... Plus, it's hard for us Weekenders to afford all those finishes just to test out what they look like on various woods. One quick question though, what does your neighbor use?

Great video, I didn't think you talked too much at all. Really liked the breakdowns with real numbers 👍🏽👏🏽

I am eager for the ceramic follow-up. I have been using it on my cars for years, and am interested to see your results. I was not a fan of how much it darkened the walnut, so hopefully there are others that keep the more natural look (I liked #1 in the blind test).

Another excellent video! thank you for making such good content!

This was a great video! Always look forward to your realeses! Like you said there is no bs.

This was outstanding. Thank you!

Lately, I've mostly used boiled linseed oil and put a few coats of polyurethane on for surfaces that see use. I've tried using paste wax, but I find it's a major hassle for larger boards. For food-safe woodworking projects, I've recently been converted to pure tung oil. I've never played with any of these hard wax finishes. Maybe I should give them a try.

LOL. I picked 2.

Interesting and informative. I recently finished birch plywood and a cedar top with wipe on polyurethane and loved the look. I guess I’m an oddball! Thanks for your video.

Great stuff, can't wait to see more!

Used osmo on a big box butcher counter top and it’s been doing well. I give it a wipe with the boos oil every now and then. I really like the Rubio walnut stain/oil/whatever for walnut. Brings out the chocolate and not the orange that walnut sometimes does for me. Nice video, well done. 👍👍

Amazing stuff for the new and old woodworkers in the world. I took a screenshot of the VOC numbers for later. I figure, when I can go for a lower VOC, I should as we’re all exposed consistently.

What a great video! In my opinion, perfectly paced, very entertaining and educational. It was a pleasure to watch. You kept my attention(hard to do) throughout the video and I walked away with valuable knowledge. A template on how to make a comparison/review video. Great job! Thank you! Oh, and it's the first time in a long time I didn't skip the sponsor part:) I'm getting a can and getting to my table saw!

So great. Thanks.

Very well done, and interesting video. I really like how in depth you get, and your perspective is appreciated. Having said that, I would have loved to see a comparison of homemade beeswax, and either linseed oil, or tung oil. I really like to see how they compare to the pros. Love the channel, Cheers Danny

Great test/review video! I discovered Fiddes a couple of years ago and its all I'll use now if I'm finishing with a hard wax.

Nice comparison. Another test that I would like to see is ease of cleaning and resistance / compatibility with common household cleaners. The scenario I have in mind is food bits and pieces smeared on the table (think mashed potatoes, yogurt, tomato sauce, cereal pudding, etc) and left to dry completely for a few days - possibly resulting in some of the hardest materials know to man! Then cleaning of the surface with general purpose surface cleaners, including some containing alcohol and bleach. The results should show how clean the surface is and how much damage (if any) the finish has suffered. I have a dinner table finished with wipe-on poly and it passes the test with flying colors, can be cleaned completely, possibly scrubbing it with a cloth with household cleaner and there is no permanent damage to the finish.

Wait.. what was the finish used on the #1 piece at 17:43? I actually liked that one better than #4. Also, can't wait for the ceramics video.. Thanks for the great content as always!

Great video, really helped me out with understanding capabilities of hardwax oils

Totally impressed with your presentation. You have a new subscriber!

My table saw trunnion gears look like yours did, I'm picking up a can of that WD-40 Dry Lube on the way home tonight! Oh, and the rest of the video on the finishes was great too. Nice work!

Great video as always💪

Great video. I have used Rubio and Odie's and like them both for different reasons. i will give general a try now that I have watched this. Very interesting. Shows that you need to know your product and when to use it.

I've always liked the look of a couple coats of 100% Tung oil followed by a beeswax buffed in. Not as quick as an all in one can, but also quite cheap.

Great video Mr. Lincoln Street. Keep them coming.!!! Enjoy your Sunday😎

Thank you. That was very helpful.

This was a great video. Cheers!

What a great review. Thanks so much

That's lucky. Fiddes is my first can into hard wax that I picked up a while ago. I like it for some things. Especially nice for a piece that's touched. Though I do like my rainfall oils as well. But sometimes you don't want to spend days between coats.

As a long time hobbyist woodworker, I find these tests interesting and really enjoy your videos. My outlook though is, comparing "Food Safe" finishes to not food safe finishes to be, not apples to apples. In all actuality if I am working on something not to be used as a food safe item I will most likely be reaching for a poly and for food safe, at this moment in time, reach for Tried and True. I know the Tried and True will need to be reapplied through the items lifetime. Many of the other 'better' finishes for something like an end-table or tabletop are expensive compared to the products' selling points. Remember, I am a 'hobbyist' not someone making a living from my woodworking. TLDR; the info is great and thanks for the time and effort put into the making of the video. I look forward to all your videos. Oh, and PS.... I have a table saw that hasnt been lubed in over 5 years (I dont PM my tools as religiously as I should either)😉. I definitely will look into the WD dry lube. Thanks again.

Fantastic video--Really helpful. Thank you.

I would love a reveal of the other numbers. 2 and 3 look good!!!!

To keep my light color woods light, I have been using Rubio with the 5% white. Looks good but I’ll let you know in a couple of years if I really like it.

One of the great things about Osmo is the shear number of options that they offer. It’s also one of the things that makes it a little confusing especially when you factor in that because it is a multinational brand there are some products that have been specifically developed for each branch market. The 3043 satin finish you are using here actually has a higher VOC content than some of its counterparts. 3043 is recommended for a brushed or rolled application, while 3053 which was developed for North America as a lower VOC option with higher solids content is recommended for a cloth application. Don’t get me wrong it still has VOC so if you want to truly go low VOC you need to get some 5125 which is the highest solids option and therefore also the most expensive, but it builds a coat twice as fast. Two thin coats of 5125 is a pretty easy stoping point, by comparison I would say you would want to do 3-4 coats of the 3043 or 3053. It makes sense when you think about it though Osmo is a flooring product. If you want build a thick finish quickly on a new floor you go with 5125. If you want give an existing Osmo finished floor a quick refresh you go with a quick coat of 3043 or 3053 to bump back up the sheen and protection with a slightly faster drying time due to the added thinners.

Very useful, thanks for the effort and posting.

Nice comparison and test. I've noticed a significant difference with Omso when using 1 vs. 2 coats. As for VOC's, I make sure to use Osmo outside when possible because it's pretty strong for the first 12-18 hours or so. Looking forward to the ceramic testing.

I’m a huge a Odies Oil fan. I got hooked when I started refinishing and it’s carried over as I’m progressing in the building side of things. I’ve tried Rubio just to see what the fuss about and I much prefer the Odies. Surface prep and follow the directions. A little more work but it’s worth it

Love a good comparison video. For the impromptu scrub test I wonder if there was any difference in the ‘repairability’ between the brands?

LOVE the Madeline shout out at the end!!!

Never used any of these! Very informative!

I like your way of analyzing things. very "scientific", I mean rigorous ans structured. This video is one of the very best I saw on RU-vid in months. Bravo

Thank you - this is incredibly helpful! What would you recommend for finishing interior pine windows and millwork? We'd like to conserve the pale look of the wood. Perhaps Osmo Polyx?

My favorite finish these days is Odie’s oil and it smells great!

I do alot of sample tests when doing a project, usually end up going with water based matte poly. Does not darken the wood, but brings out grain and provides a much more durable finish than any of the oil/wax finishes social media users use. Classic finishes like danish, toung, shellac while very durable/long lasting I don't care for the color change effect it has. Being said, each wood species will change is different ways with different products. These social media hyped finishes? Think would be good option on surfaces that do not see daily/rough use and also where ease of application would help. Book shelves, etc. Or even wall panels/ceiling panels

This is life changing. I have been using satin poly all my life. This is like walking out of the barn and into the sun (with sunscreen). Your thoroughness in testing would make the FDA jealous.

Glad you had a summary, and glad I didn’t click off too soon.

I would love to see a comparison to pre-catalyzed lacquer and conversion varnish (more for the pro market).

I know you discussed this, but I think it’s very important to note that not all volatiles are the same. The nature of the solvent is key. For example, shellac has a ton of VOCs in it, but it’s just ethanol which while technically a toxin, isn’t the same thing as methyl ethyl ketone.

I really like the angle of making the products into “contestants “. It assigned a contest like atmosphere to the video. Great video!

I have been working with Osmo quite a bit lately and a few comments: 1. I found the fumes in a double garage to be pretty strong and started wearing a respirator - thanks for validating that was a good move! 2. I placed two objects with rubber feet on my shop cabinets finished with Osmo and both left marks from the rubber feet that I was not able to wash or scrub off... it looks like sand and refinish - I am not impressed with this 3. Several professional furniture makers have noted that the Osmo of today is not the same as the Osmo of prior years. They don't know what changed but do not find it as durable and some have switched to Fiddes for that reason. 4. I really like Osmo Raw's appearance on maple and birch - worth comparing to clear.

Great video as always! I use hard wax oils (Rubio) on big projects, is easy and fast to apply. But for smaller projects like music boxes, I still use shellac that I mix myself, natural product and easy to use.😃

These products are expensive, so I mostly go with boiled linseed oil and beeswax, but I think I will follow your excellent advice. THANK YOU for your excellent experiment and explanation.

My daughters dresser we refinished we painted frame and top with beyond paint and then I used Odie’s on the drawer faces. The bottle went a long way and actual smells pleasant (I applied on back patio so well vented) but I didn’t mind being out there and even though labor intensive rubbing in and then buffing off I wasn’t suffocating in fumes which was nice.

Honest Tea is in very short supply these days. Appreciate your energy and integrity!

Can't wait for the ceramics video! There's very little info on these out there. I put Rubio on an acacia butcher block and everything from mustard to kids "washable" markers and even pencil marks go right through the finish and get stuck there. I can't even erase the pencil.

See, THAT is perfect AD placement!

Thanks for the in-depth look into some of your favorite finishes. Great video. Have you ever tried natura one coat? Curious what you would think compared to Rubio. Especially with the carbon coat on top of it. I recently used carbon method on my table saw and am sold of the nano coatings. Waiting for a nice wood project to try it on. Thanks again.

I put that dry lube on my saw blades after I clean them. A sponsor whose stuff works!

Solid content pal... As always

Been using Odies, almost exclusively for about 10 yrs. Indoor and outdoor furniture, knife and tool handles, etc. Been as perfect as I can hope for

Really good Video! One addition: The ratio of the voc test from surface to aiir volume is roughly 0,3m²/m³ . That would scale up to applying finish on a 15m² (e.g 7m long by 2,2m board) in a 20m² room with no vent/open Windows.

great video, but 1.5 months too late for my last project, but I did home brew of wax, turpentine and varnish with good results