Hey guys, im planning on making another wooden alaia paipo, but im going to use the "professional stuff" to finish it this time. I have Refined Linseed Oil... and Boiled Linseed oil.... I know its really dangerous stuff, so im aksing if you guys know wich is safer and better to use
I'm no pro, but I do know that straight linseed oil of any variety isn't recommended as a finish for alaias. It's always used in combination with other products. One guy who does a lot of wood boards says he and others have gone to using a mix of half minwax tung oil and minwax quick drying polyruethane. It basically penetrates the wood like linseed, but forms a kind of mildew-resistant varnish within the grain of the wood when it cures. It won't leach out of the wood like linseed will, and looks better as well. It's recommended that you do about 3 coats, 24 hrs apart.
Suggest searching out Swaylocks where quite a few experienced shapers discuss these things. Also try an Internet search with terms such as wood, surf, alaia, paipo, minwax, varnish.
I was surfing tuesday with a guy who makes paipos and alaias in Delaware and i believe that was exactly the mixture he mentioned. He 5'0" looked really nice
The turpentine is a thinner, that lets the linseed oil soak in easier, but it does not create a hard varnish in the wood. It all depends on what you're after.
Aloha,.. If you wished to make the board more in-tune with Hawai'ian tradition I'd recommend kakui nut oil and cocoanut oil mixture---you can add darker tones by burning kakui nut shell husks for a darker patina. All the ingredients can be bought on-line. My mentors Tom "Pohaku" Stone and Bob Kalani Russell, have dug into our Hawai'ian roots and tried to revive and protect the "old ways" of papa he'he nalu. Aloha Nui, Randy I've pics of several boards of mine koa and mango
I'll post some pics tomorrow am. Also, as I was feeding the cattle, I realized I'd spelled "kukui" wrong in my last post,..sorry, I was still on my first cup of coffee. Aloha, Randhy
I just finished my first alaia. I used a mixture of one part boiled linseed oil and two parts mineral spirits. It seems pretty waterproof and didn't take that long to soak into the wood. It took 5 coats initially and will need to be re-sealed on a regular basis. I wouldn't use plain linseed oil, it's too thick and won't soak in.
