Walnut oil finish for Louis XIV antiques?

Hi Ron,

I'm thoroughly enjoying your website in all its aspects and considering your many wonderful products.

However, as a furniture restorer who has worked on several quality French antiques over the years and done some study of the craft methods used on the furniture of the Louis',it's not quite accurate that walnut oil is the finish used on those accomplished pieces.

Walnut oil, linseed oil, and other natural oils were used, however, as a carrier for various fillers (like pumice stone, wood sanding dust, etc.) for filling the pores to make the smooth base for applying the mirror smooth look of the classic French polish finish. And it was used as a lubricant for the "fad" or "tampon" which was the pad used to apply the actual French polish---which was primarily composed of shellac with sometimes the addition of other resins soluble in alcohol.

Regards,
Steve Miller

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Hey thanks for giving such a great explanation of how the walnut oil was used in French finish!

Arbutus Ron