Tried and true varnish oil.

[paul cottingham]

So maybe I'm putting it on wrong, but I've been reading horror stories about this stuff not drying so I used it with trepidation. I rubbed on a thin coat and it dried overnight. Am I doing anything wrong?

[Chris Padilla]

No. :)

You're worried that you are not having any problems with the finish? :D

[Casey Gooding]

I think people run into problems when they try to apply it like regular finishes. Follow the directions & use very thin coats & you should be fine.

[paul cottingham]

I know it is a crazy question, but I'd read of all the problems some people had with it, and was worried. I padded it on with a cloth pad, very thin coats, and it seems pretty damn good. My question was somewhat tongue in cheek, but I thought i missed something.

[Ross Canant]

I warm it in a small crock pot (in the can) and apply with a cloth. I rub it on, wait a few minutes, and rub off an shiny spots. Works every time. I have no idea if warming it helps at all, but it makes me feel good.

[Joe Cunningham]

I've not tried it, but FWW has a video on their website with Christian Becksvoort describing how he applies it (in their pay section). I read a FWW article about all the problems the author had and steered clear, but I think I will give it a try after watching that video.

[Casey Gooding]

According to Bob Flexner, warming oil & oil based finishes actually reduces how much they soak into the finish. This is because the heat activates the driers & makes them work more quickly. However, since these products don't contain these driers, it may not matter.
Whatever works for you, keep doing it.

[Dale Osowski]

How many coats are you guys typically using? I'm at 4 now, not sure if more will make a visible difference.

[Jim Becker]

I'm not fond of the varnish-oil product (love the oil and oil/wax versions, however) but it sounds like you are doing things correctly by using very thin applications and letting it cure before adding the next coat. You can keep on building this that way until you get where you want to be. It just takes patience and time as you do not want to rush nor "accidentally" put it on too thickly. You will get an uneven sheen that way...