Tried and True - ain’t!??

[Thomas Pender]

Recently I bought and used Tried and True Cherry Stain because I could not obtain Watco. Well it has turned out to be a singular disaster for me because the stuff just will not dry - 120 hours and it still leaves a heavy film on my hand after several dry wipings. I have resorted to wiping it several times with denatured alcohol and that seems to be helping. (I am trying to complete a fairly complex project for a local relief sale - one where I would finish coat with my absolute favorite lacquer - Target Emtech 6000.)

So, besides this problem, does anyone have any suggestions on a Danish Oil stain that will dry (like Watco does before 72 hours)? Has anyone seen any Watco Cherry lately??

Do other Danish Oil stains create drying issues? (This one was new to me in over 40 years doing this stuff.)

[John TenEyck]

I would think T&T would come off easier with mineral spirits than DNA.

John

[Steve Voigt]

Tried and True is a good finish, if you apply it just like the directions say. Since you say it "leaves a heavy film on my hand" I think it's a safe bet that you applied it way too heavily, and didn't come back to wipe it afterwards. The internet is chock full of reports like yours from people who applied it incorrectly, including a former FWW writer, so you are in good company. It doesn't contain metal driers or solvents, so you must apply it as thinly as possible, and come back to wipe it afterwards.
I think John's advice is good--wipe it with mineral spirits, perhaps with steel wool or a mirlon pad. If necessary, scrape it and sand it. And give the T & T another try--on some scrap wood first--you might find you prefer it. Watco makes me dizzy--it's got some pretty toxic stuff in it.

[Jim Becker]

I did not know that T&T had a stain/finish combo like that. Did you wipe it one and then completely wipe it off after 5 minutes? This is not the same kind of product as Watco, BTW.

Here are the instructions from their website for the cherry stain/finish:

Stain & Finish Application Instructions

For all INTERIOR woodworking

• Stir the container to make sure to re-disperse any of the pigments that have fallen out of suspension.
• Apply a very thin coat across entire piece with a lint-free cloth at room temperature. DO NOT USE A BRUSH! A dry to wet color change in the wood should occur, but at no point should there be any puddling. A little bit of finish will go a long way!
• Allow Stain & Finish to penetrate the wood for a minimum of 5 minutes.
• Rub in briskly with a lint-free cloth until the surface is completely dry. DO THIS BEFORE YOU LET THE PIECE CURE! Drying/curing issues will occur if this step is ignored!
• Allow the piece to cure for a minimum of 8 hours.
• Burnish with a soft cloth or 0000 steel wool BEFORE EVERY COAT (even the first and last.) The more you rub the surface, the better the sheen will look.

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If you did all this and it still did not dry, you may want to contact the company for further advice.