Odie’s was developed for flooring. Imagine the abuse a floor gets, now imagine how well it will protect your precious furniture!
It can’t be stated enough… most commercial finishes are 90% thinner and 10% product. James’ stuff is 99% product and just enough thinner to make it possible to apply. Seriously.
Caution: don’t snooze putting any of the products on thinking you’ll buff it off much later. You will fight it and cuss the whole time. The finishes ARE that tough and superior to any we have experienced in our lifetimes. We use it on everything. The bonus is that none of his products require protective gloves, and is food grade safe, PLUS all the products have a wonderful citrus odor which leaves the shop absolutely pleasant to occupy.
Note: If you mess-up, all is not lost. You need only to reapply Odie’s, wait 20 minutes and then buff it off. It really is that simple.
For some time, Westphalia Wood Works have used nothing other than Odie’s Finishes. The results are spectacular and the finishes allow the wood to come through without that “plastic look”. To that end, I won’t be using other finishes unless it is explicitly required (after a polite argument) by a client.
Below are five 2 minute videos by James describing his products:
The following is a 12-minute “how-to” video on how to apply Odie’s Oil:
I’ve had a number of great conversations with James over the telephone, and he’s a great guy with a passion for woodworking and for producing first-class products.
Lastly, we get no compensation or considerations from Odie’s and we offer this information freely ONLY because the products are that good. We use all the finishes and waxes exclusively, achieving spectacular results that our clients rave about.
For more information or to purchase Odie’s products click HERE.
~ Peter
Thanks for posting these videos and your endorsement. These products look to be just what I have been looking for. Plus they are safe to use.
Do they work on existing furniture? If they do, I have lots of work ahead of me.
My pleasure. Yes, they will work on existing finishes. It’s best to remove the existing wax and oils from hands with mineral spirits, or Odie’s solvent then followed up with 0000 steel wool or a grey finishing pad (3M makes them), then apply Odie’s Oil. For larger surfaces use an electric 6″ car buffer. They are cheap ($15) and will save a lot of elbow grease. Be careful, you only need a tiny bit of this stuff as it goes a very long way. One 4 ounce jar of Odie’s is equivalent to 1-1/2 gallon of poly. In other words, you’ll get about 300-400 square feet coverage over an existing finish.
Follow up with Odie’s wax for ultimate protection after 2 days. Again, a very little goes a very long way. A 4-ounce jar of Odie’s wax will cover 1,000 square feet. I’m not kidding.
Hi! I recently discovered Odie’s oil and I am loving it. I have the super penetrating, the original, the butter and the wax. I was told (by the guy I bought the oil from) that I didn’t need to remove the briwax from my hundred year old table. At first I waxed it, and then I used the butter, and then the oil. I noticed the oil did start to remove my old wax, and yet the table still looks just as good, if not better. Was thinking I would keep piling it until I get all the wax off, and then move my way up to wax. Does this sound like a good idea? Second question: my floors are done in a matte finish by Rubio Monocoat. Does Odie’s have a matte finish for floors? Is it a superior product to what I have? If so, could I apply it over this?
Mary Ann, unfortunately, the guy who sold you the Odie’s gave you bad information. You should have wiped the surface of everything with mineral spirits to remove the wax and any crud which would have accumulated on any surface. Use lots of soft paper towels. Give it a good scrub with a grey pad and another wipe then begin the Odie’s regimen.
Too late now. However, Odie’s does blend very well with waxes.
Regarding Odie’s over Rubio… the sheen of Odie’s is a result of what level of sanding the wood surface gets. For a mat finish I recommend sanding to 220. Give it a good wipe then apply a single coat of Odie’s oil.
Couldn’t I still remove all the wax and start over again? Oddly, one end of my table holds a glossy shine, even with use, while the other end gets dull and needs re-waxing every month or less. As far as the floor goes, would it need to be resanded in order to apply Odie’s?
You sure can! Be sure to use mineral spirits and lots of paper towels to remove the wax. I use the Bounty half sheets. Then give it a good scrub with a grey sanding pad soaked in mineral spirits then wipe it clean again. You’ll be surprised what comes off. Be sure to throw the wet rags outside until they are dry. They can combust. Don’t put wet rags into the trash.
Please know that Odie’s will blend with most waxes. You might not even need to do this work unless you’re wanting to remove 100-year-old crud. Just sayin’.
As far as the sheen difference at one end, the wood might be burnished from use, thus the sheen. Doors, cabinets, and any wood surfaces get like that with use.
Regarding your floor, wipe it down with mineral spirits, then give it a light sanding with a grey or maroon pad and wipe it again before you apply Odie’s.
Thanks for posting this information. I will be purchasing it.
The videos are wonderful.
You’re welcome. As you can see, they are home-made videos by a man who knows his product, not some slick infomercial. You will be impressed with the results.
Caution: don’t snooze buffing this stuff off. It’s much easier to reapply than attempt to buff it off once it hardens. The products are that good.
Peter, have you ever used on Ash? Would you suggest the regular Odie’s or the Odie’s dark? I want to heighten the contrast some but do not want to darken too much …so would not add pigment to the dark …but may ad a bit if using the normal.
Thanks in advance.
Paul, yes I have. Either version of Odie’s looks great on Ash. I recommend the Odie’s Dark since Ash is very blonde. It will pop the grain.
Let me know how it works out for you. Thanks for stopping by.
Paul, yes I have. Either version of Odie’s looks great on Ash. I recommend the Odie’s Dark since Ash is very blonde. It will pop the grain.
Let me know how it works out for you. Thanks for stopping by.
Peter do you have any pictures of the odies dark on the Ash? I am getting ready to do a table top in Ash and would really like to see how it looks. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Chad, unfortunately, I do not have a picture of Odie’s dark on Ash. My recommendation would be to use a wipe on poly on a scrap piece to see what Odie’s regular would look like. My recollection of Odie’s Dark on Ash is akin to what the tone of old yellow pine looks like but with a much better graining. The Dark will pop the grain.
Use a car buffer with an applicator pad for table tops. It makes applying Odie’s soooooo much easier. A little goes a long way. I work the oil in for about 20 minutes, take a 30 minute break, then buff it off. Apply wax in 48 hours. Done.
Good luck.
I’ve spent more than an hour trying to find what the real difference is between the various Odies products but everywhere is the same blather from the manufacturer or distributor about how great the stuff is. Where can I find no BS information on what to order? I’m sold, already, but at $50 a cup it would be nice to know why I was buying the product the roulette wheel picks for me.
I recommend purchasing just plain Odie’s Oil for most any project. I use it 99% of the time.
I recommend using Oxy Oil for Cherry as it will speed up the natural darkening process.
Odie’s Dark works great on light woods such as Pine or Maple.
Mark Koons, did you get any answers to your question? I’ve been searching (unsuccessfully) for the same info. I like how it looks, but when it comes to food surfaces specifically, I have clients who want to know the ingredients and I can’t just tell them “natural oils” and leave it at that. It’s disconcerting that it’s practically a state secret 😉 Thank you.
Wondering how this would work on a trivet. That is, can it take the heat??
Probably better than most finishes. It depends on how hot the item is. Anything right off the range would damage most anything.
Does this product yellow? Considering sanding down some ambered poly off of kitchen cabinets and applying oil and possibly wax
Kris,
It doesn’t yellow. Just scuff the existing surface with 220, wipe clean, and apply Odie’s. Done.
Wax is always good.
~ Peter
While I know any oil/wax will darken/yellow my wood, I’m trying to minimize it. I have an unfinished maple butcher block countertop. It’s going to be a breakfast bar, so will get milk and cereal spills. I’d like to have minimal sheen and I desire to keep the look as blond as possible. Odies oil, yes. But what about a protection/stain resistance layer?wood butter wax or hard wax?
I’m assuming your butcher block is end-grain. If that is the case, I recommend using the Odie’s Super-penetrating oil FIRST. Let that suck in. Then maybe a light second coat as end-grain will absorb more oil due to the grain orientation. Then apply Odie’s original (clear) as you stated. I’d finish with Odie’s Wood Butter. By the way, Odie’s Wood Butter is a blend of Odie’s oil and Odie’s wax. The whole 4-step process will take 8 days. The result will be fabulous and provide a waterproof finish (2 weeks once fully cured) requiring only occasional touch up with Wood Butter, probably only annual applications. Hope that helps.
If I follow the steps above to finish a walnut butcher block countertop for a breakfast bar, but I want to add a darker pigment, at which point would I add the pigment?
I recommend using the Dark Super Penetrating Oil first followed by Dark Odie’s Oil. If it doesn’t darken it enough on the first application add some pigment then. You can add pigment to any step if you actually need to since the dark oils on walnut will darken it anyway.
You might want to experiment on the underside of the countertop first, just in case.
Thanks for the info. I’m finishing a bathroom vanity top made of redwood burl and a small epoxy river. Will the Odies oil with the Odies wax as a topcoat be waterproof enough for a bathroom counter top?
Yes, the finish will be waterproof in 2 weeks. I recommend three coats and a good wax.
We recently finished an acacia butcher block island with mineral oil only to realize it’s way more maintenance than we want to commit to. Can Odie’s oil be applied over this? Or do we have to attempt to remove the mineral oil first and if so, how?
Erin, sorry for the tardy reply. I was hacked and locked out of my own website.
I recommend flooding the top with denatured alcohol to remove as much surface oil as possible. It will most likely raise the grain a bit. Give it a light sanding with a grey sanding pad and another quick wipe to remove any fine dust. Then apply two coats of Odie’s 24 hours apart. Done.
Odie’s will blend with mineral oil.
Thank you for posting this. I have learned so much already. I have an unfinished antique oak dining table. I’ve just been using lemon oil and beeswax & orange oil 2-3 times a year. I know that’s not getting the job done. The end product I’m looking for would be a beautiful finish, protective from UV and waterproof. What would you suggest I use? And how often would I apply?
Shari, I recommend giving every surface a good scrub with a grey pad soaked in mineral spirits then wipe it off with soft paper towels. You might need to do it several times until you hear it squeak when you wipe it dry. Then apply 2 coats of Odie’s oil 24 hours apart. Give it a good wax after a few days. Done.
You probably won’t need to apply Odie’s again. Just wax it every few years depending on how much you use your table.
Hi, thank you for the posting!
I have purchased acacia butcherblock countertop for my whole kitchen. I’m planning to finish them first with odie’s super penetrating oil & universal oil before installing. If I apply odie’s oil on the end grain for sink cutout, will the caulking bond well after I mount the sink? (It’s an undermount sink)
Cool! You’re doing it correctly.
Absolutely the caulk will bond. I recommend waiting at least 24 hours.
Good luck with your project. I’m sure it will be beautiful once finished.