Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Bill Blasic
I tried grocery store walnut when I first started turning, after 6 months the walnut oil had not cured. Wet sanded with water to get rid of it. I have never had a problem with Mahoney's walnut oil, it cures fast.
Finishing additives
Don Evans
My guess on the drying is that something has been added to it to make it dry more quickly.
Finishes can have lots of different additives like UV and dryers, ect.
Don
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Darryl
I just picked up sanding sealer and mat coat Deft at Ace Hardware on special order. (Maryland)
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Dick Hines
The only place I have seen Deft lacquer is the Ace Hardware stores. Lowes and Home Depot stores don't carry it Amy more.
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Joe Herrmann
I buy mine at a local, Mom & Pop paint store. It's harder to get and they don't always have it incstoc, but they are usually able to get it for me in a reasonable length of time.
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Jerry Louden
Plenty of Deft on Amazon
There are alternatives...
Mike Stafford
I have been using Qualalacq products for several years. For all practical purposes they are the same as Deft. I started using Qualalacq at the suggestion of someone at the Klingspor store who said it would be a reasonable substitute for Deft. I use both the Qualalacq sanding sealer for a matte finish and the the Qualalacq brushable lacquer for a shiny finish. I have found that both need to be thinned right out of the can so I mix up small amounts using their proprietary thinner, which is probably just denatured alcohol, but seems to work better than the alcohol.
I find that this thinned version is difficult to apply evenly to larger items so it is relegated to the small work which is what I do most of the time. It dries almost as fast as you can put it on. I flood on a coat with a brush and immediately wipe off any that is not absorbed with a paper towel. I frequently apply 3 or more coats in a matter of a few minutes rubbing out with steel wool between coats. Top coated with a little microcrystalline wax and you have a very respectable and reasonably durable finish.
Qualalacq
John K Jordan
Thanks for that Mike. I don't use lacquer much but I'll definitely try that when my Deft runs out. I see they offer it in rattle cans too.
Looking around a bit, I see prices from about $15 to over $27 per quart! I'll ask at the local Ace hardware store. They seem to be able to get anything quickly and at good prices. For example, their price on Watco oil was about 1/2 of Woodcraft's price.
Have you tried spraying lacquer with an airbrush? I bought an oversized cup just for that but haven't tried it yet.
JKJ
Re: Qualalacq
Mike Stafford
John, I don't have an airbrush and I have never used one. The closest I came to using an airbrush is when George Taylor demonstrated the Nick Agar technique of using a mouth atomizer. I bought one and tried using it. It worked reasonably well but I never pursued it after that.
I have tried the Qualalacq sprays and they work fine but I really like the control I get from using the brushing lacquer and there is no over spray from it.
Where do you buy this Qualalacq Mike?
Re: Where do you buy this Qualalacq Mike?
John K Jordan
I'm not Mike (we're both thankful for that! 
) - I searched Google for Qualalacq and got lots of suppliers for Behlen Qualalacq, several varieties, thinners, sealers, etc. Just don't get it from Amazon unless you are one of those rich people in horse country!
JKJ
Re: Where do you buy this Qualalacq Mike?
Mike Stafford
Professor Donaldson, I buy my Qualalacq from the Woodworking Shop (aka Klingspors) in Cary, N.C. formerly located in Raleigh. I buy a quart of sanding sealer, brushing lacquer and the proprietary thinner. It lasts a long time.
Of course I don't turn as much as you....
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Jim Barbour
Bill, I think the difference is in whether the walnut oil has been refined or not. Some time back I was led to believe that the refining process removes what natural dryers are present in walnut oil. Thus the unrefined will dry, the refined will not. Both are available in the store for cooking and salads.
I have not run any controlled experiments with refined vs unrefined walnut oil so I do not have personal knowledge to back my conjecture, but I have used unrefined, filtered walnut oil for years and it has always set.
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Larry
I can get Deft Lacquer here in California.
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
jorge
Bill Blasic,
warm the walnut oil and it will dry readily. I use roasted walnut oil, the walnuts were roasted before pressing and it is the fastest drying oil I know Saveurs de la Terre is the brand name, french product and it is food to start with.
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Bill Blasic
Thanks Jorge but I'm close to opening my second gallon of Mahoney's walnut oil and it costs $50 a gallon. The best price I could find for Saveurs de la Terre walnut oil was $116 for a gallon. Even if the price were the same it would be hard for me to turn away from something I know that works and works well.
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
jorge
Wow! $116 for a gal!!
I pay $12.00 for a pint... 16.9 oz
Re: But David, Deft products are no longer......
Bill Blasic
Jorge the best price I found was $14 and change for 16.9 oz, multiply that by 8 to make a gallon.