Make This Legendary Wood Finish Yourself - (Sam Maloof Recipe)

Sam Maloof is a legendary woodworker and furniture maker. His furniture was selling for around $9,000 to $15,000 in the early 80s. Today collectors pay sums approaching $100,000 for his furniture pieces. Sam was known for designing his own furniture, including his own wood joint (known as the Maloof joint) for the rocking chair. Of particular note was the natural finish he used that didn't cover up the wood, but brought out its richness or 'sensual qualities' as he put it.

I use this finish on almost everything I produce that is meant to be a fine piece. It is made by mixing a particular amount (which I show you in the video) of Tung Oil, Boiled Linseed Oil, and Beeswax. I have found that it works best when the wood is sanded to 400 grit, and in my opinion, sanding to at least 200 grit is necessary for good results. Additionally, this wood finish works best on darker woods, as Sam Maloof mostly worked with dark woods such as Walnut. It does work on lighter color woods, but I feel like it doesn't stand out as much as with the darker ones.

I encourage you to watch the interview, as Sam was never professionally trained as a woodworker, but just started doing it. I found him to be a very inspiring person.

If you have any suggestions for inspiring woodworkers, great custom wood finishes, or anything else related to making things, feel free to leave a comment so I can possibly make a video about it in the future.

*The video of the TV stand build is coming soon and a link will be placed at the end of this video when it is done.

For business inquiries:
P.O. Box 271
Oxford, IN 47971

[davidshaffer]

Sam Maloof, what a wonderful man. I met him and his wife at the Anderson ranch. In Aspen Colorado. I'm a self taught woodworker myself. We got along great. It was a honor to meet him and his wife.

[jserra]

Thanks for a good video with clear instructions. Two notes: 1. The commercially available Maloof Finish comes in two versions: Poly Oil and Poly Oil with Wax, the latter is recommended as a topcoat, but not for horizontal services where hot items may be placed as doing so may leave a ring. 2. In addition to recommending sanding to 400, Maloof was an advocate of burnishing with oooo steel wool before applying finish.

[dewaynebaker]

I would recommend using pure tung oil as that tung oil finish product has very little tung oil in it.

[rfibfib]

I'm not an expert on Sam Mallof but from my research you are using just the second application.
From what I have used and read.. Quote from Sam Maloof:
1st appl: 1/3 boiled linseed oil, 1/3 tung oil and 1/3 semigloss polyurethane
Apply generously, rub off completely and let sit overnight
Add another coat and repeat 4xs
2nd appl: 1/2 boiled linseed oil, 1/2 tung oil and shredded beeswax
2 coats and finished.
It's all hear say on the internet but I just wanted to add my experience.

[samseaborn]

NEVER heat liquid in a closed vessel! The liquid will expand and can shatter the glass. (I'm a chemist)

[KM-blvy]

The recipe I believed to have been Maloof's at some point was done with two mixtures. I've been using this method for years and it's easily my favourite method. I've subbed in different oils in place of polyurethane without any distinguishing results.

Step 1- Equal parts Turps, Double Boiled Linseed, Oil based Poly. The use of Oil Poly and possibly cheap home center tung and danish oils is mainly because of the drying agents in the product. Sam knew home center tung and danish oil didn't have actual Tung oil as do I.

Step 2- is what you did in the video.

Application, as seen in some videos of his process, is to take the first step mixture and apply with super fine 0000 steel wool and really get the oils soaked into the wood. Next immediately remove as much top oil as possible with a rag and keep going until the rag or paper towel comes off clean. Let sit overnight and repeat application for 2 more days. Next, apply the wax mixture in the video. I've used high quality paste waxes and also the cheap min wax paste waxes with great results too.

[jmencarini]

Now I have his recipe as linseed oil, varnish, paint thinner. then the beeswax in linseed oil as topcoat. only used it once but that table is over 25 years old and doesn't have a mark on it.

[yxmkfmp]

Sam Maloof indeed is very inspiring. Thank you for sharing your take on it..

[paulsampson]

Suggest putting the beeswax in will reduce the soaking penetration into the wood.I use a one third each of Tung oil, linseed oil and vegetable turps which is applied with 1000 wire wool, couple of applications drying between and once surface is dry then apply the beeswax. Have used on kitchen laminate wood tops with excellent results water resistance, can be re oiled waxed as necessary.

[SurfDweller]

Hello. I'm a relatively experienced woodworker but by no means an expert. I like to make my own finish, but I'm somewhat confused by your use of the Minwax Tung oil Finish product. You call it tung oil, but most experienced woodworkers know that there's little if any pure tung oil in this product. I've used both pure and the minwax product and they are completely different. Could you clarify this. Thanks.

[thomastieffenbacherdocsava]

Good that you've posted Sam's finish. Comments below have stated what I've learned. I use higher grits and #0000 steel wool. Bees wax and or furniture paste wax as a final with recommendation to clients of a wax and buff once a year. HAVE RUN TESTS USING LINSEED OIL AND PURE TUNG OIL. Currently using oil based exterior poly as it stays liquid longer.

[scurvydog]

I went with VG fir for my doors, base, and case. Although it looked great, I found that I was allowing 7-10 days between coats to avoid what appeared to be blistering to the top surface of the VG. After approx 6-8 months, the finish went chalky in appearance. Another coat of tung oil made it look great again, but then 6 months later I was back where I began . So, a matte finish poly has been on the fir for the last ten years = problem solved.

[artnouveau]

I melted the beeswax first and then mixed the tung oil and boiled linseed oil together, then added them to the wax

[andrewjames]

That’s not even tung oil that you’re using.

[MB-mhxv]

I think 40 more people need to comment on the fact that Minwax Tung Oil is not tung oil.

[walther]

I use Armor-seal … it’s an oil based poly I think and it’s fool proof. I’ve use tung oil alone like nakashima did and it needs way too much maintenance…

[philclennell]

Very nice concoction but are not the current hard wax oils (Poly X etc) very similar blends with similar results?

[doesntmatter]

I know ya said overnight to dry, but *actually how long does this take to dry?*
I am doing a cedar shingle project. 270 shingles needed, I cut and sanded to 6" x3 ", with a 1-1/2" radius on the end.
VERY time consuming, But with THIS finish, its going to turn out awesome!

[ArkRed]

I added a small amount of Japan drier which helped.

[luminousfractal]

i just want the one they used on school desks in the 1950-80''s 😂

it was probably toxic but that 200 year old hardwood wood held up to thousands of us nightmare kids😂 picking, scratching, scraping..not a scratch on any of it