I like to use Watco Danish Oil, either Natural or their Red Mahogany depending on the project. Danish Oil contains BLO, so it enhances the grain much like BLO alone. Put it on heavy, because it soaks in. Then wipe the off excess after about 20 minutes. A second coat sometimes helps, applied a little thinner, but again wiped off after about 20 minutes. Let it dry for a few days before applying Poly or any other finish. I lightly #0000 steel wool the surface before applying anything else, to make it smooth and less shiny so the next finish will bond better, and to get a smoother final finish. I also lightly #0000 steel wool between each coat of poly for better adhesion and to remove any nubs. A tack cloth and compressed air are also used after the steel wool and I apply a good furniture wax to the finished layer of poly, then buff it off after it dries to a haze.
I think you will like the look. I've been doing this to my mahogany projects more frequently because I love how easy it is to get good results. I don't spray finish, so each coat of anything is rubbed on with a lint free rag.
Since Danish Oil contains BLO, please put your finishing rags, etc. in a pail of water and sink them until thsy are fully soaked. Boiled Linseed Oil ( BLO ) will react with the rag and oxygen in the air as it dries, causing significant heat build up if not kept thoroughly ventilated ( like bunched up on your workbench ). The heat build up can be enough to cause a fire in less than an hour under ideal conditions. I don't want to hear of any of you loosing your workshop or home because of using BLO finishing products. Hang the rags spread completely open on a chain link fence to dry or put them in a pail of water and soak them thoroughly to keep the oxygen in the air away from them. For me, the pail gets covered and placed outside my shop as soon as I finish working with it, until I dump the water out and wring out the rags a day or two later, then put them still wet into my trash can for disposal. Other drying oils will do this too, but they don't seem to be as bad as BLO. Please be safe and think safe.
Although retired now, I was a volunteer fireman since the age of 18 and reaching the level of Captain and training officer in the volunteer service. I was also the Fire Marshal for a 3.8 million sq ft manufacturing and research facility, So fire fighting and fire safety have been a part of my life for almost 50 years. Be Safe with BLO and other drying oils like it.
Charley
