Hi

Well, just when you get used to the new ‘normal’ everything changes again! I genuinely hope you are keeping well, and thank you to all the Chestnuteers who have written to ask after us. We’re all fine thanks and are taking all the precautions we can to stay that way. Our customers are a sensible lot and I know you’ll be doing your bit as well.
But I didn’t write to you to go on about stuff you hear everywhere else (is anyone else fed up of hearing the word ‘unprecedented’?), let’s deal with some questions!

One question this week had several parts, but one of them was about wax drying white in voids etc. In this case it was the Microcrystalline Wax, although the Clear WoodWax 22 will do this as well. Basically, if the wax is allowed to build up and dry in cracks or gaps, it will return to the same colour it appears as in the tin. The only way to prevent this is to avoid build-ups of wax – which isn’t always easy on some surfaces. A firm bristle brush is the secret; use it to buff the wax before it dries completely and this will remove any surplus, even from cracks etc, stopping a build up. The Polishing Brushes in our range, designed to make buffing waxes easier, will also do this perfectly.

Another question this week was about some solid oak kitchen doors. They’d been regularly wiped down with a damp cloth and inevitably have started to show signs of wear. The question was, after rubbing down with Steel Wool, would an oil be suitable to coat them with to liven them up a bit?
We weren’t sure, but we got the impression that the emailer didn’t intend to go back to the bare wood and if that were indeed the case, and without knowing what had been applied previously, we didn’t think that an oil was a good choice. It wouldn’t be able to penetrate into the timber and might not adhere to the original coating. The better option in that case would be the Microcrystalline Wax. Easy to apply, will go over pretty much any existing coating and is water resistant enough to use in a kitchen. It’s fairly hard wearing as well but would probably need re-applying every so often, maybe once a year, but it won’t require any stripping back at all so the maintenance would also be relatively easy.

We’re often asked which product does what, how quickly etc, this week was no exception. A cue for another chart I thought! So here it is, the ultimate ‘which product does what’ guide. We’ve tried to cover most things in it, and there’s a guide to the skill level required for each product. This is very subjective; most of our products are very simple to use, we design them that way. But I’ve listed some as ‘needing care and attention’ in application; this includes the aerosol lacquers and Friction Polish, because putting too much of these on at one time can cause problems. Is that a fair assessment? Do you agree? Is there more information that we haven’t thought to put on there? If the boredom is getting to you, take some time out to have a look at the chart and let us know.

That’s all the questions this week, but before I go…
Normally, this email would be arriving in your inbox while I’m in Newark at the Midlands Woodworking Show. That show was originally postponed, but we’ve just been told that the show is cancelled completely and will not be going ahead in June either. Such a shame.
I hope, then, that you won’t mind if I break one of my rules? We always say that the Newsletter isn’t to give special offers or promote a product, but these truly are extraordinary times; we’re disappointed that the show won’t go on and will miss seeing all our friends there. So during what should have been the show’s opening times (10am-4pm Friday and Saturday) there will be a 10% discount on anything bought from our online shop (excludes sale items). Just use the coupon code NONEWARK when prompted.

Have a safe week and I’ll see you next Friday

All the best

Terry