I recently decided it was time to change the strings on my current main axe, the chechen Grand Stick.. So I took the opportunity to hit it with a fresh "coat" of Watco. Great stuff, beautiful and a beautiful incredibly smooth natural feeling finish.

Dang! Runway ready!

My rosewood stick is throwing me a look now, considering it didn’t get the spa treatment after a string change a couple days ago….

Beautiful finish. I make tobacco pipes out of wood and stone. I like the Watco natural because it doesn’t stay surfaced on my exotic woods , it penetrates well and darkens to bring out the true character of the wood. ( highlights). I even use it on soft limestone and granite. I been cleaning my strings on my Sticks and Basses with alcohol pads on top and under my strings they barely hit the top of the frets which removes string residue. The emollients of pure mineral oil brings life in the wood to keep it’s natural state and color. I use the Watch products quite often and is a great option for the Stick woods. As always some will disagree.( I don’t clean the wood with alcohol, alcohol is a extreme dryer.).never!

I think that's 'Watco Danish Oil'?

What do people tend to use on the European side of 'The Pond'?

'Rustins' maybe?

Watco Danish Oil (and numerous other brands of "Danish Oil") are simple mixes of a drying oil, a varnish, and a carrier solvent. You can make your own pretty cheaply. The commercial ones have drying agents to speed drying, to help make up for the lower solids content.

You need to use a drying oil - an oil that hardens, such as Tung oil or boiled linseed oil. A good recipe for a homemade Danish Oil is equal parts pure Tung oil, a polyurethane varnish, and solvent. Since the first two are oil based, the solvent would be mineral spirits. You can make this up in smaller quantities and avoid throwing away a half can of Watco, and it has more solids and so will make a more durable finish. You can use gloss or semi-gloss varnish; the latter has dulling agents added. Play around on some scrap wood and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I do it every time I change strings - I mean, I'm not a professional playing out guy, so string changes happen once a year if I'm lucky - or unlucky depending on how you look at it. I change the strings when I can't seem to tune them any longer. I use some kind of lemon oil Watco-type I found under the cupboard that my roomate used on his fine-wood creations. He's a retired master carpenter/tinkerer that knows what he's doing, so the oil is top-rate. (No, it's not Pledge) But I use it on the Sticks and all the fingerboards that are un-sealed woods on my other stringed instruments.
But yeah, the full "strings off and clean the Stick" routine happens when I change strings. The oil cleans and protects and makes my Stick purty. Any wooden Stick should have it done. If you can't find Watco find something similar they are out there.

Is there a clear version of Watco that won’t change the stick’s color?

Watco Danish Oil comes in clear. It's called 'Natural'.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Z ... L1500_.jpg

That's what I use on my (1978) #404 made from Angico hardwood.
The camera doesn't capture the full detail very well.
The Angico wood almost looks like 'Tiger's eye'.

I'd recommend adding a Japan Dryer to that mix. Pure tung oil takes for-EV-er to dry, so the japan dryer makes sure it polymerizes quickly.

This is the recipe I've used for years as a wiping varnish for finishing furniture, and wouldn't hesitate to use it on a Stick, though I'd probably double or triple the solvent (turpentine or mineral spirits) to make it very thin. This is so that over years of refreshing the finish, you don't get much of a "build". This formula is intended to build rather quickly over multiple applications. Note that Watco has a very thin consistency.

Watco is much easier if you can get it or its equivalent wherever you are. If it's not, mix this in a small batch, as it will set up in storage unless in a sealed, oxygen-free container (Stop Loss bags are great for storing finishes, but even the smallest - 1 qt - are much more than you'd probably ever mix of this stuff). I use a 100ml graduate I, and will mix up small batches of of 25-50ml, about 1-2oz. Plenty for refreshing the finish on a Stick.

10 parts alkyd varnish
10 parts pure tung oil
2 parts Japan dryer
1 part turpentine