Old Varnish

[Brigade77]

I've used an old tin of 'real' varnish, 40+yrs old, the sort of stuff that you need 'spirits of esthers' type chemicals to clean the brush.

It's just one door, it will go off eventually won't it?

It's still tacky after 6hrs. Maybe this is how varnish was 40+yrs ago . . . I can't remember

 

[opps]

You can add oxidising agents such as terebene to old oil based paints to help them dry, however your mention of esters makes me wonder if the varnish is shellac based.

How did you clean the brush?

 

[sodthisforfun]

That stuff, like the old fashioned oil based paints, takes hours and hours. What did it say on the tin? Normally tells you drying time.

 

[Brigade77]

Well it eventually went touch dry after 20+hrs. Really glad I saved the can as the finish is superb. Stunk the whole house out but looks like french polish.