Replies

1. 
   EdHarrow | Sep 17, 2003 12:46am | #1

   Family tradition: Man-o-War

   It was good enough for "Poppie", Great Uncle Dick, & Dad, so I guess it's good enough for me, LOL.

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 17, 2003 12:53am | #2

   Man-O-War is an entirely different type of varnish. It is a very soft marine exterior varnish. It's OK for it's application but not good varnish for use indoors. Also, it contains high amounts of UV protectors which makes it a very amber/yellow varnish.

   This question has been asked on another forum and some good recommendations have been made there.

1. 
   Steinmetz | Sep 17, 2003 01:42am | #3

   Howie, Spar varnish x Valspar Stein

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 17, 2003 04:56am | #5

   >>Spar varnish x Valspar<<

   Not sure I get the point. Please explain.

1. 
   Steinmetz | Sep 17, 2003 12:59pm | #8

   Howie, Valspar is the brand name of a top quality marine spar varnish. I believe it contains ground up mica (which gives it superior hardness and wear resistance.) Used worldwide on yachts and deck chairs. Stein.

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 17, 2003 08:15pm | #9

   McCloskey is owned by Valspar. While true that Valspar makes a marine spar varnish, I personally don't consider either it or the McCloskey Man O War as comparable to the products made by true marine coating manufacurers. Interlux, Pettit, Woolsey and particularly Epafanes make the best marine coatings IMO and experience.

   Also, to claim a true marine spar varnish to be "hard" would not make sense. True spar varnishes are designed to be soft and flexible to allow them to maintain adhesion on wooded spars (masts, booms, etc) that are exposed to rapidly changing conditions. They do not have good abrasion resistance and do not make good coatings for things that will be walked on or sat on. In fact, I've seen some spar varnishes that picked up the fabric imprint when it was hot and sat on.

   There are marine exterior varnishes made that are much harder and abrasion resistant. These are the finishes generally used on outdoor non-spar marine applications.

   Finally, the original question related to McCloskey's interior varnish called Heirloom. This was an very good varnish but I'm not sure it is being made any more. McCloskey is very enviromentally aware and was a leader in reducing the VOC's in their finishes. I think they may have gone whole hog and eliminated the product.

2. 
   tboner | Sep 17, 2003 02:20am | #4

   Thanks for your reply. I thought spar varnish was soft so ruled it out. What forum discussed this topic? I have not been able to find this topic.

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 17, 2003 05:04am | #6

   Wood Magazine, Finishing/Refinishing d-group.

   http://talk.woodmagazine.com Then go to Finishing & Refinishing. It's your posting I'm referring to.

3. 
   EdHarrow | Sep 17, 2003 06:29am | #7

   LOL, guess someone should have told "Poppie" that MoW wasn't suitable for his windsor chairs, desk, tables, not to mention his Morris chair that I'm fortunate to have wrestled from the estate, given that I was only 14 at the time.

   Seriously, he used it on everything (well lots of things).  My knowledge of comes mostly from its "spar" application, however, but I've used it about the house, and I love the color.  To each is own!