An Honest Review of Odie's Oil

Hope you will try a soap finish on some light woods. I say stick with light wood because It turned the black walnut grey. Not ugly just not recognizable as black walnut. But the final feel of the finish is super soft and smooth.

I’ve used Odie’s many years on large and small wood projects and also leather very successfully. This “review” is disappointing. These ladies made the common newbie mistake— they used too much and didn’t buff it off COMPLETELY. This is what causes that dried out look. It is literally the only mistake you can make with Odie’s- I did it at first because - well you want to use it like other finishes but it is in a league of its own. When done properly it does all the manufacturer claims. I have gorgeous wood serving boards I have never had to refinish and my hardwood floor — well kids- dogs— holding up beautifully. As for expensive - nah — I would think woodworkers could do simple math— you use such a small amount so it is actually less expensive. Frankly it seems like a “soft” hit piece on a small company that puts out a safe alternative for finish in favor of a big name company. Did these ladies ever ask themselves if maybe they had used the product wrong especially since I can find some many examples of how gorgeous this finish is on people’s projects. I’ve reached out to Odie’s before for help and their customer service is above and beyond. Again — just sad to see a small company not given a fair shake.

Yea this is all false information. First off the 9oz jar will give u better coverage rates than poly. 2nd if it holds up on floors it will hold up on anything. I’ve used Odies on hundreds of floors without issue.
I’ve also used Odies on woodworking such as but not limited to cutting boards, tables,.
Now if you say it doesn’t hold up then you’ve applied it incorrectly and def left waaay too much oil on the surface. Odies is a penetrating finish which means that the entire surface must be fully buffed off.
3rd osmo can not even compare. Osmo doesn’t hold up. It’s flammable and it sometimes has a 2nd component. Aka isocyanates which are deadly poisons. Do proper research. This has the “ you’ve been paid off by Ben pickles” vibe to it. Lastly there is no better true hardwax oil on the market. And btw a decent poly is well over $100 a gallon and takes three coats. You’ve just bn fact checked and your info is completely wrong.
Have a great day ! 😃

I have used Odies oil on my floors for over 10 years
I’m a flooring contractor who has sanded thousands of wood floors residentially and commercially. Y’all should do your research more before speaking and presenting like clowns

Personal and official response here. I'm the owner of Lighthouse Laser Arts. As a company we have only been finishing our products with Odie's Oil for the past 15 years. These products have ended up in some of the highest traffic commercial restaurants, museums, libraries all over the world! Obviously we would not have chosen Odie's if it performed and looked like your results. The fact is (when applied properly), Odie's performed better than any finish (oils and polyurethanes) that we previously used. Full disclosure, I used to be a customer but for the last couple of years I have been providing support and training for Odie's in an official capacity, because I love and believe in the product so much and frankly was bothered by bad applications producing bad results, which inevitably lead to bad reviews. Hello! So lets look at your claims and application!



COST/COVERAGE CLAIM:

An "honest" comparison would be cost/sqft NOT cost/oz!

Pro grade water based poly in the wood flooring industry $150-$180 / gallon. Coverage 400-500 sqft / gallon.

3 coats = $1 - $1.30 / sqft.

9 oz Odie's covers 250-300 sqft. Odie's cost: 0.20-0.23 cents / sqft.

Yet, you concluded that $1-1.30 / sqft is somehow cheaper than 23 cents. OK..



Lets start with the end. You asked did we do it wrong on all 5 items and if so, what was it? Then answer is I'm sorry to say, yes, you did it wrong. Please allow me to explain.



CHALKY IS THE REASON:

You had actually provided the proof of what went wrong. You mentioned "dry","white", "floured" (7:40) and "chalky" (6:03 and 11:15) few times. The white chalky film is evidence of not removing the oil properly. No, the instruction do NOT say use a "cotton cloth" (as claimed at 2:45) but a cotton TERRY cloth. There is a big different between a cotton T-shirt and a cotton Terry cloth/towel. Thankfully you got it right for the second coat (9:10) but you never removed the excess properly from the 1st (as evidenced by the chalky film). You read in your notes to rub your finger after buff off to make sure you're not leaving any marks (2:48), yet we didn't see you perform this test. You only gently moved your hand across to touch, but that is not the test.



The part of the oil that becomes part of the wood performs amazingly, but any excess left on top will turn into this white chalky film. This chalky film is porous and therefore instead of repelling water (and other chemicals) it will trap them. It also looks dead and dull.



FOR THE INGREDIENTS SPECULATION:

Odie's does NOT contain beeswax. The functional oil is tung oil and there are other essential oils, however, just because Odie's is tung oil based, Odie's is NOT "tung oil" any more than polyurethane is linseed oil. Can you make any home made concoction that covers 25-30 sqft / ounce? I didn't think so!



2nd coat clarification: You don't "NEED" a second coat for performance, but you might WANT a secoand coat for cosmetic reasons. Does that need further clarification? I don't think so!



"Cures in 3 days". No finish is fully cured after 3 days. Useable and full cure are two different things. You even read from your notes (2:55) if you want to "USE IT" after 3-5 days.... As professionals, you must know that there is more to it than just simple time. Temperature, humidity are all imporant factors with ANY finish.



I love the fact that you're in the shop working with wood, but let's be honest. This was not an "honest" review!

If you're looking to earn money on YouTube, consider this strategy: select a well-known brand and roast it, then showcase your own finish. With a bit of luck, you might go viral or even attract sponsorships- Unfortunately, I have seen this playing to many times lately! However, your video is quite confusing and misleading, definitely it was left product on the surface and your prep work is mediocre!
I've been successfully using Odie’s for eight years on various wood species, both indoors and outdoors, and my surface is smooth as silk sanded to 320/400 grit -I've encountered zero issues. I can share photos of my projects anytime. Even if I did face problems, I would reach out to the company for support!
I've noticed a narrative lately suggesting that I should make my own finish or use tung oil. Neither of these options compares to Odie’s in terms of durability and versatility- no thank you, not wasting my time when at the end of the day you are saving no money!. Best of luck trying to use poly— as simple as buffing on and buffing off, and then spending other $$$ on maintenance and re-sanding & exposing your health to nasty chemicals!
Check out the “Live Edge Slabs” showroom in Florida, Houston, Las Vegas or Reno. These folks produce over 1,000 live edge tables each year using exclusively Odie’s oil since 2018/2019. Are you suggesting that its durability doesn’t apply to smaller pieces? Your narrative it's totally wrong: Odie’s is a universal finish that works effectively on any type of project, regardless of size!

So first, you claim odies is expensive. However, you then say it will supposedly go as far as the gallon of “another finish”. If this is an honest review and you two are professionals, why not do the math. Odie’s will go further than that gallon of poly. When doing the honest equation don’t forget to calculate the number of coats needed with the poly. When you do an HONEST review, Odie’s is one of the most cost effective finishes on the market. When I finish with it, the cost is somewhere around 22cents per sqft.

Moreover, you two say it doesn’t feel so good after it dries. We’ll remember you sanded to 220. Is 220 really smooth in your professional opinion?

You ask is there be operator error on each piece?You said you read the instructions and watched a video? 25 years of experience, but you buffed off with a very tiny piece of a tshirt?

Have you ever stepped out of the shower and tried to dry yourself off with a Tshirt?

At the end of the video I think you two were honest as this is a minwax commercial.

I have done multiple projects with Odie’s on Wood, Concrete, and metal and have never experienced these issues.

However I have seen multiple ingenious “infomercials” like this one- with the same talking points.

I find it disturbing how in this day and age how people like you promote huge companies for profit, by attacking a small family owned company like Odie’s Oil who are putting out a wholesome product.

This was interesting, thanks.

I am new to woodworking. Basically just what I learned in the Girl Scouts in the 80's but super happy I landed on your channel Leah you and Amelia are such inspirations I go away feeling like I just hung out with some good friends. Looking forward to your next video. LOVE LOVE LOVE 😃

Well done. From the Safety Data Sheet, available on line. Chemical family : Mixture of: Drying oil; Lubricating oil; Natural waxes; Essential oil. I think the manufacturer is a little disingenuous. Under ingredients they say “There are no ingredients present which require reporting in this section.” Most important, and common to many oil based finishes: “Risk for spontaneous combustion if substantial quantities of product are left on porous organic materials (cotton waste or rag). Used rags or other cleaning materials may begin to burn by themselves if improperly discarded.”
Seems like it raises the grain. Maybe a 320 or 400 wet sand as is done with many finishes would improve the feel. FIL

Nice! Thanks for this. It saved me hours, moolah, and above all heartbreak. Heh.

I had the same experience with some bandsaw reindeer I recently made. A few weeks later the white stuff appeared. Had to refinish those with a different product. So far they're looking great. Looking forward to your upcoming reviews. Love your humor. Thanks!

Totally have had the same results w Odie’s. My shop buddies were just talking about the same thing today! We want it to work because we love the smell and how it enriches the color and gain of the wood, but when it dries it looks terrible on walnut and the small stuff. What finish are you going to change to? I think I’m going back to poly. Not looking forward to all the coats!! Get informative video, you two.

Awesome thank for these reviews

Maybe reach out to Angie @TranscendFurnitureGallery here on YouTube? She uses the Mr. Cornwall's Super-Duper Everlasting Oil formulation from Odie's Oil. Her results look amazing and her refinished walnut pieces are beautiful.

the spalted wren is an absolute heartbreaker. What a sweet thing

Thank you, I have always wanted to try it but stayed away because of cost. I love the honesty

Thanks!! Love this and looking forward to more reviews. Saves us time and money!

What finishes do you use? I’m currently in between a go-to finish. I’ve used similar products and experienced similar results - looks great the first day or two then dulls to less than matte.

If yall are talking finishes over the next few episodes, would love to hear what your go-to finishes are and when/why you choose the finish based on the project/wood.

Thanks for doing this review! I was pondering on buying, not anymore!

do you sell your coconut oil/bees wax blend? If not can you share the brands you use to make the blend along with the ratio? would love to try it cause I like many others are in search of a finish that feels right

I’m an Osmo fan and was talked into using Odies for finishing our walnut (12 foot bar). 2 coats, lots of buffing and then finished with their wood butter.
It looks and feels beautiful, but does not repel condensation rings. Too much work, Osmo is an easier application and I have never had issues with the finish holding up.

So, I’ve used the Odie’s Oil on bowls and charcuterie boards I’ve turned and finished. But I’m kind of a dope who finishes sanding at 800 or 1000 grit. I’ll raise the grain with denatured alcohol and sand again at 800 to 1000. Then I used the Odies. I didn’t see the white y’all got, but, I also didn’t go through those steps. I wiped on and wiped off without waiting between coats. I hate to follow the rules!) I did just receive the Total Boat you recommended in your last video. Can’t wait to try it.

Not a fan of odies - but i think you're supposed to sand up to 600 or higher...but even then I've gotten some poor results. White oak for me has held up the best with odies