Finish on walnut

[MrA]

I cut the Steve wood's pattern scroll box out of walnut with red oak front and back. It looks good but now I am unsure what to use as a finish. I usually use lemon oil with a poly top coat but find this always turns walnut to a very dark color and I would like to keep it as light as possible. Any suggestions?
Tom

[Keith Sharples]

A friend of mine recently made a Ukulele with a Walnut back.  He used shellac as a finish, and it hasn't darkened it much.  Just a possibility. 

Keith.  (Norfolk, England)

[Toneman]

On walnut, I use just shellac for a finish. It allows the beautiful grain patterns to show and to me, walnut is dark enough without adding any stains or oils.

Tony,aka,Toneman

[EIEIO]

For certain you don't want any stain on walnut. BLO will highlight the contrast between the sap wood and heart wood, but if you have all heart wood it will become very dark. I like the rich color. 

[MrA]

Well it it's finished, I used polyurethane, three coats of liquid and it looks great.
if I figure out how to post pictures I'll post it. I can work a saw pretty well but a computer
and I are definitely not friends. I'll wait until one of my grandsons comes around.
TOm