I already checked Wickerpedia and my question is not answered.* It will probably be incomprehensible to many, but if you know what I’m talking about, you might be able to give me the answer. Here it is:
I have just recaned a Mies-style cantilever side chair (chrome and wicker), using round reed for spokes and flat oval reed with the flat sides together for the rows.
Everything I’ve done before has had a top side and a bottom side so I could finish one side and let the other (flat) side breathe. But, since the flat sides of the oval reed are together, there is no way I can see to put any kind of protective finish on the thing and let the flat side breathe.
The old wicker I removed did have some kind of finish. Looked like shellac.
I had been advised to brush these chairs (with the old finish) with boiled linseed oil once a year. As far as I can tell, that did nothing. But the closest thing I have seen to a recommendation for a new finish for this type of caning was to mix boiled linseed oil and turpentine 2:1 and apply, let it dry for 48 hours, then shellac it. However, that recommendation was for something that was not going to be sat on.*
Right now it is nice and stretchy and has a memory. I would prefer it the lighter color–the old caning was a dark honey color. But the important thing is that I don’t really ever want to recane the whole thing again because it was an enormous hassle, my fingernails are destroyed and my fingers are like raw hamburger.
I want to protect it! I don’t mind wiping it down with linseed oil once a year, but obviously it is going to need some other kind of protection. Advice, links, etc. would be welcomed.
*Facetious. It would have been a lot of fun if the Wickerpedia site actually had some useful information on basket weaving. How hard would that have been? It’s not rocket science.
**I may not ever let anyone sit on it. I had to recane it because the spokes were broken, thanks to a household pet who shall be nameless.