I think anything made during Duke’s time would be varnished and not oiled. My grandfather was Duke’s age and all the wood work he did was varnished. Kukui Nut oil would have been the ancients, before Captain Cook times.
I should ask my cousin. One of my dad’s uncles was a Waikiki surfer and was close friends with all the beach boys including Duke. My cousin told me he had old wood boards, and used to make them himself. Actually George Downing would know. He was there in Waikiki when they still used the old wood boards.
Aloha,…Let’s end the madness now,…the boards in the 20’s and 30’s used varnish,…the ancients used kukui oil and coconut oil then wrapped in tapa,…
See attached add endorsed by the DUKE ,…ERA 1922 ad
Spread Aloha, Randy
I don’t know if it was the fastest… but it’s clear varnish has been applied. it’s basically bare on the top of the board - but here are two very close macro high res shots of the underside. This varnish layer is in bad shape and comes off if rubbed or scratched in anyway.
I Have never seen varnish that old But can tell you that on a Boat. That a non synthetic Varnish will hold up for about a year before it will start to show damage from the elements. However a sanding and new coats will do wonders keeping it looking fresh and beautiful.
personally I’m not sure I would do anything to that Board. To preserve it from further decay. I might consider building a hermetically sealed case with glass. Maybe contact a someone that could do a reproduction so that you could see what it would have looked like in Duke. time.
