I need to fetch a fresh stack of papers into the workshop as I've all abouts run out, so the totty meter will be fully loaded again shortly. Another plus point is that it can be used on the wood stove too.
Must admit, I am quite chuffed with the finish, and it's growing on me even more each time I look at it. It's the closest I've come to what I class as a traditional style and looking finish so far. Mix wise: beeswax, linseed oil, gum turpentine and graphite powder. As you can guess from that list of ingredients, (not a single petro-chem or synthetic ingredient in sight ), it'll never be a hard finish, but to say that vice above has only received one coating, it definitely seems a nice, thick finish, and easy to spruce up if needs be.
Just in the process of fully reassembling it at the moment.
I always try to leave some trace of the original paint on everything I do, incase someone ever wants to try and find out the original colour in the future. No knowing where this stuff will end up when I pop my clogs, so I try to make a future owners task easier. 
p.s: Yup, I know there's a small patch of the original paint left on the front of the vice.
I'll post that recipe in a bit Shiftless. I honestly hadn't expected there to be much, if any, interest in this finish, hence why I haven't done so already. It's just a blend I've been meaning to make for a few years now, but only just got around to experimenting with. In all honesty, the thing I initially intended for it had nowt to do with vices. The main reason is for coating changewheels for the lathes, as I gradually clean up all of those. With them all being Drummond gears, hence having the same quirky tooth setup, I envisaged making & using this paste so that they would have a protective coating without painting them, so they could be swapped between machines without paint colour making them look misplaced, and it would also act as a dry lubricant for them to boot.). Just had a vision of someone who didn't know it had already been fettled looking at it and saying that a quick scrub and a lick of paint would spruce it up nicely. It sounds like that Wilton must have had a fair bit of filler under the paint? Do a small test mix first of the paint you're planning on using and linseed oil, and leave it overnight to settle. If you note the oil and paint separating or clumping, it won't work, but if there appears to be neither of those, you should be good to go. I also thin the oil slightly with gum turpentine.Fretters: thanks again for showing that finish on that vise. I doubt a paint job on that vise would have done it justice. i also like the idea of using that finish to keep machine parts and tools from rusting.
I couldn't envisage paint on this one either, even though I could see what the original colour was. As you say, paint wouldn't have done it justice. to get the colour and consistency I was looking for. If you do want to alter the mix afterwards, just remelt it in the saucepan and add whichever ingredient(s) you're altering the ratio of. No idea, to be honest. Raw is just my personal preference. That's the only reason I personally use that over boiled. If my original intent & purpose for this paste is anything to go by, it should, as the dry lubrication value was half of the intent for it.
