Bristol finish?

[Ray Kepler]

I bought some of the stuff a couple years ago at a yard sale for something like five dollars, never opened.
Couldn’t pass it up. Wondering now if maybe I should have. The catalyst, part B, looks to be hardened and unusable. Wondering if there are any recommendations. Maybe microwave it to soften it up? Add something to it? Put it in hot water? Hate to pay 18$ for a replacement.

 

[Dan Miller]

Per the Bristol website: "The catalyst is hard. Why and what to do? There are really only 2 ways for this to occur: 1 the catalyst is very old. 2 the catalyst has been exposed to the atmosphere. In either case the catalyst must be replaced. Catalyst has a shelf life."

If it were me, I'd chuck it and use a good traditional one-part spar varnish.

 

[Ray Kepler]

Just might do that. It looks like this stuff goes for about $65 per can so I assumed it was good.

 

[Ray Kepler]

Tried to warm it up by soaking it in HOT water. No luck.

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

Considering what a horrible mess you would be left to clean up if for some reason you applied the product and it didn't harden, it might be a pretty risky experiment. There is something to be said for making sure your ingredients are all fully up to snuff before you start slathering them all over the boat. Anybody who has ever experienced a non-hardening coating failure and had to clean up the damage before a new and proper coating could be applied will tell you the money would be the last thing to worry about.