[CalebD]

Daydreamer92,
The Bristol Finish only imparts the slightest coloration to the handrails - as if you wet the surface with water or spit. The real color comes from the teak oil which soaks in. Before finishing any oiled wood I always wipe it down with Acetone to remove any surface oils.

I don't think these are really great photos of my 'Lazaret' covers and aft hatch but they were covered in 3 coats of Cetol Natural Teak. I took these photos to show the modification we made for our old traveler set up not intending to show how good (or bad) our brightwork looked. While Bristol Finish is clear, Cetol Natural Teak does impart an amber hue to the wood. I guess that is one reason why folks say to use 3 coats of the Natural Teak followed by 2 coats of the Clear Gloss as too many coats of Natural Teak can obscure the wood grain.

Our tiller is varnished as well (Schooner) and has held up fairly well. The more coats of varnish the better (6 +).

I will highly recommend that you apply whatever finish you have chosen while you have your wood already off your boat and in a 'shop' environment. While it is easy enough to apply your finishes with the wood still attached to the boat (in situ) I am always amazed at how much dust lingers on my boat even on a mooring. Beyond the dust we get a fair compliment of 'ships spiders' who take up residence once on the mooring. It is a bit of a mystery how they get there but they do and I am pretty sure they do not know the difference between Cetol and water.