How should I treat New wood gun grips?
- Thread starter erichardy
- Start date
David the Gnome
New member
You need to first, install the grips, then second, take pictures and post them here on TFL. Your grips should be good to go then. 
Kreyzhorse
New member
They should be good to go right now. If you want to, you can put some gun stock wax on them but it's optional at this point.
If they get worn, some gun stock oil followed by some wax will restore them for you.
If they get worn, some gun stock oil followed by some wax will restore them for you.
Good onya Dave ^ lol
Seriously tho, I think OP is getting at that some folk put linseed oil or some other oil on the wood (like for baseball bats/cricket bats) to stop them splitting (drying out).
Ball hitting bats are hitting balls with enormous force, often (if the batter is any good) and most bats are raw (not laquered/varnished) so they will dry out and you have to keep them oiled.
Handgun grips should be laquered thats why they are so purdy to look at, so they dont need oil IMO. Oil on handgrips is not a good idea for obvious reasons (slipery)
What you MIGHT want to do tho, is put a little quality 'furniture (wood) polish' on the grips, so the polish fills any little nooks & crannies.... rather than your hand sweating (or if your hand gets dirty) & this sweat and crud finds the nooks & crannies, then you can never get the crud out & your grips will end up looking dirty & you can't clean it out
If you do polish them, test it on the inside of the grip first, to make sure the polish doesn't 'react' with the laquer (& make it a horrible color or something) If it is ok, rub the polish well into your handles, then buff it off well too (so it isnt slipery)
I have done this with all of the rosewood & walnut grips on my Pietta's and Vaquaros & they look like they are still new, even tho I have handled them with hands dirty from Black Powder.
So, IMO, no oil, good quality furniture polish... way to go, I reckon
Seriously tho, I think OP is getting at that some folk put linseed oil or some other oil on the wood (like for baseball bats/cricket bats) to stop them splitting (drying out).
Ball hitting bats are hitting balls with enormous force, often (if the batter is any good)
and most bats are raw (not laquered/varnished) so they will dry out and you have to keep them oiled.Handgun grips should be laquered thats why they are so purdy to look at, so they dont need oil IMO. Oil on handgrips is not a good idea for obvious reasons (slipery)
What you MIGHT want to do tho, is put a little quality 'furniture (wood) polish' on the grips, so the polish fills any little nooks & crannies.... rather than your hand sweating (or if your hand gets dirty) & this sweat and crud finds the nooks & crannies, then you can never get the crud out & your grips will end up looking dirty & you can't clean it out
If you do polish them, test it on the inside of the grip first, to make sure the polish doesn't 'react' with the laquer (& make it a horrible color or something) If it is ok, rub the polish well into your handles, then buff it off well too (so it isnt slipery)
I have done this with all of the rosewood & walnut grips on my Pietta's and Vaquaros & they look like they are still new, even tho I have handled them with hands dirty from Black Powder.
So, IMO, no oil, good quality furniture polish... way to go, I reckon
AirForceShooter
New member
Shoot it.
The oil on your hands will penetrate the finish and beautifully begin to age the grips.
AFS
The oil on your hands will penetrate the finish and beautifully begin to age the grips.
AFS
New wood
If they are already finished, as they should be then any oil you put on them is not going to penetrate the wood. A paste wax will give them a temperary shine. Most common paste wax is mostly beezwax which is actually quite soft and not very moisture resistant.
If you want to put something a little more permanent on I would use Renaissance Wax. This is a Micro-Crystaline, man made wax. It is far more durable than any of the common waxes. I use it myself and I've tested it against other waxes. It seems expensive but a little goes a very long way. I apply it with my finger and buff it with a soft cloth.
Just remember, you can not put any other finish over a wax. You know how water beads up on a waxed car, any wood finish will do about the same thing resulting in 'fish eyes" in the finish.
If they are already finished, as they should be then any oil you put on them is not going to penetrate the wood. A paste wax will give them a temperary shine. Most common paste wax is mostly beezwax which is actually quite soft and not very moisture resistant.
If you want to put something a little more permanent on I would use Renaissance Wax. This is a Micro-Crystaline, man made wax. It is far more durable than any of the common waxes. I use it myself and I've tested it against other waxes. It seems expensive but a little goes a very long way. I apply it with my finger and buff it with a soft cloth.
Just remember, you can not put any other finish over a wax. You know how water beads up on a waxed car, any wood finish will do about the same thing resulting in 'fish eyes" in the finish.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Renaissance Wax is meant for objects that won't be handled. It doesn't seem to hold up to use as well as neutral shoe polish-which is a LOT cheaper.
As a follow-up to everyone's advice, don't forget to REMOVE your wood grips when you clean the gun. Gun cleaners and penetrants will dissolve the finish on the wood and then proceed to dry-out the wood itself. This will get you dull, then splintered wood eventually.
Treat your wood grips like prized furniture. What you wouldn't put on furniture should also stay away from your grips.
Treat your wood grips like prized furniture. What you wouldn't put on furniture should also stay away from your grips.
Short answer: to protect the wood.
Tung oil was recommended. This is a commonly used wood finish, that I would bet is used by many wood grip and long gun stock makers. It does not "lubricate" but rather dries into a protective finish that allows the grain of the wood to show through, and is even enhanced.
The package insert in the new Hogue wood grips I got says, "The finish used on your grip is a natural buffed carnauba wax. (Checkering has a clear laquer finish.)" So both of those recommendations are valid.
I don't put oil or wax on my pedals either. I did put ArmorAll on my steering wheel once on my first car, but that turned out not to be a good idea.
