Tru-Oilers?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Any Tru-Oilers out there?

Got some Birchwood Casey tru-oil for my walnut stock rifle. So far have rubbed in 5 coats with a buff of 0000 steel wool inbetween coats. Looking good. But it's starting to get real shiny. I'll add a few more coats to fill the grain but in the end I want a satin look, not super shiny but subdued.

Any ideas on how to accomplish this end finish look? As I said right now it's very slick and shiny so I'll need some way to dull it down some. I've read a billion ideas but looking for what you all say. Thanks!

M12
 
Slow and easy, wins this race !!

For now, don't worry about the shine and keep to what you are doing. I don't know how many coats you are going to apply but I have put on as many as 11-coats and sometimes less. Regardless, after your last coat, let it sit and there are solvents that are still moving out of the coats. ...... :rolleyes:

I usually wait as long as I can and then finish it off. If you can wait a week, that is fine. I have waited much longer. Now go back and buff down the shine with that 0000 steel wool. I even thought about buffing it with burlap. Avid heavy pressure to the sharp sharper edges or peaks. Then wait a little and wax lightly. ...... :)

Some years ago, I contacted Birchwood Casey and asked if they planned on putting out a satin or semi-satin Tru-Oil. They said that they were working on it and planed to do so. Guess they changed there plans as that was many years ago. ..... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
Thanks guys. I wonder if it would be safe to reassemble the rifle and shoot it while waiting a few weeks for the finish to cure? Or should I just leave the wood to sit?
 
I'd give it a week before I put it back together. Generally, as long as you can smell solvent, it isn't finished totally curing, but it shouldn't hurt it to handle and shoot it.

You might look up cure time of the Tru-Oil, just to know. Minwax Antique Oil cures fast, whereas Waterlox takes weeks, so times vary with product, humidity, and temperature.
 
Like 603Country said, just knock the shine off with 0000 steel wool. If it has dried 4-5 days, steel wool it and put it together.
 
I have used tung oil, boiled linseed oil and tru-oil over the years. I to want the satin look. 0000 steel wool is not a bad choice, but I get my best satin finish after I have let it cure until the smell is gone and then I rub it with a felt pad (about a 1/4 inch thick) and powdered pumice. It's not very abrasive and it works great. I got my stuff from an art supply store. I guess they use it for finishing metal castings.
 
Lucas,

Thank you for the tip. I have read about pumice and it appears to be a good way. Can you please elaborate on your process? Thank you!
 
Not very elaborate. The felt pads are about 1/4 thick and 1-3/4 square. The pumice is fine like talcum powder. I just apply a fairly good amount to the pad and start rubbing the stock. Every 3-5 minutes you may have to sprinkle some pumice on the stock. Keep using the same pad during this particular rubbing session. The pad work seems to improve the longer the session is. But if you stop and come back to it in a day or two, that pad don't seem to work as well. Can't explain why, but that has been my experience. Oh and wear a dust mask to protect yourself. That pumice is very fine, you can breathe the dust in.
 
then I rub it with a felt pad (about a 1/4 inch thick) and powdered pumice
Click to expand...
It's sold as "rotten stone", and you can buy it from a lot of sources.
That pumice is very fine, you can breathe the dust in.
Click to expand...
And that is why I don't use it or recommend it. Silicosis is very real.
 
Do you do the pumice after the last coat only, or each coat? Do you use any water or oil mixed with the pumice, or just rub it dry?
 
When I use rottenstone, I use it on a moist rag. Steel wool works well, use it dry. Or use a fine scotchbrite pad.
 
I use after the last coat has been cured completely. I use the felt pad because the pumice dry and it is very fine and but that's all the abrasion I want. I don't use any other abrasives that might be courser. Be forewarned that it is a slow time consuming process.
 
We were directed to use Rotten stone on our stocks in school after finishing. Our process was to mix with baby oil until it had a thick paste consistency, put it on a cotton ball and rub it in dime-sized circles over the stock before wiping it all away. That seemed to dull the finish enough to take the gloss off.
 
Hmm... wonder if I should just use one of the fine (white?) scotch brite pads. I tried to find one at Wal-Mart and even Home Depot but all they had were the blue and green and yellow scotch brite pads... :(

PS: I am up to 8 coats now and still see wood pores. Yes I know that I should've filled them first but I heard if you keep adding layers the holes will fill up. About how many coats should I look to be doing?
 
The pores will still be visible unless you did some "mud sanding" after the first few coats. Basically, you sand the tru-oil with fine sandpaper using tru-oil as a medium to catch the sanding dust. This forms the "mud". The mud fills the pores and holds onto enough tru-oil. This allows you to sand again after it dries and have the pores filled with little tru-oil plugs, so to speak. When you add tru-oil after doing this, it will be flat and level, no pores. At this point (8 coats), if you just sand your stock with 600 or finer sandpaper, you will achieve the same results.

If you use baby oil or mineral oil as a carrier for the rottenstone, you can stain/discolor the wood.
 
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