Tru-Oil - Number Of Coats

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Wheelgunner

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What is a reasonable number of coats of Tru-Oil to apply to a gun stock? And, what would be a maximum number of coats?

Thanks

Wheelgunner
 

41 mag fan

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Of all the stocks I have done with tru oil it seems to vary. I keep applying coats till I have the grain filled and have the gloss I want. I am not sure if there is a max number though if there is I haven't found it yet. Steve
 

Wheelgunner

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woodpile":1usks4fh said:
Of all the stocks I have done with tru oil it seems to vary. I keep applying coats till I have the grain filled and have the gloss I want. I am not sure if there is a max number though if there is I haven't found it yet. Steve

woodpile,

Thanks for your response.

So far, I'm only at three coats and the grain is filling quite nicely. The stock is a really dark piece of walnut (not stained) and I don't want it to get so dark that the grain doesn't show up clearly. I'll keep going.

Wheelgunner
 

buckeyeshooter

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I have done as many as 12 with some light sanding in between coats. I prefer a deep finish and do not mind if the grain is muted.
 

Wheelgunner

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buckeyeshooter":3snpgird said:
I have done as many as 12 with some light sanding in between coats. I prefer a deep finish and do not mind if the grain is muted.

buckeyeshooter,

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate the information.

Wheelgunner
 

Wheelgunner

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caryc":19f2gico said:

caryc,

Thanks for your reply.

I actually checked your site last night and saw how many coats you apply. My stock is now up to five coats (bronze or steel wooled between coats) and most of the grain is close to being filled. I'll see how it looks after the next few coats.

Wheelgunner
 

Wheelgunner

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Snake45":2qss9gz1 said:
I think I usually go six to 8 or 10 or thereabouts.

Snake45,

Thanks for your reply.

I now have six coats on the stock and it is looking pretty good. Eight to ten coats on this stock may prove to be about right.

Wheelgunner
 

J Miller

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This is my set of several year old CLC American Holly grips:



How he does 24 coats of TruOil and has them look like this I have no idea. I'm terrible at wood working so I leave that to those who know how.

Joe
 

Wheelgunner

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J Miller":1o66xlyr said:
This is my set of several year old CLC American Holly grips:



How he does 24 coats of TruOil and has them look like this I have no idea. I'm terrible at wood working so I leave that to those who know how.

Joe

J Miller

Thanks for your reply.

Those are really fine looking grips. Cary does some exceptional work.

I'm doing a stock for a Winchester 1894 so, I hope that it won't need 24 coats.

I've never worked with Tru-Oil before and, so far, I am really impressed with the product. Tomorrow, I'll go for coat number eight.

Wheelgunner
 

caryc

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J Miller":3cvii2kg said:
How he does 24 coats of TruOil and has them look like this I have no idea. I'm terrible at wood working so I leave that to those who know how.

Joe

It's what one does after the last coat that achieves that final look.
 

Wheelgunner

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caryc":1f60ogzx said:
J Miller":1f60ogzx said:
How he does 24 coats of TruOil and has them look like this I have no idea. I'm terrible at wood working so I leave that to those who know how.

Joe

It's what one does after the last coat that achieves that final look.

caryc,

And, what does one do after the last coat? :wink:

Wheelgunner
 

caryc

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Wheelgunner":2os5ibt6 said:
caryc":2os5ibt6 said:
J Miller":2os5ibt6 said:
How he does 24 coats of TruOil and has them look like this I have no idea. I'm terrible at wood working so I leave that to those who know how.

Joe

It's what one does after the last coat that achieves that final look.

caryc,

And, what does one do after the last coat? :wink:

Wheelgunner

Since the finish is one of the things that makes my grips what they are, I just can't reveal how I do it. Sorry guys, I hope you can understand that.
 

Wheelgunner

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caryc":2y0nakuv said:
Wheelgunner":2y0nakuv said:
caryc":2y0nakuv said:
J Miller":2y0nakuv said:
How he does 24 coats of TruOil and has them look like this I have no idea. I'm terrible at wood working so I leave that to those who know how.

Joe

It's what one does after the last coat that achieves that final look.

caryc,

And, what does one do after the last coat? :wink:

Wheelgunner

Since the finish is one of the things that makes my grips what they are, I just can't reveal how I do it. Sorry guys, I hope you can understand that.

caryc,

Cary, I really didn't expect an answer.

Wheelgunner
 

Pinecone

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Wheelgunner, I have finished more stocks of all types than I like to remember. I was building and finishing furniture long before I started working on guns. I once did a test with Tru-Oil and a whole bunch of walnut test pieces, putting from 3 to 24 coats on each test piece and then subjecting them all to various tests with water, wind, heat, etc. like a stock would receive in normal use. Quite frankly, after the 6th coat of Tru-Oil there was virtually "no" difference in looks or wear when I finished my tests except for a whole lot more "work" than was necessary to finish a stock! It was a real eye opener from what I had always read or heard from "other" gunsmiths! Since those tests (many years ago), I now put from 3 to 6 coats on stocks when I finish them regardless of what oil or finish I choose to use. I find that 4 to 5 coats on Winchesters make them look like the original finish with final polishing out with #0000 steel wool and then rottenstone on a "soft" rag.....................Dick :idea:
 

caryc

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Pinecone":2tce826r said:
Wheelgunner, I have finished more stocks of all types than I like to remember. I was building and finishing furniture long before I started working on guns. I once did a test with Tru-Oil and a whole bunch of walnut test pieces, putting from 3 to 24 coats on each test piece and then subjecting them all to various tests with water, wind, heat, etc. like a stock would receive in normal use. Quite frankly, after the 6th coat of Tru-Oil there was virtually "no" difference in looks or wear when I finished my tests except for a whole lot more "work" than was necessary to finish a stock! It was a real eye opener from what I had always read or heard from "other" gunsmiths! Since those tests (many years ago), I now put from 3 to 6 coats on stocks when I finish them regardless of what oil or finish I choose to use. I find that 4 to 5 coats on Winchesters make them look like the original finish with final polishing out with #0000 steel wool and then rottenstone on a "soft" rag.....................Dick :idea:

Well then, according to an old pro like you I guess I'm just wasting my time. This will free up a lot of my time so I guess I now have time to go into a different business.

Here is another method that I read about. Thin Tru Oil 50/50 with mineral spirits. After all your careful finish sanding rub on a coat of oil. Rub it off right away with a lint free cloth. You will think you rubbed it all off but of course a thin coat will remain.

Keep going like that rubbing it on and off. After 30 or so coats this way, let it cure for 10 days. Finally rub it down with rottenstone or pumice. This is very time consuming but will give a glass smooth finish as well. I know, I tried it.

In other words my friend, there is more than one way to skin a cat. But according to you anything over 6 coats is useless.
 

Wheelgunner

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Pinecone":24lxszxc said:
Wheelgunner, I have finished more stocks of all types than I like to remember. I was building and finishing furniture long before I started working on guns. I once did a test with Tru-Oil and a whole bunch of walnut test pieces, putting from 3 to 24 coats on each test piece and then subjecting them all to various tests with water, wind, heat, etc. like a stock would receive in normal use. Quite frankly, after the 6th coat of Tru-Oil there was virtually "no" difference in looks or wear when I finished my tests except for a whole lot more "work" than was necessary to finish a stock! It was a real eye opener from what I had always read or heard from "other" gunsmiths! Since those tests (many years ago), I now put from 3 to 6 coats on stocks when I finish them regardless of what oil or finish I choose to use. I find that 4 to 5 coats on Winchesters make them look like the original finish with final polishing out with #0000 steel wool and then rottenstone on a "soft" rag.....................Dick :idea:

Pinecone,

Thanks for your reply and for the information. It is good to know what people have tried first hand.

Wheelgunner
 

Snake45

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I suspect that perhaps Pinecone very thoroughly filled all the pores of his wood test samples with some kind of standard wood filler before he started, in which case he's right. There won't be much if any improvement after a half dozen coats or so.

If, however, one uses the Tru-Oil itself as the wood filler--which can be done (and commonly is)--then yes there will be an improvement in appearance the more coats you put on until all the pores are filled to the surface. After a few coats, you're steel-wooling off nearly all the new coats you're putting on, except for what's staying in the pores. When those pores get built up to the surface, adding more coats isn't really going to improve the appearance much if any.
 

Pinecone

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caryc, You seem to have missed my point with all these posts I have put on this forum. When I post a "way" of doing things, I am posting just "that". My way! I have developed methods that have worked for "me" over the years. Anyone and everyone is welcome to completely accept or "reject" the way I do things. It's "your" choice. I don't post that "my" ways are the "only" way to do things. I'm sure your methods work for you and more than likely, anyone who wants to try them! I may seem a little "crass" at times but that's my personality. I don't lie to people nor do I try to coddle or soothe them. I don't sidestep issues and have always confronted things "head-on". Feel free to use as many coats of finish as you deem necessary. I think it's "great" that's something that you do, works well for you. I did get a "kick" out of your telling everybody you couldn't reveal your "secrets" to anyone. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt your business one iota if they knew exactly how you finish your grips. "Knowing" how to do something and "doing" it are two different "animals" and I'm sure you would agree with that! A lot of the things I do, require certain equipment and products as well as specific details that I may neglect to mention inadvertantly and also, when I give advice I expect those using it to have a certain level of mechanical competency as I'm sure others do when they give advice. That's the nature of cyberspace gunsmithing. With all that's been written on the subject of gunsmithing over the past 30 years, quite frankly, there aren't too many "secrets" left out there. I remember some old time gunsmiths telling me the very same thing when I first started out! Thankfully, there "were" some old timers willing to "share" their experience and knowledge with a new fledgeling gunsmith like myself. Snake has "hit" the nail square on the head about steel-wooling all of your coats off!..............................Dick :wink:
 
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