Pelicans: Learn me about wood polish

[m21sniper]

I want to polish my Nill grips to get a nice purty glossy look to them. What should i use, what is a good approach? Most importantly, what should i NOT do?



Thanks!

[Buckterrier]

Sniper, High gloss tung oil works awesome. Might be tough getting gloss into the checkering. If so a good polyurethane or conventional varnish. Spraying it would be the best. If needed I could do that for you, is my biness
btw... I got my Hogue wood finger groove grips today. Beautiful but there was an 1/8" gap between the end of the strap & grip. It even looked worse because it wasn't an 1/8 all the way across, tapered from 3/16". So I called and sent them back. Hope the wood on the new ones is just as nice.

[Tobra]

Varnish will show wear, tung oil will dry out, but easy to reapply and bring finish back.

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Varnish will show wear, tung oil will dry out, but easy to reapply and bring finish back.

And as you apply more oil it will only get richer, deeper looking. I just don't know how you'd get it into the checkering, well you can get it in but it needs to be buffed. Dremel tool? Will be a fun little project.

[Tobra]

Dremel with a soft buff would work pretty sweet I bet.

[Nostril Cheese]

Works great on unfinished guitar necks.

Never used it on a gun stock though..

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Buckterrier

Sniper, High gloss tung oil works awesome. Might be tough getting gloss into the checkering. If so a good polyurethane or conventional varnish. Spraying it would be the best. If needed I could do that for you, is my biness
btw... I got my Hogue wood finger groove grips today. Beautiful but there was an 1/8" gap between the end of the strap & grip. It even looked worse because it wasn't an 1/8 all the way across, tapered from 3/16". So I called and sent them back. Hope the wood on the new ones is just as nice.

Some times with those Hogue's you'll have to do a little filing to get a perfect fit.

I'd be happy to send you my grips if you think you can spray them up real nice for me. I'll shoot you a PM!

[porsche4life]

Go to a Sherwin William and get a small deal of Chem Var in the smallest can they've got.... Layer it up and be done with it... Spray it in an open space with a mask though... Its got formaldehyde in it... It makes my uncle who has been spraying stuff of years hurl if he tries to spray without a mask... Its some bad ju-ju Its what all of the woodwork on our place has on it... Best finish you can get....

[rsNINESOOPER]

Tung oil is a good idea but I would suggest putting a "Finishing Wax" over the Tung oil once it is sufficiently dry and most of the polish is achieved. It takes a few coats of finishing wax to bring up the shine but the wax acts as a sealer and protective barrier to the oils in your hands as well as sweat which is acidic and attacks a lot of finishes including Tung oils, and poly based finishes. As for the checkering building multiple coats of tung oil with attention to removing excess oil well so it does not build up in the crevices would do the trick. A helpful tool to burnish hardwood is various nylon brushes, think shoe brush, scrub brush etc., something bigger than a tooth brush. This makes it possible to burnish more intricately carved areas. Start out by sanding all flat areas to 400 grit and a couple coats of Tung oil, allowing it to cure and then lightly sanding to remove "nibs" with 600 grit or burnish with paper bag depending on results. Burnish checkering with the brush at these stages, Apply one or two more coats of Tung oil allowing ample drying/cure time lightly sand with 800 or 1000 grit or burnish with paper bag. All this depends on the results during the process of course. Finish off with some Finishing Wax by applying at least two coats, polishing, burnishing, fine light weight bristle nylon brush or terry cloth, etc (again it depends on results).

All hardwoods respond differently so there is not really a foolproof step by step method however I have had good success using the materials and methods above to bring up a durable polished finish to hardwood tools and parts that are intended to be subjected to regular use.

Or you could just put about 400,000 rounds through it and the grips would polish up nice

enjoy the project

[rsNINESOOPER]

Keep in mind that just about ANY finishes designed to be sprayed such as cabinet finishes get gummy when subjected to lots of hand oils. In other words your grips will be sticky and dull and start to peel. You want a finish that is more IN the wood than ON the wood.

[tabs]

boiled linseed oil...a few drops rubbed in at a time...

[targa911S]

Boiled linseed really never dries. use true oil. if you do the checkered areas thin it with mineral spirits
50% and put it on with a small stiff art brush and then blot with an old t-shirt patch.

OR

Send them to me. I'll take care of it for you. No charge of course.

[targa911S]

I just left you a VM on your cell. Send them to me.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

I want to polish my ...wood. What should i use,

Originally Posted by m21sniper

what is a good approach?

Sneak up on it quietly at night, maybe talk to it first...

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Most importantly, what should i NOT do?

Alternate hands. It helps avoid tennis elbow...

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Thanks!

You're welcome. Put a dollar in the tip jar on your way out...

JR

[m21sniper]

LOL, jagazz!

[targa911S]

If you want to do them yourself. Use Tru oil, mask off the checkering first, take the tru oil and get just a little bit on your fingers. Dob it on the wood and rub it in until it starts to feel warm from the friction. Set them aside for 24 hrs. Repeat. When you have three coats on take 0000 steel wool and burnish them so you see no or little grain. Do it all again. When you have the grain filled, and a nice gloss, pull the tape from the checkered panels ( I hope you used blue tape) and thin some tru oil 50% with mineral spirits. Brush the thinned mix into the checkering in the direction of the lines both ways. Only put one coat on the checkering so they have a semi gloss look, other wise you will clog the checkering and it will look like crap. Wait a week and wax avoiding the checkering.
A friend of mine who does checkering pro, uses super glue on the checkering instead of tru oil. He says they turn to stone and never lose their point but I have not had good luck with that.

[m21sniper]

I'm sending 'em to buck terrier, he is going to hook a fellow pelican up!

Thanks so much for the responses guys, i'll post pix when i get them back and reinstalled on my spoon. Happy time!

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Works great on unfinished guitar necks.

Never used it on a gun stock though..

This is what I used on my grandpa's old shotgun.... It works great and is a proper finish for gun stocks That won't end up peeling like a sprayed on urethane type finish might. I did restored my grandfather's old double with it and it came out great. It can be finished glossy or can be rubbed with fine steel wool for a satin finish.