wood grain

[greyling22]

I'm about to start in on a nice custom stock, and I can get the thing shaped and smoothed no problem, but the final finish is trickier. I recently redid my 1894 marlin stock by sanding it smooth (finished with 1000 grit sandpaper) and then about 8 coats of tru-oil. no grain filler, no stain. attached are pics of the results.

Is there a way to fill the grain so all the little black grain pores do not show or are less obvious? They tend to hide the grain of the wood on the final product.

 

[greyling22]

forgot the pictures.

 

[rcmodel]

Not really. And would you really want too?

Most any filler will not match the wood, and most will not accept stain if you try that route.

The black grain contrasting with the lighter hardwood is what gives the stock the beautiful figure.

The only thing I see with your stock is all the grain is not filled level with Tru-Oil. Your only "filler" should be the clear Tru-Oil itself.

You need to block sand between each coat until all the open pores are filled level with the sanded hardwood.

Then a final coat or two will give a smooth uniform finish that looks like glass.

rcmodel

 

[greyling22]

I never got around to finishing with the tru oil because I needed the gun for a shoot it still needs a few more coats I know.

I'm not too sure on the terms so bear with me a bit:
I was mostly wondering about "wet sanding" to fill the pores. The pores tend to collect the oil and make the little dark pits that hide the actual grain of the wood.

 

[PotatoJudge]

The only thing I see with your stock is all the grain is not filled level with Tru-Oil. Your only "filler" should be the clear Tru-Oil itself.

Yep. What you need to do is "cut back" the finish with fine sandpaper (320-600) and mineral spirits as a lubricant followed by a wipe-down with naptha and reapplication of Tru-oil. What you're seeing is that wipe-on finishes tend to go on thinly, and so take many coats to fill the grain. From the pictures it looks like the grain is almost filled and much of what you see as pores in the wood is accentuated by the overlying finish. You may find that after cutting back the pores will fill faster and you'll have to apply fewer coats. Of course, finish with a coat of Tru-oil for a gloss finish.

There are many good ways to fill pores in wood, but once your finish is on the only option is to fill with more finish.

 

[greyling22]

I'm trying to see if there is a better technique than I am currently using for my next, and nicer, stock. the one pictured will just get more tru-oil as time allows until it is all finished.

 

[dfariswheel]

Try my favorite oil finish technique.
It fills the wood completely full and has that "egg shell" luster finish the old British and American guns had.
Plus, it's one of the toughest finishes I ever found.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=240961&highlight=oil+finish

(Pictures on the later pages).

 

[greyling22]

dfariswheel, using that technique I can get a finish harder than tru-oil and tung oil? I just want to be clear.

 

[koginam]

Here are several posts on different ways to finish a stock.

http://thegunsmiths.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=23&sid=9e2f9dd1917e9c613000511afb2a078f

 

[dfariswheel]

"using that technique I can get a finish harder than tru-oil and tung oil? I just want to be clear"

YES.
Whatever the Minwax Antique Oil is, it's an extremely hard, tough finish.
It isn't even overly affected by lacquer thinner, and most bore solvents don't seem to have any effect.
Best, if you want, you can follow my instructions and not have a surface finish at all.
In that case, all the finish is IN the wood, not ON it, just like the old oil finishes, including tung oil.
If you apply a thin coat to the wood as a finish coat, the surface will be a little more of a gloss finish, but this is even tougher.

A good test for wood finishes is to put a large drop on a sheet of glass and let sit for a few days.
Many oil finishes, including Linseed oil dry to a crumbly consistency.
Minwax drys to an extremely hard, clear surface that's hard to get off the glass.