"Mike Marlow" wrote in
:


"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...

Probably the sheen difference is owing to a difference in both the
wood itself if it is glued up stock (as I presume it would be) and
difference in how thoroughly the sanding was prior to finishing. I
would rub out two or three more coats using 400 grit wet/dry
sandpaper as the next step to see how that goes...

As for long-term durability, the oil finishes will not stand up to
water well, but the good thing is they can be replenished easily...

Thanks Duane. The grip isn't glued up, I gave him a big enough hunk
of wood to cut it out of one piece that is hollowed out to surround
the riser from the rear. I'll pass along the recommendation for
rubbing out a few more coats with 400. If he mixes some varnish with
the Tung Oil, will that help the durability any? I guess it's not
really a big deal since he can always rub in some more oil once or
twice a year.

I believe he has it soaking in a sandwich bag of Tung Oil while he's
at work today, so I'm sure he'll have plenty on the wood to rub out
tonight.

Four coats of Waterlox Original on a walnut memorial flag case still
showed some spots with a difference in sheen. That's one of the charms
of unfilled walnut. It's a porous wood. But filling it covers some of
the texture, in most applications.

After he gets that handle out of the bag, he might want to try a trick
that Steve Knight shows on his web site. Bury the handle in a box of
sawdust and shavings for a couple of days, and let the oils
soak/leach/cure. Probably best done in a warmer-than-my-shop space,
too.

Then you can decide on the next round of finish. I like a good paste
wax, but the gunstock folks know a thing or three about keeping their
walnut clean, straight and beautiful in harsher conditions.

Fun working with the kids, isn't it?

Patriarch