true oil?

[bailebr3]

i have some scales finally put on a lil skinner i made...i got some true oil and rubbed one coat on. i have the knife sitting in a vise now..drying. so how many coats do yall think i should put on it?? and is it ok if i just rubbed it over the exposed tang also?? im figuring it will polish off. anything extra you guys can think of about this oil let me know.

thanks brandon

[elk ninja]

I have done as few as three coats and up to six.  It has polished off the blade and or tang for me...

We need some pics!

Mike

[bailebr3]

yeah i need to get a photobucket account or have someone post pics for me when im done...the sheath is tanned deer with the fur on...still got more stitching and an added idea which involves some little antler tip cutoffs:) thanks for the help mike....by the way after each coat is it ok to just use some 300-400 grit sandpaper to smooth over for the next coat?

[B M A]

Ditto to what Elk Ninja said.  I usually just hit it with 0000 steel wool in between.  

Brock

[JohnHV]

The more coats you do, the finish takes on more depth and I find it to be more wear resistant.

I usually do 3-6 coats with 12-24 hours of drying time in between each coat and like Brock said, 0000 steel wool between coats.

Multiple light coats much much better than thick coats.

[stmpthmpr]

Im a bit late to the game here, but would share a few tips on using TO.

I work alot with the maples and with the lighter colored woods especially, I dont use steel wool until after the second coat. The oils in steel wool can stain the wood and with open grained woods fill the pores with dirty oil deposits.

The first coat is the most important. I really rub it into the wood and the heat from friction helps it soak into the wood. Rub it in until it stops absorbing and stays 'wet'. Then wipe it off surface and let dry.

I then hit it with worn out 220 grit paper and then polish it up with brown paper bag thats been crumpled and re-crumpled until its like cloth. The fibers in the brown bag cloth are mildly abrasive and burnish nicely.

I then rub in a nice light even second coat of TO (which I consider the first surface coat) and when dry very lightly go over with 0000 steel wool, just enough to remove the sheen and any dust particles. I wipe it real good with a clean cloth to remove any possible oil residue from the steel wool, hit it with a clean brown bag cloth, and apply another coat.

For me, the magic number is seven surface coats after the initial one that was to soak into the grain and then was lightly sanded off the surface.

Try this on some birdseye maple and youll see why. You can see a mile into it. This may all sound a bit "anal", but oh well !! LOL

All the work I put into my bows and knives, I cant see just sloping some finish on just to be done. From prep to finish, if each stage of a project, whatever it might be, is done to the best of ones ability and materials, then we've given all that we have to give and brought out the absolute greatest potential of the incredible materials found in Gods awesome creation. Thats where my connection to my work comes and where I derive my satisfaction from.

Probly preachin to the choir here... but thanks for listenin anyway!!

[OconeeDan]

What the others said is true.  The more the deeper the finish. And if you steel wool between coats, it will stay thin while building up the pores.  Fine if you have a polished steel finish on your tang.  A bit more difficult if you are trying for a patina on the tang.
I suspect that tru oil is similar to tung oil finish, which I have used a lot on gunstocks.  One gunstock, I had 27 coats on it until I was happy.  Glad I did, it is still a looker.
Take your time and don't rush.  Dan