Finishing Wood Knife Scales

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kybladesmith

Joined
Aug 23, 2011
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For those of you that use Tru Oil to finish your wood handles. Could I have the step that you take when finshing the wood. I want to finish some walnut scales on my next knife. I know I can use the instructions on the bottle, but I know some of you guy know some things to really make it look awesome.

Thanks, Travis
 
First off, give a minimum of 12 hours between coats. Contrary to what the directions say, it does not dry in 2 hours. I always apply it with my barehands. Take the wood as far as you can before the finish is applied.

This is just the basics, but if you do a quick search on here for tru-oil finishes you will find all you need to know.


-Xander
 
I finished gun stocks for years using tru oil and had good results but now use satin finish or semogloss polyurethane like minwax spray. Tru oil is good if dried well but it builds up and gets darker each coat. this is good and bad. The biggest problem is that after a couple coats it takes a month to completly harden. Using pin striping tape to tape off the tang and shoot a coat of poly and rub it in. Let dry overnight and shoot another coat and wait 20 minutes and then hand rub it with your fingers and palm. Shoot a little on some 320 grit wet/dry paper and wet sand the wood against the grain and let dry 24 hours. Wet sand lightley with water. and dry. Shoot one final light coat on the sealed wood and let dry. This works well for porous wood like walnut. Avoid the whole process by using a harder wood and just buff it out after sanding the wood with 400 grit with white buffing compound that is about 1800 grit like the compound sold by Texas knife supply called #51. I sometime will rub super glue into the grain on spalted maple or you can rub in some acrylic finish and then light sand before buffing with #51. It works for me but I'm sure every knife maker has a different method. Buff out some desert ironwood or cocobolo and save yourself finishing time and other problems. Use stabalized wood also if you afford it and skip the varnish type finishes. See my knives at www.lehmancustomknives.com and see if you like the finish on my knives. I do not claim to an expert . Just my opinion. Good luck. Larry Lehman
 
I use Tru Oil on walnut. Here's what works for me. Birchwood Casey, the makers of Tru Oil also make Sealer and Filler. This is available wherever you got your Tru Oil. After final sanding of your handle use a foam brush to apply the Sealer and Filler. This will fill in the grain. After its dry buff with steel wool, (0000) to even out any drips etc. Sometimes it will take 2 coats to get the walnut completely filled. Once you have it filled and buffed with the steel wool apply the Tru Oil. I apply with a small piece of 4,000 grit polishing paper. I apply with the grain and continue to use the polishing paper moving to a fresh piece as the finish begins to dry. You will get the finish almost dry and very smooth (you will see it change appearance as you polish). Once you have it this way all over the handle let it dry. It will be dry in a couple of hours. Put another coat of Tru Oil on the same way. Let the second coat cure for a day or two. Then buff off a couple of coats of carnuba car wax and you are good to go. Good hard finish, lots of dept, not plastic looking and pretty simple. I also use the Sealer and Filler on some other woods even, if I don't use Tru Oil on them like Mesquite and some Rosewoods.
 
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