Oiling/Finishing a Satin Paper Micarta

D

Don Nguyen

Joined
Oct 4, 2011
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I'm finishing my handles to about 600-800 or so. What should go next to put on a slight sheen and keep it that way? The normal tung/linseed oil coatings just wear off after a little while, and I don't really have any experience with other methods.

Thanks everyone.
 
Don,

Keep sanding!

Wet-Dry sandpaper goes to 2500 grit (3-M Imperial grit), and polishing paper to 6000-8000 grit (in Micron rating).

By the time you're at 800 grit, each grit above that takes only a minute or so. At 6000 grit, you have a beautiful soft sheen, but you can stop when it looks good to you. Anything above 1200-2000 grit looks nice on Micarta.

John
 
Don,

The 3-m Wet-dry and 3-M Polishing paper can both be used with water or oil, but I usually sand dry at the higher grits. It's just easier and cleaner, and certainly fine for Micarta.

On ivory, I'll usually sand dry to 6000 grit, and then wet-sand for a while with 6000 grit and mineral oil.

John
 
I'm not sure if you're familiar with Tru Oil from Birchwood Casey. It is AWESOME stuff. It's most commonly used on figured, expensive, gun stocks. Here is how to use it.....just wipe it on!!!! With a cloth, finger, whatever. If you're wood is dry and porous, the TruOil will soak in, and you'll need to add another coat. Keep adding coats until the wood has been "sealed". Once the wood is sealed, the last coat will dry on top of the wood, like a clear varnish. Once you get to that point, and the final coat produces a nice even gloss shine on the knife, it's recommended you don't leave it like that. Take 0000 steel wool, and buff that down slightly to a satin, or dull, finish. You can do full on gloss, semi-gloss, satin, or flat, just by the amount of buffing you do after that last coat. After that, you can use your favorite wax, if you'd like. I love TruOil. Great product.
 
Any finish applied to micarta will just wash off. That's the whole point of a phenolic like micarta. It's impervious to oils etc. Just sand it out like Mr White said, or you can buff at a lower grit like 800 and get a nice soft sheen.
 
I have been very happy with the satin look I get by sanding up to 1200 or so grit then back down to 800 or 1000.

I use water and wet sand from 400 grit on up.
 
You can sand to 600 grit, then buff woth 0000 steel wool, then hand polish wirh Simichrome polish.
 
I always top off my micarta with a coating of Ren Wax. It does wear off after a while, but gives it a great finish.

TedP
 
I usually hit my micarta with Flitz Gun & Knife Wax, usually at 360-600.
 
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