Tung oil and knife scales

[Frozen Bear Trading]

So I have used tung oil to refinish furniture for a long time. I like the way it looks and always do 2 coats.

A friend that is a guitar maker claims that he puts over 100 coats on the body of his guitars

I'm finishing some zebra wood scales and have done 3 coats... lol

So do I have 97 to go? ....

My instructions recommend 2 coats...

My brain tells me that wood can only take so much oil .. so 100 coats seems pointless.

Maybe some where in the middle of 3 and 100? : )

Thoughts please

 

[milkbaby]

100% pure tung oil or tung oil finish? Those two are not the same thing... 100% tung oil will take forever to polymerize and possibly may never depending on the wood...?

 

[Frozen Bear Trading]

100% pure tung oil or tung oil finish? Those two are not the same thing... 100% tung oil will take forever to polymerize and possibly may never depending on the wood...?

Its 100%

 

[milkbaby]

Its 100%

Check out the info here: https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/get-more/tung-oil-debunking-myths

The difference between say a coffee table and a knife handle are significant. People don't rub their grubby hands all over a coffee table as often as they do to a knife handle. Using 100% real tung oil isn't something I personally would do for a knife handle, but that's personal taste.

 

[Frozen Bear Trading]

Check out the info here: https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/get-more/tung-oil-debunking-myths

The difference between say a coffee table and a knife handle are significant. People don't rub their grubby hands all over a coffee table as often as they do to a knife handle. Using 100% real tung oil isn't something I personally would do for a knife handle, but that's personal taste.

Thank you for the input and info. I love learning and I'm good with steel but the wood stuff is really new to me

 

[milkbaby]

Thank you for the input and info. I love learning and I'm good with steel but the wood stuff is really new to me

I just wanted to add that for natural woods, some people really like BLO or real tung oil on knife handles because they prefer a more natural wood look over the more plastic look of an oil-varnish finish like Tru Oil. I think the safest answer is to try your procedures on a piece of scrap first. Definitely post a pic of the knife when done!

 

[Hengelo_77]

Zebrawood is hard. I've finished it without oil, just hand sand it to 2000 or higher.
It takes way less time then you would think

 

[Frozen Bear Trading]

I just wanted to add that for natural woods, some people really like BLO or real tung oil on knife handles because they prefer a more natural wood look over the more plastic look of an oil-varnish finish like Tru Oil. I think the safest answer is to try your procedures on a piece of scrap first. Definitely post a pic of the knife when done!

I lied. Its tung oil finish

 

[R.C.Reichert]

I kinda just like boiled linseed oil for a finish.