Walnut burl finish?

[Robert Hankins]

First I hope all you had a great Christmas!
My sincere thanks for all the help I have received over the past year.
You are a GREAT bunch and I am thankful and proud to be associated with you and this Forum.

Now to my question---
How can I get some Depth while finishing Walnut Burl?
I do not like Superglue and have been using Watco Danish oil with so so results. Tried getting some stabilized at K&G but it still finishes dull to me.

 

[RI_Shooter]

See my post above about Osage Orange. You can finish
walnut burl used for a knife handle just as you would
finish a walnut gunstock. Sand to 220 grit, then apply a
tung oil based finish until the wood won't take any more.

Let it dry for at least a day. Apply more finish cut
50/50 with mineral spirits and wet sand. Gently wipe off
the sludge with a kleenex, and let dry at least a day.
You might have to do this several times to fill the grain.

When the grain is full, apply a thin hand-rubbed coat
and wipe dry to touch. As each coat dries, sand with 320,
then 400, 600, and buff with a clean buff with a fine
polishing compound, lightly, or use Birchwood Casey
Gunstock Sheen by hand. This will give fantastic depth.

Personally, I think this is fine on a gunstock, but
pretty time-consuming on a knife handle. I like the Super-
glue route, but since you don't, you can also try this:

Soak the whole handle overnight in a tung-oil or lin-
oil based finish. When you take it out, immediately wet
sand once, and let dry for 3 days. Sand LIGHTLY to as fine
as you plan on going, THEN use the Danish Oil and buff
lightly. This isn't as time-consuming, and still works
pretty well, although not as well as the gunstock multiple
coat method above.

 

[Sando]

Tried getting some stabilized at K&G but it still finishes dull to me.

You're kidding right!? I now use only K&G finished wood. I get a great shine after buffing. I have found that the standard white compound does not get the best results.

The stuff that works best for me is, well I think it is, bobbing compound. It's kinda greasy and tan color. Doesn't do much on metal, but stabilized wood it leaves no scratches and cleans up easy with household cleaner. It might be what K&G sells as white diamond, but I don't know.

Also a final rub with mineral oil brings out a deeper shine.

Steve

 

[Steve Hayden]

I have recently started using Teak oil after using Danish oil and tung oil for years. The Teak oil is the thinnest finish I've seen. It sinks in fast and dries hard. It doesn't darken the wood as much and accents the highlights.

I sand to 1000 grit, then do the multiple coat oil and sand routine with 1500 grit. After a few coats, the highlights start to show more and more. This is pretty much my gunstock method, as well.

 

[Mike Hull]

Originally posted by Sando
You're kidding right!? I now use only K&G finished wood. I get a great shine after buffing. I have found that the standard white compound does not get the best results.

It's possible that the wood is Claro Walnut. That type does not stabilize well, sorta like Cocobolo.
Watco teak finish would work good on that type, like mentioned above.