Can I get a glossy finish with tru-oil

[p89cajun]

I am about to refinish a stock on an old winchester 1400 I picked up. How do I keep a glossy finish on it. I don't wan't to get it to dull. This will not be a field gun just one I take out and shoot on ocasion. I am still up in the air on weather to use the birchwood-casey tru-oil kit or the minwax finish in this post. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=240961&highlight=wood+refinish

 

[koginam]

Both will do the job, I like to use a good wax after the finish is dry. it really brings out the luster

 

[leserz]

i have used the birchwood casey it works for what i have done two times i have refinished two rifle stocks gave each one about 6 coats with my fingers. the first few coats i used a single edge razer blade to scrape it down to bare wood to fill in the wood grain. then ooo steel wool last two coats i used oooo steel wood. i used no sand paper after the first coat. nice shine i did not stain ether stock. they were natural wood finish.

 

[Hud]

Cajun,

I've been using Tru-Oil for more than 15 yrs on everything from pistol grips to gun stocks & musical instruments (dulcimers).
You can go from one dull coat just to darken the wood to a Steinway Piano high gloss,or anything in between depending on the number of coats & what you do to the finish between coats.
After the first heavy coat soaks in & dries, all subsequent coats should be applied very thin & oooo steel wooled in between after drying.
Just keep doing that 'till the desired depth is obtained & the grain is filled to your satisfaction.
The last coat can be left high gloss or steel wooled & buffed for a satin finish.
If you have never used it before, it might be a good idea to practice on a nice piece of scrap.
Hand rub all coats. I usually do it under a strong light to make sure I get everything covered evenly.

Regards, Hud

 

[ranger335v]

Ditto the hand rubbed coats, it insures that each coat is thin and fairly level. Ditto the light rub down between coats with 4/0 steel wool or a white 3M buffing pad to take off dust nibs and keep the finish truly flat. In fact, after the wood is well sealed, maybe 3 or 4 coats, I like to wet sand with 600 to 1000 grit silicon carbide paper (Walmart's Automotive Paints department) and a cork or rubber sanding block to keep the finish dead flat - sanding until most of the shiney places are leveled does it.

To keep the finish coat free of defects I also polish off the last coat shine with steel wool or the white pads until ALL of the gloss is gone. Then I use automotive Polishing Compound (not the coarser Rubbing Compound) to bring back the shine. This way, you can make it glitter like a Weatherby! May take 8 to 10 hand rubbed coats but it's there if you take the time!

Let it not only dry but harden between coats. at least a couple of days for the first couple of coats, then a day for each one after that should be long enough. Let the last coat harden at least a week, two weeks is better, before giving it the final polishing and hand buffing. A final coat of wax looks really nice but it won't last long if you allow gun oils to get on it.

 

[scalper]

I have also had the same wonderful results with BC Tru-Oil. The stuff is magic. Everyone who sees my stocks I have done with it always comments on it. Just don't be deceived with the first couple of coats. Keep at it by applying multiple coats and I can guarantee you will love the results.