doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Alkanet Root - Reddish Stock Look

I heated everything together. Still letting my mixtures "age" and will try them out soon.

I have prepared several pieces of English walnut from the same blank and will compare the colors of the different mixtures. When I get a little more time, I will prepare other test pieces from different English blanks and see how they handle the colored oil.

I have been experiencing long drying times with the salopian finish, upwards of two days per rub in. Temp between 73-95 degrees F and humidity from 28-54%...pretty good conditions. I added some Japan dryer and am now getting dry coats in 12 hours, but am waiting 24 to recoat so all this work doesn't go up the spout. I remember dig or salopian referring to lead based dryers being used in the past. Japan dryer used to have lead 30 or so years ago before lead was banned in paint. 15 coats on two Merkels, looks like at least another 15 to get that damn grain filled. So far the results are worth the effort to me.

I have been playing with the Behlen's blood red and a finish layer on a wooden box before I redo a gun stock with whatever approach I like.

I did about 7 applications of the Blood Red. I had previously filled the grain with mahogony stain and several wet sands.

After the Blood Red it looked so good. Next and so far I am TWO applications of straight linseed oil hand rubbed into the project. I am certainly planning on doing more applications of the oil. I put the box in very warm area to accelerate the drying although I did just use a tiny amount and really hand rub it in. And, before I put on the next layer I wanted it "dry" before I applied any more.

It is looking truly beautiful. My girlfriend saw it last night and said, 'Wow. It doesn't look at all like the box that it was before this re-finish; it looks fantastic!'

I want a nice shine, glossy, on it when I'm finished. Any ideas of waxes? or Polishes? What about beeswax? What about something crazy like Turtle Wax car polish?

I am receptive to experimenting...

As high a gloss oil finish as I can get.... ya know?

Does a buffing wheel work or should I stay with hand rub soft cloth with the grain?

I don't know a way to make the oil glossy, oils tend to be muted. The oil finish I'm using now has a low lustre attributed to the Venice turpentine as per salopian. It may sound like apostasy but you might try a topcoat of Tru oil cut with linseed. The linseed will retard the Tru oil's quick set time and it will give that gloss you're after. I've cut it with lacquer thinner 50/50 to kill the gloss. It remained shiny but went on beautifully. A failure for what I was after, maybe a success for you Yogi.

Hansli maybe I read your post wrong...

"15 coats on two Merkels, looks like at least another 15 to get that damn grain filled"

Finish alone won't fill the grain.
L.F.

Yogi,
I use a pure carnuba wax to jack up the gloss on an oil based finish. I use the stuff from R Gale Lock Co but any pure carnuba will do. The modern car finishes might have stuff that can penetrate the oil finish, like silicones and solvents.

You read it right. What do you use besides the sand and slurry method? I'm dying for an unobtrusive filler and will accept any suggestions with gratitude.

Hansli to my little bit of knowledge there is no other way but to sand and slurry to fill the grain.
If you do get the poors filled by finish alone you will have a poor finish.
L.F.

Mr. Yeti:

What is your techinique for applying the Carnuba? That stuff is so hard it is brittle. I'll bet it would give a heck of a durable shine.

Glenn

From what I've gleaned from this and other finishing threads and my own woodworking experience, you can fill grain with various fillers, use a sand and slurry method, or build up and then level the finish itself (sure works great on checkering if you're not careful). I believe the last method was mentioned by a contributor recently and I have used it on furniture and cabinetry with higher build finishes. So far it is working although time consuming as this is a slow build finish. Sand and slurry fills I've done in the past (to 1500 grit)have not completely filled the grain and what they have filled is dark and pocky looking. When a contributor notes that a particular method is ineffective or wrong, I'd like to know why and have him offer a better plan to remediate the problem. HomelessjOe, I appreciate your observations, but they offer nothing in the way of fresh knowledge or real help. Someone else maybe want to offer some real guidance if it is indeed necessary?