# What finish for pistol grips?



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

I just started making pistol grips, and was wondering what the best finish for them would be? Basically, I want them to be glossy, tough, and resist dirt and grime that may come into contact with them. Would Tung oil be good for this, or should I stick to lacquer or poly? Is there something else that works well?

Thanks


----------



## RandyM68 (Jan 20, 2012)

I think laquer scuffs too easily, and before long you would probably have scratches and chips all over. Poly would be the most durable, but it gives that plastic shine that I don't really like on a gun, but that is up to you. I refinished a black walnut rifle stock, with linseed oil. It still looks good thirty years later. I haven't tried tung oil, so I don't know , but it would probably work pretty well.


----------



## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

I'd use polyurethane, because you are sure to get oil and solvent on them, and cured poly is tough stough.


----------



## Fuzzy (Jun 25, 2007)

Something that works great, but you seldom ever hear about … use a vacuum chamber hooked up to a vacuum pump to pull the finish deep into the pores of the wood … leave ;em in for a few days then let them cure for a few weeks before buffing & polishing … works GREAT on small pieces like this.


----------



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

I don't have anything I could uses as a vacuum chamber, but I will remember that, and try it in the future. Thanks.

I tried (spray) poly before I tried lacquer, but it would not dry. The wood is Desert Ironwood Burl. Is that normal? Would sealing the wood with shellac work?


----------



## bake (May 1, 2008)

Use CA glue it makes a great finish and wears like iron.


----------



## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

Lin-Speed Gunstock Oil


----------



## HalDougherty (Jul 15, 2009)

I carve gunstocks all the time and start my finish with pure tung oil cut 50% with mineral spirits. After sever coats wet sanded into the wood with extra fine stainless steel wool, I mix 50% exterior spar varnish with the 50-50 mixture of tung oil and apply thin coats with steel wool, wipe dry after 5 minutes of rubbing and wait 24 hours for the next coat. Ironwood will polish hard enough without any finish, but I like the way a hand rubbed oil finish looks. A Lin-Speed finish looks the same, it just costs a lot more per oz to buy. If the finish ever gets scratched up, just a quick sanding and rub in a few coats of your varnish, tung oil mixture and it looks great again. Watco Danish oil finish is about the same as the mixture I use. You can pick up a can at Lowes or Home Depot. Linseed oil never dries to a hard finish, so I avoid it.


----------



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

@ bake-- I'm about out of CA glue, so that won't be possible right now, thanks though. What kind do you use? Thin, med, or thick? Also, do you mix it with something like linseed oil, or just use pure CA?

@ Clint-- I'll have to look into the lin-speed. Thanks.

@ Hal-- Thanks for the advice. Do you use 000 or 0000 Steel Wool? Also, how glossy does that come out?


----------



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

Ok, I tried the (minwax spray) poly finish earlier (over shellac) and it is still wet (sort of). It has been about 6-8 hours since I put it one, and it's still really soft. It's slightly tacky, but not really wet. Just really soft. What should I do? Should I just leave it and see if it dries, or should I do something else?


----------



## bake (May 1, 2008)

I use the thick CA. Don't mix it with anything use several thin even coats then sand with 1200-12000 grit.
it will give a high polish.

Hals finish is real nice use 0000 and it will come out a beautiful satin.


----------



## ParksArt (Apr 6, 2012)

You might give TruOil a shot (ha. get it? shot?.. boo) Anyway, it's a gunstock finish. It looks great and dries fairly quickly for more coats.


----------



## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

Type in "gun stock oil" or "gun stock finishing" into Google and you will find a whole slew of products to use.

I'd stick to something that acts more like an oil (penetrating) than a film (sitting on top of).

If the finish starts coming off, they're either going to have to send in the grips/stock (we call wood on a gun furniture) or buy a new one. That also means they are less likely to buy another set from you.

I like my "furniture" to look as flat or matte as possible. Personal preference.


----------



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

Thanks for the advice everyone. I founds something that works. Water based poly. Any advice on how to get the last coat to turn out smooth, and polished?


----------



## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

I would say use wipe-on poly, but I'm not sure if it'll be compatible with whatever type of water-based poly you're using. It could be; I just don't know for sure.

Load up an old T-shirt with the stuff and wipe it on. Make the shirt (or whatever you use) is lint-free and that you sanded your previous coats down with at least 600 grit (for the final coat to go on smooth).

Lots of thin coats that are properly prepped between each coat goes a long ways to a great finish.


----------



## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

I've been brushing it on, with a 800 grit sanding between each coat, but I'll start wiping it one and see how it turns out.

Thanks


----------



## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

*pariswoodworking*, make sure you're using a wipe-on poly (it's a specific type) if you're going to apply it that way. The difference is the wipe-on type is thinned so it can be applied with a cloth. You could probably thin the type you have some, but if you don't want to deal with it you can just run down to the store and buy a can of wipe-on… that's what I'd do.


----------



## Seenya (Sep 18, 2011)

ParksArt has it right. Tru-Oil is the way to go. It will give a very high gloss finish and it's tough as nails. I use it on gun stocks and tool handles.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Water based poly. Any advice on how to get the last coat to turn out smooth, and polished?

Sand lightly between coats, buff the last coat with wax.


----------



## HalDougherty (Jul 15, 2009)

I have several grades of steel wool. Just like using sandpaper, I start with an agressive grit and wet sand with a 50-50 mixture of pure tung oil and a thinner like mineral spirits. Thinner is cheaper than a wipe on finish. After the pores are filled and no dimples show in the walnut, there should be very little finish on the surface and I start wet sanding with finer grades of steel wool using the mixture I started with mixed 50-50 with exterior spar varnish. After adding the varnish a coat will only take a few drops of finish. The final few coats I rub in with my fingertips and the heat and friction make a polish that's unobtainable any other way. It takes about 30 minutes a day for a couple of weeks to finish a stock.


----------

