As some might recognize, I have been refinisihng the grips on my Model 28. I am down to the final strokes in terms of whether to use Tru-Oil or Tung Oil.

Tru-oil is lindseed based product with other natural oils added.

Tung Oil is, well, tung-oil, and if you get the right stuff unadulterated with laquers etc.

If you have to choose which one would you use to refinish your grips?

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Existimo ergo sum armis

I have always used Tru Oil for refinishing grips and like the way it works and looks. You can put it on with your fingers and when it dries hit it with 0000 steel wool between coats and apply another coat. Usually, 3 or 4 coats will do nicely. I cover the checkering before sanding with masking tape and when the smooth parts have been covered and finished I remove the masking tape from the checkering and put only one coat on the checkering and brush it in with a clean toothbrush.

OK.. good feedback. I spoke to other guys I know on the phone today and they all vote for Tru-oil as well. Tung oil does not always dry well was the feedback I got.

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Existimo ergo sum armis

Read the cans carefully. Much of what is sold as Tung oil is actually a blend.

Pure tung oil can take a lifetime to dry.Thats the reason for the blends.Ive used them in the past with good results and Ive used tru oil with good results too.Anymore I go with an oil based stain followed by several coats of wax.Simple and fast.

Don't mean to drift the thread but I prefer MINWAX Antique Oil Finish.

The rifle on top has a tung oil finish I did about 25 years ago.The bottom one was tru oil.
These grips were done with an oil based stain with a coat of renwax at the end .Much faster and easier.

Which of all these finishes do you like the most?

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Existimo ergo sum armis

I really liked working with the tung oil,but it was a long process over several days.The finish on the n frame grips looks much the same in person.I'd say the tung oil has more depth to it,but it could be that the rifle just has a better piece of wood.Those old time finishes are nice,but they take a lot of labor and patience.That pair of grips took maybe 2 or 3 hours from when I dropped them in the mineral spirits,Scrubbed them with an old tooth brush,sanded with 350 grit and did 2 coats of stain.I was a little surprised at how they came out really as a few more coats would have been better.
Edit: The rifle was done so long ago that I don't remember what brand I used,but I'm sure it was a tung oil blend.
The grips were done with minwax stain I think the color was gunstock.

I've been fooling around refinishing rifle stocks since I blundered over some articles by Jim Carmichael in Outdoor Life. For about that long (since 1982), I've been using TruOil. It's is a very good product. If one desires, it will produce a very high shine. If one desires a satin finish, that can be done with a little rubbing using 0000 steel wool. I doubt that it is waterproof. Few hobbyist finishes would rate as waterproof. However it is about as water resistant as one can expect. It will do at least a decent job of sealing end-grain and surfaces in general. As might be expected, it works very well on handgun grips. Brushed into the checkering, etc. it leaves a hard finish that stands up well to normal wear and tear.

Tung Oil is what USGI rifle stock were finished in at Springfield Armory. The stocks were simply dipped in the Tung Oil and allowed to air dry. Boiled Linseed Oil was supplied for maintenance of the stocks as issued for use. At the start of WWII it became difficult to obtain the Tung nuts from which to process the oil, so the armories switched to using only BLO. Tung oil has given me good results on rifle stocks. Applied in thin coats rubbed in by hand tung oil has produced a beautiful finish that is moderately water resistant. It is not however a finish suitable for hard use or inclement weather. It will doubtless give a good looking finish to handgun grips. I would not think it would do well for heavy use or hard wear.

For rifle stocks or handgun grips that I will be using hard and that may very well be exposed to rain, etc., I prefer Birchwood Casey TruOil. I seal the inside of the rifle stock w/ clear epoxy which is just about perfectly waterproof. I finish the stock w/ TruOil. For wood that will mostly see display, I like Tung Oil.

And... from time to time, when the moon is non-existant and the dog is asleep... I've been known to pull one of my Springfield 1903's from the gun cabinet and give it a rub of Gunny Paste. Ah... wonderful stuff! Just mix equal parts of Turpentine, Bees wax and Boiled Linseed Oil (1/3, 1/3, 1/3) to make it. Then... rub it on and buff with a soft cloth. Oh my... wonderful stuff! Even my wife likes it! Totally useless as a weather resistant finish... but warm and beautiful to behold! Try it. You might just like it!

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None of these finishes stand up to bad weather and abuse like the modern poly stuff,but they are so much prettier and don't have that plastic feel 😀
And they really are easy to refresh!

I may stir up spmething here but I hope not. I have used and still do Old English Oil. I have used it on three unfinished Ahrends walnut grips for my two 28-2s' and my 686 with great results. I initionally use a generous ammount of the oil and let the grips sit overnight then use 0000 steel wool lightly to the grips and redo them again till I get the finish I like. Lastly I takr the Johnsons wax to them and I've got it done. Picked this up from a cabinet maker who suggested I try this method. Works for me guys!

Another neat finish we use when restoring/rebuilding cabinetry and trim in late 19th and early 20th century houses is an oil stain with amber shellac.It's a very pretty finish.

I use Homer Formby's Tung oil, it goes on thinner than Tru-oil so it takes more coats, but it dries fast. I like the ease in which it lays down over the old coats with very minimal buffing between coats.

These were all redone done using Homer Formby

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

Just thought I would add some more fuel to the fire as far as waxes or topcoats go.

Butchers Bowling Alley Wax. I've used on gun stocks, on wood tables, etc with great results. Leaves a semi water resistant, semi hard coating (it was made for bowling allies after all) that is durable and shines nicely.

I use TRU-OIL to refinish and RENAISSANCE WAX for added protection.

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Tom Graham SWCA #2303

Quote:"Gunny Paste. Ah... wonderful stuff! Just mix equal parts of Turpentine, Bees wax and Boiled Linseed Oil (1/3, 1/3, 1/3) to make it. Then... rub it on and buff with a soft cloth. Oh my... wonderful stuff"

That is the formula for the classic old "furniture feeder" used by virtually everyone with 18th century antique pieces. it provides a warmth that is a sight to behold!
Jim

FWIW I use TruOil mixed 50/50 with boiled linseed oil and I rub on multiple very light coats using a piece of old T-shirt material. I allow 24 hours dry time between coats. The 50/50 mix is lighter in color than the straight TruOil.

I have used both. Currently all my custom stocks have been furnished in tung oil. The biggest problem with real tung oil is that it takes time, up to a couple - three weeks and then maybe another three weeks for the last coat to fully cure. However the finish is impervious to water (the Chinese used to use it to waterproof their wooden ships and boats) and I have found it it impervious to most solvents and oils, and it really brings out the grain and highlights in a piece of wood. It is easy to touch up.

BTW, use real pure tung oil, not tung oil finish. For the first few coats you may need to cut the tung oil 50/50 with turpentine for better penetration and quicker drying.

In my experience, Tru-Oil give a nice quick finish, that looks good; however, it is not nearly as tough, or durable as a properly done and cured tung oil finish. It certainly is no better looking. It all depends on what you want and how patient/impatient you are to obtain a beautiful finish.

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Can my S&W Mdl 10 shoot +P

The original Quart of Hopes brand Tung oil I bought back in 1978 is still half full and still perfectly usable (it never goes bad since it's 100% Tung Oil and nothing to separate out of solution). This is what I've always used on Rifle, Shotgun and Handgun wood parts and stocks.

While I've always heard great things about Tru-oil I have never gotten around to trying it. I've been so pleased with the 100% Tung Oil I just have not had a reason to stray - especially since I still have plenty left.

Anytime the finish gets a bit worn (from carry or heavy usage), all I do is a light rub-down with 0000 steel wool and apply a few more coats. No sanding, no removal, or special preparation is required. Love the stuff!!

After years of refinishing stocks, starting in 1961 , trying many on the market, True-Oil being the most popular and I've used it often ,I was never that enamored with linseed oil's protection and feel to the hand. Our weather is hot and humid and True oil can get tacky to the touch. I have discovered a product that , to my mind is the best. After refinishing an antique golden oak dining room table and 6 chairs with Minwax Tung Oil Finish , and being extremely pleased with the results , I started using it on stocks, several rifle and many handgun grips both old and new.
I know it's not "pure" tung oil...but like True Oil the Tung Oil Finish has a film enhancing additive and dryers ...it puts down a thin hard finish that doesn't take a week to dry. True Oil is linseed oil based...Tung Oil Finish is much the same but Tung oil based.
Pure tung oil is thin , takes many hand rubbed coats to build up a durable film and here in Louisiana's hot humid cliamate sometimes takes extended drying time between coats.
The Minwax Tung Oil Finish eliminates those negatives and provides a nice durable tung oil finish. Best of all it never gets that tacky feeling on hot humid days and it looks great .

Formsby tung oil wipe on finish. Comes is low and high gloss. Early grips, use low gloss. Later grips high gloss. Add Japan drier to speed up the drying process. try it, you'll like it.
Use a very light coat in the checkering, brushed out with an old tooth brush.

charlie

I have never used tung oil, and the current tru oil is more of a thick very fast drying varnish to me. I used tru oil some 40-50 years ago, but the last 15-20 my experience has not been good.

A few years back I found a old British formula called Slackum oil that I like, it's slow, but gives a nice finish. I don't remember the proportions but it contains turpentine, venetian turpentine, boiled linseed oil and carnauba wax. I have finished some old shotgun stocks, usually 1-2 coats a day for a week or so, wiping down between coats, then a coat a week for a month or so, then every month until it looks right.

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Jeff

You can add a dryer to pure Tung oil (not fake Tung oil as most is) and I have done that to get rapid drying. Places like Hobby Lobby sell small bottles of dryer for use with oil-based artist paints. I normally use something like Tru-Oil thinned a little with mineral spirits and applied with a small wide brush, not with my fingers. It flows better if diluted. I have also used the Minwax Tung Oil (which is fake Tung oil), and it is OK. Another product which works well is Watco (I think that is the brand) Danish Oil Finish. I formerly used it for refinishing clock cases, and it works very well. I no longer have any of that so I am not sure of the brand name.

"Butchers Bowling Alley Wax. I've used on gun stocks, on wood tables, etc with great results. Leaves a semi water resistant, semi hard coating (it was made for bowling allies after all) that is durable and shines nicely."

Where does one get small quantities of that? I don't need a 5 gallon bucket. Might be very good on gun metal also. I normally use Johnson's Paste Wax for both gunstocks and gun metal. It is as good as, if not better than, the highly touted Renaissance Wax, and a great deal less expensive.

What to do ?

Would you put some Tru Oil on a new set of Nill grips or a new set of Ahrends Maple's ? I just want to create a little more brilliance .

Or, just leave a sleeping dog lie ?

Try wax first.

I don't know much about the Nills except they are expensive, so I'd probably leave them be.

I buy Ahrends unfinished and finish them myself. I have a couple I bought second hand (I like Ahrends grips a lot), that I stripped the polyurethane off and refinished in a tung oil varnish (my preferred brand is Waterlox, but TruOil is good too).

As others have said, tung oil take a long time to finish, and the tung oil varnishes do not. Again, I prefer Waterlox, but you cannot buy it in a small jar, so the first can is expensive, but will last you forever if you store it right (have to get all the air out of the can--I use glass aquarium stones).

The key to a good oil finish is to take your time. Very light applications, rubbed into the wood, allowed to set completely, then 0000-grade steel wool before the next application. When the finish shows the desirable egg shell luster (more of a glow than a gloss) you are getting there (usually about 8 to 10 applications, applied 24-48 hours apart), and it is time to apply the paste wax, again in multiple light applications, buffed out with an old towel or T-shirt between coats.

None of the "hurry up" or "overnight" finishes will ever compare. Small scratches or abrasions occur, just rub them out with 0000 steel wool, then apply a bit of oil, rub it in thoroughly, re-wax the stock. Dings and dents, apply a water-soaked cloth, then heat (I use a torch) to infuse the water into the wood, watch it expand and the dent disappear, then 0000 steel wool followed by oiling, steel wool, and re-waxing the stock.

I've used tung oil and I've used linseed oil. I prefer pure boiled linseed oil.

For 40 years I was an R&D chemist. My major hobby and semi-pro endeavor during that 40 years was making custom stocks for rifles, shotguns and handguns. I've finished entire guns in just about every commercial finish you can imagine as long as it could be applied by hand. That is to say I have no experience with spraying 2-part synthetic finishes. And, being trained as an organic chemist, any number of homemade, blood of toad/eye of newt concoctions.

I've used those on the absolute never-again list...boiled linseed oil and pure tung oil....and many popular urethane-modified linseed products ... Tru Oil, Linspeed, ProCustom, etc ....as well as popular urethane-modified tung oil products ... Deft & Watco Danish oils, Formby's, Permalyn, etc.

A few things I've learned ...

1) science will tell you that tung oil is a bit better than linseed oil for water repellency and both will pass water like an old sock

2) for maximum protection from water and abrasion, polyurethane is hard to beat

3) for only a little less durability with that "in-the-wood" look and minimal built -up "plastic" effect, Waterlox is, IMO, the best of the oil/urethane blends. The majority of my stocks have been finished with
Waterlox Sealer.

4) ANY finishing product can yield ANY level of gloss you desire ... BLO can be buffed to a mirror shine; polyurethane can be rubbed to a satin sheen.

5) wax is unnecessary at best...if your finish benefits from wax, you need a new finish. Wax can be an abomination to the re-finisher. Wax is what you use the night before you take a gun to the gunshow to sell it.

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Carry.."hope" isn't a strategy

Tru oil is the way to go if you have the time.

Way back in the 60's I did my stocks with Linseed oil.
Many coats and warm hand friction was needed but it paid off
in the end with a fabulous looking stock.

Being in the service, I had lots of spare time to put into my M-14 stock. I took this learning back home when I was discharged, for my civilian weapons, that needed stock repair.

You just have to be a little easier on the thin pistol grips.

I'm a big fan of Formby's Tung Oil Finish and have used for decades but only on Mesquite where with multiple coats and sun it is incredible. I have read articles by experts that say it contains no tung oil and is just another wiping varnish. The can says it does contain tung oil-your choice. It's OK on woods other than Mesquite but I find other things work better. To some degree it depends on what wood you're finishing.

For Walnut I often use the old standby Lin Speed and have been very happy with the result.

After application of thinned Tru-Oil, I alway set stocks in direct sunlight (if it is a sunny day). It seems to set up more quickly so I can apply additional coats faster. I recently finished a scratched-up Remington 550-1 walnut stock with thinned Tru-Oil, and after 4 coats, it looks like new. Maybe better.

BTW - "Boiled" linseed oil is not boiled at all. That term merely means that the linseed oil contains a dryer (drying agent). A dryer is essentially a catalyst which speeds up the polymerization and curing of the linseed molecules in the presence of air. That is what Tru-Oil and similar finishes are. Oil based paints are also essentially "boiled" oils with colored pigments added. You can make your own version for Tru-Oil by buying plain linseed oil and adding a dryer, but that is not worthwhile unless you need to do a LOT of finishing.

The chemical interaction that cures tung oil is, I think, an interaction with oxygen. That's why high humidity slows the process. I don't think heat or sunlight speeds up the process. An oxygen tent maybe? Now a varnish like truoil, I don't know.

Using the following method (using tung), I re-finised a beatup surplus wood stock - on an FN FAL. Worked out well (although a little glossy) - at least for a first time project. Not sure I'd use the same process, for a worn set of factory N frame cokes though... Intesting article - give it a look:

Arizona Response Systems, LLC. Notes. Wood Refinishing


More recently, I did a quick tru-oil re-finish on a rather worn set of vintage (20 years +) Ahrends 1911 stocks. The old, flaking finish was removed w/ steel wool, & I'm pretty sure I lightly cleaned the checkering first, w/ a small stainless steel brush. Dry time was reasonable, & the finish was satin - as I prefer.

If I have a complaint about tru-oil (based on this experience at least), it's that the finish is a bit darker, then I like. That said, the stocks were a bit on the dark side - to begin with.

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Regards - GCF

I refinished my grips with 10 coats of Hope's 100% pure tung oil and a coat of Renaissance micro-crystalline wax.

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I like Lin-Speed boiled linseed oil. Makes a nice, hard, shiny finish. Brownell's and places like that sell it.