Ahrends grip feel: polyurethane vs tung oil

[Hapworth]

For anyone who has handled both:

What if any are the differences in grip feel between polyurethane and tung oil on Ahrends grip?

Is one grippier than the other, or preferred from a functional perspective?

I've handled the polyurethane and find it very good for draw and firm shooting grip; I don't care about deep glossy good looks.

Is the tung oil for depth of shine and nothing more? Is it comparable or superior practically speaking?

 

[Imaposer]

I can't speak for Ahrends grips specifically, but I don't care for poly on any firearms wood. I guess I'm just old fashioned but I am a traditionalist and don't care for the "plasticy" feel or look of polyurethane finishes.

When I refinish rifle stocks I much prefer to use a hand rubbed finish real pure Tung oil. It is time consuming but I much prefer the way it makes the wood look richer and feel more like wood instead of plastic. Tung oil finishes are also much easier to touch up in the event of a mishap too.

Poly on the other hand is a cheap and and easy finish to apply and it does offer superior weather resistance.

Lots of great info about firearms wood finishes over on surplusrifleforum's "Stock Care and Replacement Stocks" forum.

Of course I tend to be old school and I will admit that it is a personal preference thing. YMMV.

In fact, I don't even know if they use pure Tung oil or just one of the varnish based finishes often marketed as "Tung Oil".

 

[chuck8388]

I have about twenty pair of Ahrends grips both Tung oil and polyurethane I prefer the tung oil to me they do not feel as slippery as the poly.

 

[CBH44]

I stripped the poly from my Ahrends N frame and rubbed in several coats of Tung oil. The result is a somewhat glossy finish that is not nearly as slippery as poly. I wouldn't say tacky exactly, but a better feel definately.

 

[BigBill]

I can redo any tung oil finish if it gets scratched. Poly is very hard to work with. I have repaired many bubba jobs with his poly finish with tung oil. Do not strip the wood. I would steelwool it with 0000 steelwool then try one little spot with tung oil to see if the finish is there will accept the tung oil. I find most of the time even the poly finish will accept tung oil.

Make sure you use 0000 steelwool between the coats of tung oil.

For my hunting rifles with new stocks I put on 10 coats of tung oil to seal the wood from the moisture.

 

[MacheteSteve]

I had the poly finish bubble up on a pair of Ahrends grips after getting some cleaning solvent on them, so I stripped the rest off and refinished them with some tung oil. I liked it so much better that I have since refinished all my grips in tung oil. It feels more grippy in the hand but cover garments still slide nicely over it. Any future grips will be ordered unfinished-I like the tung oil finish but I don't feel like paying an extra $20 for a finish I can do myself fairly easily.

Steve

 

[tops]

I am old enough too know that I don't want any poly finished grips. I ordered the tung oil finish and it looks and feels good. Larry

 

[Neumann]

Polyurethane can be formulated to be grippy by adding plasticizers, which increase its toughness. It can be rubbed just like an oil finish. I don't think there's much difference in tack. However, tung oil penetrates more deeply, which brings out color and grain. It is hides scratches and is easier to repair. You can always apply another layer of tung oil, but must roughen polyurethane if older than about 24 hours.

I love the deep, matte oil finish. It's the only finish I consider from Ahrends. Their grips afford control by their shape, and don't need checkering or stickiness.

 

[campfire]

Tung Oil

I bought a beautiful set of Ahrends Retro Target Grips (round to square) in Cocobolo with the Tung Oil finish to go on my S&W 617-6. The feel of the grip is very good but I was dissapointed after several months, the grips almost went black and I have lost the excellent character in the wood grain. Apart from that Ahrends workmanship, fit and finish is first class.
Campfire

 

[PH-2]

Hap,

I'm using both. I prefer the look of the tung-oil finish stocks. The poly-finished, while probably a bit smoother, I wouldn't describe as glossy or slick.
I have the poly on one Kimber, and a round-butt N-frame. The oil-finished are on round-butt K-frames and a round-butt L-frame.
Except for the Kimber, all are retro banana or retro combat in maple, cocobolo, or moradillo.

I'm a big fan of Kim's stocks. I think you'll be pleased either way, and I also understand he will ship his products unfinished.

Mike

 

[riverrat38]

I have two of Ahrends Cocobolo revolver grips, and I just ordered two more for new guns. I order them unfinished, and use pure Tung oil and Gum Turpentine. I like to re shape the grips with course sand paper to get a custom fit. I buy the finger grove models, and remove about half of the wood in the points so that there is just a suggestion of groves. It is possible to slightly change the grove width that way. Then, I go to finer paper until I decide I have what I want. Not real smooth. I think last time I stopped at 220 grit. The first coats of oil are thinned about 40% with the turpentine, for penetration. I decrease the percent for additional coats, down to maybe 20%. I have used the same procedure on touring kayak paddles, and they have held up well in salt water, with a rinse when I am done. An old rule is to apply 1 coat a day for a week, 1 coat a week for a month, 1 coat a month for a year, and finally, 1 coat a year forever.

Rick

 

[Imaposer]

I have two of Ahrends Cocobolo revolver grips, and I just ordered two more for new guns. I order them unfinished, and use pure Tung oil and Gum Turpentine. I like to re shape the grips with course sand paper to get a custom fit. I buy the finger grove models, and remove about half of the wood in the points so that there is just a suggestion of groves. It is possible to slightly change the grove width that way. Then, I go to finer paper until I decide I have what I want. Not real smooth. I think last time I stopped at 220 grit. The first coats of oil are thinned about 40% with the turpentine, for penetration. I decrease the percent for additional coats, down to maybe 20%. I have used the same procedure on touring kayak paddles, and they have held up well in salt water, with a rinse when I am done. An old rule is to apply 1 coat a day for a week, 1 coat a week for a month, 1 coat a month for a year, and finally, 1 coat a year forever.

Rick

Any chance of seeing some pics of your reshaped and finished grips?

.

 

[fyimo]

The big advantage of tung oil is with a small nick or light scratch it's easy to fix where with polyurethane it's a strip job and complete redo.

 

[riverrat38]

Any chance of seeing some pics of your reshaped and finished grips?

.

Unfortunately, no, for two reasons. The reason that I have ordered two more grips is that I have traded the two guns that I wrote of for two new ones. An M60 no dash, and an M67-1. The new grips are for the new guns. The ones traded off are an M14-3 and an M686-6. The M67 has a square butt, and I am going to make it a round butt for the new grip, which will be a boot grip. At another time, I may chop the gun barrel from 4 in to 3 in. Both guns will be carry guns, and will likely be my only guns.
The other reason is that my cameras are as old as my guns, and use something called film. Some day, I will figure out how to load scans into my computer, and maybe I can figure out how to send photos. My cameras do take excellent photos, and digital replacements would cost around $5K for the same quality. So, I will probably just keep using film!

Rick

 

[sodacan]

You can't lick the tung oil finish from Ahrends.

 

[bsms]

I always sand the poly off and use linseed oil. I stop at 150 sandpaper to leave the wood just a little rougher. Works good for me.

 

[Penmon]

Rub Tung oil on, 12 hours to dry,a light rub with OOOO steel wool. Repeat at least once better to do it twice more.I then apply a light coat of paste wax front and back.
Repeat in one month ( one coat) then yearly or as needed for touch up.

Can't touch up Poly need to strip and do the whole job over.

Penmon

 

[Alnamvet68]

I too dislike any "un-natural" plastic and shiny finish on grips. I also prefer real solid woods as opposed to the stained to whatever color you want plywood like "dymondwood."

 

[David LaPell]

I don't use Tung oil on mine, but I do like Tru-Oil. I redid the finish on my Bubinga grips on my 649, adding four coats of Tru-oil, using 0000 steel wool in between each coat and five coats on my Cordia ahrends grips on my Model 27. They are glossy, but not so much so that you can't old to them and the draw is just fine.

Here is the 27 before Tru-Oil

and after....

 

[BobR1]

I have both. Like the Tung Oil better.

It is hard to explain. The Tung Oil is not Grippy, it is just not slippery at all.

My last set:
Concealed Carry Boot Stocks
S&W K/L Frame
Square Butt
Tung Oil
Cordia

They are on my Square Butt 15-4 Snub Nose Barbecue Gun. They are pretty is all I can say. These are my first Cordia grips, probably not my last however.

Bob