How many coats of Tru-Oil would one apply to a gunstock with good results?
A slurry coat plus two coats? Plus three coats?


Josh Markvan
www.markvanheirloom.com

It will vary by application and method. Probably three to seven coats depending on the amount of rubbing or sanding between coats and also depending on the level or grade of finish prior to applying TruOil. On wooden rod grips finished to 1500 or 2000 grit I usually do fine with a heavy coat plus two lighter applications. Most gun stocks aren't finished that fine and may need more applications because a TruOil build up is needed to level the surface.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Three does very well...... I never sand and buff or recoat. Only exception may be when you do a "laminated" stock. These will shrink down over time and need to be "block sanded" to make them straight again, then just recoat with 2-3 more after the shrinking (usually takes several days to shrink, or you can speed it up by sitting it in the sun or baking it).

DR

I used as many as 15 coats, between the the coats I sand it with Steelwool super fine. The more coats you do the better the effect and a glass like sheen will appear.
Mark Crouse - The Munich rod man

Mark - if you take a look at the kit for gun stock finishing there is a True Oil Restorer Paste.
The stuff is kinda milky colored. Have you tried it out on top of the multiple coats. It provides a satin finish deep sheen that is hard to get with True Oil alone. It is polished by buffing with a paper like material that comes in the kit.

Bill Stevens

With a rod grip I can get away with a couple of coats and sometimes just one if I'm lucky (on cork, that is). For a gun stock, you can get by with a slurry to fill the pores (if you are lucky enough to get them filled with one pass) and a top coat, but it won't be as fine a finish as like Mark said, you use many coats. It's all about what you can live with. A true hand rubbed oil finish on something like a stock takes time and work but the results are worth it. I've never counted the coats I've used on some stocks but it's easily a dozen. It's one of those things that can't be rushed. It's an awful lot of wood to try and keep waves and dust out of by using one or two heavy coats.

Thanks, gang.
Just what I was looking for.

Josh Markvan
www.markvanheirloom.com