Can anyone tell me or suggest how I should go about buffing or polishing a tru oil coated cork handle. I got like 5 coats on it, and the fifth was my last coat, I have some water proof siliciumcarbide water proof sandpaper, from 1500 to 5000 grit, I am thinking of starting with the 3000 and go to 5000, since I don;t have any other size inbetween the 3000 and the 5000, and is wondering should I polish it wet or dry? Hope to hear from you.

That depends a lot on the luster or sheen your after. Generally the glossier your goal the greater chance you are going to need a lubricant. I've used both water and crude oil as lubricants when polishing various finishes on fine furniture, and I've also used automotive polishes and glazes with good results. If you don't get an answer here, you might check for a post on a good gun crafter's site.

Why do want to polish it?

Lorenzo,
Why use anything more than a terry towel - to give it a good rub down?

Roger

Try here They make some nice polishes Some bamboo guys use it to polish they bamboo rods

[www.meguiars.com]

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2012 02:50PM by bill boettcher.

Lorenzo,
I have just recently been experimenting with Tru-oil on grips.

I polish to 12000...Yes 12,000. I like the hi-sheen Tru-oil can give.

I haven't tested any of my grips yet and am not sure about how well they will hold up. I'll find out when Spring comes around next year.

For those who do this chime-in. Any issue with water-repellency?

I use Micro-mesh pads.
I have been starting with 4-5 coats of Tru-oil or more to completely fill the holes of the cork and or wood grain.
Then starting with the1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000 & finishing with 12000.

Good luck.
Larry
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND HERE'S HOPING FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Larry, thats really giving it a polish job lol! But as for me all I got is up to 5000, I think yours must have a really good shine to it! By the way how do you polish yours? Do you use water. oil or car polish or dry? Merry Christmas to you too! And to all on Rodbuilding.org.

Never did any tru-oil on cork, but I do coat wood reel seats and then polish them. I wet sand with micromesh pads. 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, & 12000.

Instead of using all those grits of sandpaper Why not just go up top to maybe 1000 and then a fine compound then a fine polish

i am sure after painting cars for 30 years all those finer grits are not needed
Compounds to the same They take material off better then sand paper
And a lot less work

Bill - willierods.com

Not much work at all. maybe 10 seconds/pad is all that is needed. any more than that and you risk burning through the finish.

The same thing can be done with a lot less time and grits of sand paper
Also depends on how long a finish takes to set up
The longer it takes the more time it has to flow out and level
i have coated the first coat thick After set up Fine sand Then going thinner
Then maybe a water thin coat - longer set time to - Flow it all together

But it also depends on the surface the finish is going on
It has to be Straight and as smooth as a Babies -well you know Then a very thin coat of finish will ( follow that surface )
if it sets or drys fast it does not have time to ( flow out ) Thus ya got to sand to make it level

That is why several ( thin ) coats are better the one heavy coat Also bubbles will release easer with thin finish then a hight build '
take a straw and blow bubbles in syrup and then in water and tell me witch releases the bubbles quicker

like finishing a car - same type of thing But it is a fishing rod ???

Bill - willierods.com

I haven't done Tru-oil on cork, but have done it on gun stocks. Fine steelwool, and then polish with Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen will give you a finish look from a satin finish to a high gloss finish.

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho

I just got done sanding with the 3000 wet then the 5000 wet, it did make it look smoother then wiped it down then I put another coat of try oil, and wiped off the excess, so far its looking really good, altogether it has been 6 coats, maybe 7, lost count. I still those tiny dimples like holes, I might go another coat to see is they go away. Merry Christmas Holiday season!

Lorenzo,
For future consideration.

A couple of months ago, I built a bunch of rods which had wood handles that I had turned on the lathe.
For finish, I applied two coats of guide epoxy finish to the handle. I used a light sanding with 400 paper between coats to knock down the grain raised by the first coat of finish.
Came out perfect and very little work required in the finish.

When drying, I just put the handle on a tapered stick and put the stick in my rod dryer to keep the finish from sagging. Very simple, easy to do, and just use the guide finish that you already have.

The handles are 100% waterproof and the handles are virtually bullet proof.

Be safe
Roger

Forget all about sandpaper and that rubbish. Use a bit of steel wool (steelo), the finer the better, to lightly rub between coats. This will bring your grips up to a high gloss which isn't slippery when wet. I've used this heaps of times and can't see why anyone would want to use anything else. If you ask french polishers what they use between coats, 9 times out of ten it will be some form of fine steel wool. Go with Mikes suggestion. He's right on.

Regards
Outback

I have gotten 0000 steal wool from Home depot I use for polishing

Bill - willierods.com

Here is an article on a very long process to get a great finish with oil. I have not gone to the lengths of this author and have gotten some really great finishes using Tru Oil. For gunstocks most want the finish to be smooth, but not glossy. The last part of the article gets into this.

For gunstocks it is important not to add much finish with each application of oil, so I was taught to apply it by hand. For a rod grip or butt knob this would mean just using a drop of oil, then spreading it over the surface by rubbing with the hands, no brush involved. Many coats. Ever hear of hand rubbed wood finishes? It not only refers to the rubbing after the finish is applied, but to the applying of the finish also.

Lorenzo, how about a photo when you get it done? Sounds like it will be beautiful.

[www.firearmsforum.com]

Micheal, It should be done tonight, it looks really good to me, I like the shine and the glassy look, I will try to take a pic , with my camera, the thing is my camera doesn't take to good of rod pics tried and tried again, but it never comes out right, so you will have to bear with me when you see the pic in the photo section.

Lorenzo,
Pick up a small tripod and a remote trip for your camera.
Being able to hold the camera steady when taking pictures really help a lot.

If you can't get or want to obtain a tripod, then set the camera on something solid. Often folks will use a step ladder to have the right height for a picture taking session. Hold the camera rock solid steady on a ladder step while snapping the shutter. Also, if the camera is one of the newer type cameras; hold the shutter down 1/2 way for a few seconds. Holding the shutter down 1/2 way for most of today's cameras lets the camera size up the situation, put the subject in focus and get the flash set up correctly. Then, finish pushing down the shutter to complete the picture.


Also, use only indirect light on the subject being photographed. Use a non reflective background as well.

Be safe
Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2012 11:33AM by roger wilson.

Lorenzo,
That hi-gloss that Michael D. had in the link is what I like. I do disagree with the author and his 'dis-liking' of the hi-gloss shine. If you scratch either finish you still let moisture in. It will take a bit more time to refinish the hi-gloss if you scratch it...but that's what I like so it ain't a big deal...too me.

As Scott H. said 10 secs with each grit of Micro-mesh is all that is required.... that makes the time about 60 sec worth of polishing time.

0000 steel wool is fine but it does not compare to Micro-mesh. I haven't tried the liquid polish...yet.

We could go round and round with how to do something...my suggestion is to try them all and use what you like.

So far I have about dozen wood grips that have various finishes...still not completely sold on anyone of them.


larry