I'm converting a wire rod to a kite rod and want to keep the original wood grips. What finish do you use on oak grips?

Don

Bananaboat Captain

Don,
I just use two coats of typical guide wrap 2 part epoxy finish. Put on one coat, and let dry. Use 320 sandpaper to knock down any nubs that are raised by the first coat. Apply a 2nd coat and let dry. The finish will be glass smooth, very tough and long lasting.

Obviously, when you are applying this finish, you want to use the same dryer for drying the handle, as you use when drying the guide wraps on guides to avoid any runs.

Roger

With an open grained wood like oak in a marine environment, the most durable finish will be two stepped. The first step will be to fill the pores in the open grain. You can do this with clear finish, fillers (colored or natural), or epoxy. This will need to be sanded smooth. Check for and fill/correct imperfections and repeat as necessary until the surface if filled and smooth. The second step is to apply a finish. The most durable finishes in a marine environment are a class of varnishes known in the industry as “Long Oil” varnishes. The best of these finishes will use the highest contents of pure tung oil (note, many tung oil finishes have no tung oil at all – it’s a word that is used willy nilly throughout the industry with no industry standard governing its use). The varnish will also be a “phenolic-modified alkyd resin” and will also contain a high percentage of UV inhibitors.

That cuts through most of the lesser finishes (including True oil, and Cetol finishes) and leaves just a handful of truly superior products. Of the 3 top choices in this class of finish I have personally used I think the best is Epifanes Clear Varnish [www.epifanes.com] (select the link for varnishes and clear finishes to the right of the lion)

Here's a reputable source: [www.jamestowndistributors.com] They have a very knowledgeable staff



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2013 02:27PM by John E Powell.

Thanks guys, it looks like epifanes is the answer.

Don

Yup, something I would like to try out, thanks for the info John.

If I were doing the Oak handles, I would use Perma Gloss which is impervious to salt water and gives a very high sheen to the wood. For a fresh water application I would use the same or if you want a more subtle sheen Try Dem Bart gunstock finish. Both are made by Ralph O'Quinn of Trondak. Using the Dem Bart get a bottle of stock sealer as well and sand lightly before applying the oil finish.I have done it at least 50 times.

Think about it

Threads are finished with the same finish used on any rod and also on saltwater rods

How long does it last ??

Like roger said I do the same
A good heavy coat sand then a thinner coat

let dry - but I use a fine scoff pad to take the shine off Like the dull look

Bill - willierods.com

There is a difference between wood which is not dimensionally stable, and rod components which are dimensionally stable. They should not be treated in the same way. Just like varnish is not the best finish for thread, epoxy is not the best finish for wood.

As I stressed in my previous post there are many factors to consider. Linseed oil based products, often recommended elsewhere, should not be used in a marine environment. The reason for this is because linseed oil is food for bacteria found in the both freshwater and saltwater marine environments. If you have ever seen a varnished piece of wood on a boat with lots of black spots, this is an indication that the varnish was made with linseed oil as the base oil. The black spots are bacteria spreading throughout the surface of the wood fed by the finish applied to the wood. Pure tung oil, on the other hand, is not a food for marine bacteria. That is why top marine varnishes use more expensive tung oil as their base formulation. You get what you pay for. Anyone who dismisses the difference between linseed oil and tung oil in a marine environment either doesn't know what they are talking about, or does and they are knowingly misleading you.

Gunstock finishes are formulated to be resistant to occasional exposure to light rain in the field. They are not formulated to provide adequate protection for routine or regular exposure to water like marine finishes are. Fishing rods get blood, fish slime, and scales on them - varnish will hold up well to cleaning; oiled gunstocks never see this kind of abuse. Another consideration, as I previously wrote about is UV protection. Premium marine finishes have comparatively very high resistance to UV light. Rod finish epoxy provides minimal UV protection to wood in sunlight. Not even epoxies used specifically in the marine environment like West System epoxies provide adequate protection.

So I guess some thing like Tru - oil is not good This is very popular here and I have never heard od those little cridders eating it up Not trying to step on your toes Guy

Bill - willierods.com

True oil is fine for many applications. Many people use it and are happy with it. If it suits your needs well, then by all means continue to use it.

From the Birchwood Casey website: ...Tru-Oil® Gun Stock Finish has been the professional’s choice for gunstock finishing for more than 30 years. Its unique blend of linseed and other natural oils...

A simple Google search for "linseed oil and mold" produced "about 3,750,000" hits. Here are a few select samples:
1) Linseed oil has no UV (ultraviolet) light resistance... UV causes more damage to exposed wood than any other factor, destroying wood fibers and setting it up for attack by mildew, fungus, and insects. Linseed oil is mildew food. Linseed oil is not completely denatured, so it can encourage rather than discourage mildew growth.
2) Linseed oil does not stop water from entering the wood. The color change in the wood, is caused by decay / mold...
3) Linseed oil product provides proteins and sugars that feed mold. Linseed oil helps mold get a foothold and spread. By contrast, Tung oil does not provide any nutritional value to mold.
4) Tung oil based finishes are clearly superior to Linseed oil based finishes in marine environments... Linseed oil fosters the onset and spread of mold
5) Linseed oil, in any form, is not recommended for locations with elevated humidity or direct exposure to precipitation. Linseed oils by themselves provide no protection from harmful UV rays...

Is your True oil good enough or do you think you can do better? You be the judge.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2013 06:51PM by John E Powell.