How durable is tung oil for scales?

[Obiwan]

Trying to decide if a few coats of this is enough or if I'm better served with using a top layer sealer (poly, spar, etc.). What do you guys think?

 

[Kentos]

It's very durable IMO. It's also really easy to apply as you just wipe it on. Just be sure to let it dry completely between coats. Poly is good too, but I found you need to sand between coats or the new layer tends to bead up on the dried layer and give you uneven surfaces.

 

[Obiwan]

Thanks. I've been toying with adding the poly on top of the oil, but I really like the way the oil is coming by itself. Kent, as I know you've been down this path more than once, how many coats do you use for the initial finish and how often do you reapply?

 

[fast14riot]

Tung is plenty durable. I use it on my hunting rifles which are not pampered like a razor, and it holds up just fine or years. Easy to touch up as well. I would do a minimum of 4 coats on a razor depending on the wood. I typically will do one coat a day, but sometimes two. Be sure when you do you do it during a cooling trend, like in the evening. Wood can outgas as it heats up creating bubbles under the finish. Its not super critical, but is one more variable you can control.

-Xander

 

[Obiwan]

Thanks for the tip Xander. It's bloodwood and I did it in the evening in a cool basement. I'll recoat a few more times over the next few days. I was thinking of around 5 coats total.

 

[Kentos]

I think I stopped at 3 coats. I moved to Kamisori so all my scales are still pristine, but they made it through 6 months of pampering so it should last a long time.

 

[ladykate]

Four coats minimum for me. Works great. Doesn't require a top coat and I'm sure it wouldn't improve it anyway. I have a few that I did last year and they are in great shape. It can be touched up easily in any case - though I've never had to do it with razor scales.

 

[shaverjoe]

Pure Tung oil is an excellent finish. I apply 10-15 coats but I am using it on shaving brush handles. Remember to apply a mix of 50:50 oil:lacquer thinner for your first 2-3 coats as the lacquer thinner will help the tung oil penetrate deeply into the wood. After that, 100% oil is great, though you can use graduated ratios 50:50, 75:25, etc until you reach 100% oil.

The problem with Tung oil is the drying time. It takes weeks for pure Tung oil to fully cure as opposed to Walnut oil which may only take 5-7 days. Regardless, a pure Tung oil finish is beautiful, easy to apply, and very durable.

 

[Alum of Potash]

I use walnut oil on my kitchen knives. Thing is, I have to touch them up from time to time. Ditto for a natural wooden shaving brush handle in my possession. I have used tung oil on furniture and kitchen cabinetry, and it has worked well there. No doubt it would work on scales too. Just be sure to dispose of the oily rags properly, as they will spontaneously heat up and pose a fire hazard

 

[shaverjoe]

I use walnut oil on my kitchen knives. Thing is, I have to touch them up from time to time. Ditto for a natural wooden shaving brush handle in my possession. I have used tung oil on furniture and kitchen cabinetry, and it has worked well there. No doubt it would work on scales too. Just be sure to dispose of the oily rags properly, as they will spontaneously heat up and pose a fire hazard

This latter part of your comment is VERY sound advice! My neighbor lost his house 2 years ago as a result of this. No joke. He, too, turns wood and dabbles in woodworking as a hobby. They lost their entire home to the fire which started in his shop.

 

[Alum of Potash]

This latter part of your comment is VERY sound advice! My neighbor lost his house 2 years ago as a result of this. No joke. He, too, turns wood and dabbles in woodworking as a hobby. They lost their entire home to the fire which started in his shop.

Sorry to hear of your neighbor's loss. Before using tung oil, I read up on the subject, which reminded me of the old story of the artist's studio with linseed oil rags hanging about. No incidents to speak of from my end at the time. Then, last summer, I built some kitchen cabinetry for my wife's aunt back in the old country and finished the wood with tung oil. At one point, under a temperate 70+ degree F sun, I stepped in from the open shed to have a cup of coffee, thinking that everything would be okay if left outside. Upon my return, the rag that I had left by the wood felt as though someone had just poured steaming hot water through it. Lesson indeed!

 

[UKRob]

I use a finishing oil (Liberon brand in the UK) which is also a hardner, before buffing with a little compound on my polishing wheels -this produces a lovely lustre. When in use, a small amount of mineral oil can be used with a polish brush to bring them back up to condition.

 

[shaverjoe]

Sorry to hear of your neighbor's loss. Before using tung oil, I read up on the subject, which reminded me of the old story of the artist's studio with linseed oil rags hanging about. No incidents to speak of from my end at the time. Then, last summer, I built some kitchen cabinetry for my wife's aunt back in the old country and finished the wood with tung oil. At one point, under a temperate 70+ degree F sun, I stepped in from the open shed to have a cup of coffee, thinking that everything would be okay if left outside. Upon my return, the rag that I had left by the wood felt as though someone had just poured steaming hot water through it. Lesson indeed!

A bucket of water goes a LONG way in a shop. I try to be very careful, particularly after my neighbor's loss.

 

[Khay]

I use a finishing oil (Liberon brand in the UK) which is also a hardner, before buffing with a little compound on my polishing wheels -this produces a lovely lustre. When in use, a small amount of mineral oil can be used with a polish brush to bring them back up to condition.

I tried to get the Liberon/Rustins around here but couldn't find it, unfortunately. Most of the Amazon UK sellers wouldn't ship it where I'm living now or they'll charge a small fortune for it... oh well.

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of compound/polishing wheel do you use to buff the oil treated wood ?

Thanks!

 

[fast14riot]

For most finished wood, either a white rough or pink scratchless compound on loose wheels works well.


-Xander

 

[skipnord]

For what it's worth, the instructions on Birchwood Casey gun oil finish, which I have used on brushes, scales, and knife handles, reads "once a day for a week, once a week for a month, and then once a year". I sort of follow that, when I think of it, with my Tung Oil finishes.