Help/input/suggestions for black walnut (Tru-oil) finish

[P J 234]

I haven't been doing all that much knife stuff lately but I'm finally close to finishing one and I'm not sure what to think about the wood finish I'm getting. This is natural black walnut (at least that's what it's supposed to be), and I'm applying a Birchwood Casey Tru-oil finish. This is my first time working with both materials.

I closely followed the directions that came with the Tru-oil, doing the pore filling step twice and then applying a finishing coat which is where things currently stand. Photographing the wood is very difficult, and it's even harder now that the finish is quite glossy. From a straight side profile of the knife, the wood looks quite porous despite my pore filling steps, and I also need to move the handle all around at different angles to better see the grain/depth/chatoyance/luster (sorry, I don't know all the proper wood terms, but hopefully it's clear what I'm trying to say.) For these 3 pics, one was taken in direct sunlight and 2 more in the shade outdoors. In the sunlight more of the grain is visible as are the pores, in dimmer light everything is much more subdued.

Is there something different I need to do to properly fill the pores, and/or finish this wood, or does it look like it's been done correctly? Also, does this indeed look like black walnut? I do plan to knock the gloss down once cured as it's a bit shiny for my tastes, but I'm not sure how much different it's going to look afterwards.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Meridian Blades]

Looks like a nice piece of Claro walnut you have there. I think Tru oil has been a mainstay for years with walnut gun stocks so theres no worries there. Sanding and oiling will eventually fill the pores. Just time consuming, but keep at it. Should turn out real nice.

Larry

 

[P J 234]

Thanks Larry, if it was Claro Walnut that would help explain why it doesn't look quite like I was expecting it to from what I've seen of other black walnut examples. I looked at some Google images of Claro walnut, and I think you may very well be correct.

So, you think more of the oil, dry, steel wool...oil, dry, steel wool cycles will fill the pores? Will they become invisible (or nearly so) to the eye, or will they just physically fill in but retain the porous appearance? The surface of the wood feels quite smooth now, but the pores are quite apparent to the eye.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[SBuzek]

PJ
The way I fill the pores is to coat with tru-oil and then sand with 2000 grit while it's wet.Let that sit about 15 min,wipe it down and do it again,then let it dry and steel wool and put on a few more coats with out sanding.
Stan

 

[P J 234]

Hi Stan,

It wasn't with 2000 grit, but I wet sanded it twice to fill the pores per the Tru-oil instruction sheet. I think I used 400x the first time and 600x the second (as I recall, the instructions recommended something even coarser than those.) I first applied a generous coat, let dry for 24 hours, then the two wet sandings, each dried for 24 hours and steel wooling after each one. What is pictured above would be the fourth application of oil with no sanding or steel wooling at all afterwards.

 

[James Terrio]

Walnut is just like that. Personally, I think the little pores add character. Won't pose a problem cause the pores are sealed too with that oil.

If you want em filled, get some black filling putty. Woodworking and luthiery supply places have it. Might not stick too well since the wood is already oiled, though.

 

[P J 234]

James, I haven't seen your name in ages...where have you been?

Here is a pic of a knife I found on Google images that is supposed to be Claro walnut. It sure looks similar to what I have:

http://www.cadesbowsandblades.com/Pictures/Antler and Wood/Claro Walnut Burl.jpg

I think I'll try another coat or two of Tru-oil and see what happens. I don't think I want to go get filling putty and start over from scratch.

Thanks guys, and if anyone else has any input or suggestions I'd really appreciate them!

 

[Josh Dabney]

Paul,

As the others mentioned you'll still see the pores even if filled. Sounds to me like your done and got a great glossy finish, which is usually the goal. Steel wool should take that shine off though.

You wood looks like Black walnut to me. Black walnut will have some color variation and sometimes significant variation which would remind me more of claro with more light/dark contrast.

It does look good whichever species

-Josh

 

[James Terrio]

I think I'll try another coat or two of Tru-oil and see what happens. I don't think I want to go get filling putty and start over from scratch.

I think that's the way to go. More oil shouldn't hurt; if it's like other oils I've used, when the wood has soaked up as much as it wants it just won't take any more. Honestly, like Josh said, it looks pretty nice to me as it is.

I've kept a low profile the last year or so, just lots of stuff going on. Things are looking up though (And no, I wasn't in jail LOL)

 

[P J 234]

Thanks for the input Josh and James (glad to hear you are doing well)! I guess the exact species doesn't matter all that much, although if/when it comes time to advertise this one for sale I would like to be as accurate as possible.

I went ahead and tried taking the gloss down a little with the Stock Sheen and Conditioner (that also came in the 'kit' I bought), and here is how it turned out. It's now more of a hand rubbed satin look than that high gloss look it had before, which is more to my taste and I also think the grain 'pops' a bit more as an added bonus. Here are some after pics that I tried to take in similar positions and light conditions as the before ones.

I think I may leave it the way it looks here and call it good. What do you guys think?

 

[Meridian Blades]

Paul,
It looks good, and you did a nice job of finishing it out. Its walnut, thats is guaranteed. Far as what kind, well it looks like claro because of the blond streaking, but I have several pieces of walnut (claro, crotch, bastogne, and some burl) that has a white-ish sap wood in there so its hard to tell from a small handle piece. Regardless, that handle looks real nice. I have seen many blades advertised for sale that are clearly not the species the maker lists. Sometimes labels fall off in the shop or its not labeled at all and the maker forgets what it was, etc. Biggest confusion I've seen is usually with maple burl (dyed), box elder burl(dyed) and buckeye burl (dyed or natural).

If you like your method of finishing and are happy with it, then cool. If you want to try something new, you could stabilize walnut like that and there would less pore filling to worry about and probably less sanding. Bottom line though, is that the handle looks very nice 2thumbs

Larry

 

[James Terrio]

Listen to Larry. He knows his stuff! 2thumbs

My opinion doesn't carry much weight, but I think you're right, that handle is ready to go and looks great! It's gorgeous and I bet it feels comfy and "warm" in the hand.

I can't distinguish between sub-species like these other fellows can, but I do know that figured walnut is really pretty, very stable, and feels good. Centuries of gunsmiths/knifemakers can't be all wrong!

 

[HELLGAP]

I have some black walnut, heritage walnut and claro . In my opinion they should be stabilized. Now that you have gone this far I would say try some renisaunce wax and shoe buff type action for 5 min very little wax goes a long way. I use true oil , tung oil they are both really good it helps bring out the best shine ever. The nature of the wood is its porous . I would buff it with wax and call it a day.

 

[brucegodlesky]

I usually use steel wool only on the first coat or 2 of oil. Then go to whatever grit paper suits yer fancy. Steel wool will pull the sludge from the low spots and crevices and it seems like no headway is being made. jmo

 

[Ernie Swanson]

I might be asking a dumb question here but.......................

Are the pores filled?

One thing with oil is as its filling pores, you will still see them but they are not just an empty hole. I personally think this looks good.
I use a spar varnish on gun stocks and grips and this does the same, It fills the pores but you can still see them, I even took a pin and lightly scraped the pores to see if the pin would sink in and it did not. They were solid.

 

[brucegodlesky]

AS I see it, creating the 'sludge" makes a filler, that mixed with the oil , fills the pores.

 

[P J 234]

Thanks to everyone who offered their suggestions and comments; I appreciate it. I'm not 100% sure what a filled pore looks like so I can't evaluate how successful my efforts were, but overall I like the finished product.

I'm not a huge fan of stabilized woods (I just like real wood as opposed to plasticized wood), but I also understand it's benefits. I think I will send at least some of my walnut off for stabilization if nothing else to allow for faster finishing. I would have been done finishing these scales 4 days ago had I not needed to do all the coating and drying cycles of the Tru-oil. Just another reason for me to keep loving and using Ironwood!