Tru-oil question

Chris Railey

Chris Railey

Well-Known Member
I love a Tru-Oil finish but I have a torrid relationship with it. It does not like to dry for me. I put it on Ed Caffery style so its extremely thin layers but some times 24-48 hours later its still tacky. I use multiple coats and do not wish to apply coats for a solid month before its done. I have read amor-all mixed in will cause it to dry faster but that gives me the creeps for some reason. If I mix a little Japan dryer with some tru oil will it speed up the dry? I have never used japan dryer. Its not the wood species either because it does the same with walnut, maple or cocobolo. Thanks.
 
What I have found is after applying a thin coat let it sit for just a second and then buff it vigorously with a blue shop towel till shines then let it sit at least two hours and repeat to desired finish. I had been just wiping it off And I had the same problem. Once I’ve started buffing it with the shop towel it’s worked a lot better. Might also be too heavy a coat. Once I started buffing with the blue shop towel it’s not even really tacky right after applying it.

edit to add: oh and one more little tip if you leave the foil on your tru oil and just poke a little hole in the foil it makes it a lot easier to get a small amount and you can store it upside down and the oxygen won’t get in and it won’t go bad. Or at least it won’t go bad near as quick is storing it right side up. I’ve had my current bottle for a long time storing it upside down and it hasn’t Crystallized or anything.9AFFDCF9-27F2-4BDB-89CD-C79323C76E90.jpeg
 
Last edited:
You can use it like Daniel does...... but there is a point in number of coats, that if you buff it like that every time, it will start to look hazy after it sits/cures for about a week, and the only way to fix it is to remove the finish and start over again....and that's a pain in the backside.....which is why I never mention that method. ;) If you're in a hurry, and only do a few coats, it's a great method, but for me, the beauty of Tru-Oil only comes out with 10+ coats.

If it's not dry within 2 hours, you're using way too much at a time. Put it on with a finger tip. First coat is rather heavy, and let is "soak in" for about a minute or so.....then literally wipe it dry, and let sit for at least two hours. Next coats, light scuff up with #0000 steel wool, then re-coat, and wipe dry....let sit...repeat, repeat, repeat. Most of the time I will go to 10+ coats depending on the wood type.

Like I said, if it's not dry in 2 hours, you're leaving too much on with wiping it "dry".
 
Last edited:
Exactly what Ed said. In fact, about two drops will do the entire handle after the first coat where the wood soaks it up. I put a drop or so on and rub with my fingertip until it actually gets dry and hot feeling. It gets tacky enough to squeak within about 30 seconds. And even with a couple drops I end up wiping quite a bit off along the tang on a full tang knife.

In my experience, if that first coat isn’t cured in 24 hours, the handle material isn’t going to take it. I clean it off with acetone and move on to a paste wax.
 
On the Puukko I just did, I used Danish oil for about 5 coats, buffing with a piece of leather (rough side) between each coat. Then I applied about five coats of Tru-oil using the same process. It turned out pretty good and I didn't have any issues with it not drying. Only reason for the Danish oil and Tru-oil switch is I couldn't find my Tru-oil when I wanted it .
 
Well, that is how I thought I was doing it just as Daniel and Ed said. Maybe I left too much but I put it on with my finger then wipe everything off again.
 
I used to have similar issues with tru-oil. I did finally figure it out but then I also heard about doing the Armour-All finish. I do the armour all finish and it works really well. I do the same amount of coats (15-20) but it doesn't turn hazy.

My first coat is usually just tru-oil to get a good "soak in" but rub it dry. Then I put about a drop of armour all on each side (left, right, top bottom) rub it around evenly, and then with a clean rag I get my finger tip wet with tru-oil and start rubbing it in. It will kinda get thick and then start to smooth out. I rub it until it just barely looks wet. Let it dry about 30 mins between coats. After a few coats I do the rub down part to buff it out and often lightly steel wool as well to get a consistent finish.

Here's where I initially read about it.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...-and-truoil-finishing-handle-material.928653/

This was also on Shotgun News for doing gun stocks. I mentioned before, but I did a muzzleloader gun stock this way and it turned out great.
 
I hesitate to post this but......
I was using tru-oil and it took days to dry. I am in the auto body repair industry. We have been using catalyzed paints for years... So, I started experimenting with adding "hardener" to the tru-oil. I have been mixing tru-oil with this hardener from tractor supply. I use the bottom of a can for a mixing bowl (wipe it out with thinner to clean the ink stamp off) I use a bamboo skewer to drop drops into the can to the ratio that I want, I am using a thinner also. i am using a ratio of 5:1:1, that is 5 drops tru oil 1 drop thinner, 1 drop hardener.
 

Attachments

  • 20200525_220741.jpg
    20200525_220741.jpg
    925.4 KB · Views: 2
  • 20200525_220909.jpg
    20200525_220909.jpg
    984.3 KB · Views: 2
Benjy said:
I hesitate to post this but......
I was using tru-oil and it took days to dry. I am in the auto body repair industry. We have been using catalyzed paints for years... So, I started experimenting with adding "hardener" to the tru-oil. I have been mixing tru-oil with this hardener from tractor supply. I use the bottom of a can for a mixing bowl (wipe it out with thinner to clean the ink stamp off) I use a bamboo skewer to drop drops into the can to the ratio that I want, I am using a thinner also. i am using a ratio of 5:1:1, that is 5 drops tru oil 1 drop thinner, 1 drop hardener.
Click to expand...
That’s a very interesting technique. Do you have any photos of knives finished like that? Does it harden enough to be buffed on a buffer? Similar to a super glue finish?
 
Benjy said:
I hesitate to post this but......
I was using tru-oil and it took days to dry. I am in the auto body repair industry. We have been using catalyzed paints for years... So, I started experimenting with adding "hardener" to the tru-oil. I have been mixing tru-oil with this hardener from tractor supply. I use the bottom of a can for a mixing bowl (wipe it out with thinner to clean the ink stamp off) I use a bamboo skewer to drop drops into the can to the ratio that I want, I am using a thinner also. i am using a ratio of 5:1:1, that is 5 drops tru oil 1 drop thinner, 1 drop hardener.
Click to expand...
When I made long bows we used a catalyzed varnish called fullerplast as a finish and it was awesome. I thought about it for knives but it is expensive. Tru-oil, catalyzed or not is much less expensive. Where do I find the hardener?
 
That is from tractor supply. I would mix 25 to 30 drops at a time. I will put one coat on and let set then put another coat on. Not to heavy so you dont get runs and sags.
Here we go again with an abstract idea...
i then put it in my preheated. PID controlled toaster oven with the temperature at around 15 degrees higher than the air temperature in the shop. If you have this to hot the wood will blow little bubbles in the finish. You can go a little warmer on the next round.
 
Chris, if you have already put a coat of truoil on the handle, don't put catalyzed truoil on top, it may or may not work, could cause blisters.
 
Randy Lucius said:
That’s a very interesting technique. Do you have any photos of knives finished like that? Does it harden enough to be buffed on a buffer? Similar to a super glue finish?
Click to expand...

I will see, i believe that i have pics. I may be able to do a wip on it... i am using super glue and spray activator now, it is so fast!!
I have a drum buffer attachment for my drill press that i use on everything
 
Benjy said:
That is from tractor supply. I would mix 25 to 30 drops at a time. I will put one coat on and let set then put another coat on. Not to heavy so you dont get runs and sags.
Here we go again with an abstract idea...
i then put it in my preheated. PID controlled toaster oven with the temperature at around 15 degrees higher than the air temperature in the shop. If you have this to hot the wood will blow little bubbles in the finish. You can go a little warmer on the next round.
Click to expand...
Does the catalyst require any heat to cure?
 
I think I will give your method a try minus the heat. Thanks for posting it. I think my Tru-oil troubles have something to do with Southern Humidity. Since you are in Irmo, right up the street from me, and have had similar issues my hypothesis has some support.
 
Tru-oil is time tested and proven. I used to use it but got it seemed to dry faster in the bottle than on wood. Tru-oil is mostly tung oil. I switched to Deft (or Watco) Tung oil. It dries quite a bit faster and is thinner so it really soaks in and gives some chatoyance to the wood.
 
Last edited:
There is a "mixture" that I use, and has been used for literally decades by those who produce world class flintlocks and percussion muzzle-loaders...

4oz of REFINED linseed oil, to 1oz of Tru-Oil. It applies just as I have mentioned many times, but with a dry time of overnight. I consider it my "secret weapon" finish for very high end collector pieces. I works especially well with various types of Maple, Walnut, and Koa. By the time I've applied 10 coats to a handle, it gives significantly more depth and chatoyance versus straight Tru-Oil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top