Tru Oil Question

Kvon2 · March 8, 2018, 03:56 PM

Hi all,

I recently just ordered a Heritage Rough Rider .22lr and I'm pretty excited.

I saw a YouTube video in which the owner of a rough rider used tru oil to give the grips a nice glossy look.

I'm thinking about doing this but have no experience doing so. All the videos I've seen of people using tru oil have either been sanding down old stocks or starting new projects with unfinished wood.

My question is, can I just apply a few coats of tru oil to the grips as they are? I'm not really looking to sand down brand new grips, stain them and then refinish them.

Thanks all!

Pahoo · March 8, 2018, 09:12 PM

Quote:

My question is, can I just apply a few coats of tru oil to the grips as they are? I'm not really looking to sand down brand new grips, stain them and then refinish them.

Try it but by my measure you have less than a 50/50 chance of making it work for you. At any rate, you won't hurt the grips and if it doesn't work out for you, just give it another run. ...

Be Safe !!!

Colorado Redneck · March 8, 2018, 11:05 PM

I have used TruOil on long gun furniture. Looks like your revolver, from the web page pictures online, probably has nicely finished wood in the box. TruOil is not a cut and dried application, in my experience. My suggestion to you is, wait till you have the gun and then if you are really convinced the grips can be improved, buy some 0000 steel wool, cheese cloth, and a bottle of TruOil. Follow the directions. Good luck.

griz · March 9, 2018, 07:53 AM

If you want to see what it would look like without risking the existing look you could take off the grips and try the finish on the inside surface.

Hal · March 9, 2018, 11:01 AM

Tru Oil is solvent(mineral spirits - actually, stoddard solvent), boiled linseed oil & a proprietary oil of some kind - most likely an alkyd type of drying oil.

You can save a couple bucks and get more for your money if you use Watco Danish Oil.

Or - just pick up a rattle can of gloss Polyurethane - which will give you a real gloss finish in a tenth of the time. Just scuff sand what's already on the grips and have at it.

Or - pad on some Zinsser Seal coat - a 2 pound cut dewaxed shellac product, similar to what the AK 74 and AK47 stocks are finished with. There is a learning curve involved here if you aren't versed in how to pad shellac.

To achieve the nice gloss finish with the other oil finishes will require 8 to 10 coats - allowing 1 to 12 hours dry time between coats. The more coats applied, the longer the dry time will become.

But - to answer your question - go right ahead and use the oil finish over the existing finish after giving the grips a light scuff sand. There's nothing in the oil finishes that will bother the existing finish.

turkeestalker · March 9, 2018, 01:18 PM

I’ve never done it with handgun grips but have dressed up some lackluster long guns doing such.
You just need to ‘scuff’ like Hal mentioned before and between coats.
Keep the coats thin, your best results will come from using it sparingly.

fredvon4 · March 11, 2018, 02:59 PM

WE finish raw wood for many different reasons

Beauty sheen/shine
Water proof
Make harder
prevent harsh environment damage
Increase grip/ decrease grip

There are literally 100s of products that can do many of the desired attributes

Some are very wood or other base materiel specific...even different wood varieties react differently for many of the available products

I prefer Danish Oils for some
Tung oils for some
Min-wax Polyurethanes for others
Plain old Johnson paste wax for others

Thankfully we now have internet and Google...et all search engines

Determine exact wood used,,,,, what is ALREADY on it....desired attribute when done

Hint...if exotic wood grips....search for that exotic wood and pay attention to Cabinets makers sites for finishing that wood

BUT for the OP.... I assume the grips are already prepped and finished.... sounds like you just want to protect them.... There are dozens of products... Hell even Mop n Glow

I prefer any of the carnuba waxes... Johnson floor past wax cuz I have a tin...PITA for Checked grips but Q tips work to get out the excess OK..... many thin coats are better than one heavy coat

The Tru Oil OVER a already hard coat is a waste IMO....it is designed to soak into the base wood

March 8, 2018, 03:56 PM	#1
Kvon2 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2016 Posts: 757	Tru Oil Question Hi all, I recently just ordered a Heritage Rough Rider .22lr and I'm pretty excited. I saw a YouTube video in which the owner of a rough rider used tru oil to give the grips a nice glossy look. I'm thinking about doing this but have no experience doing so. All the videos I've seen of people using tru oil have either been sanding down old stocks or starting new projects with unfinished wood. My question is, can I just apply a few coats of tru oil to the grips as they are? I'm not really looking to sand down brand new grips, stain them and then refinish them. Thanks all!

March 9, 2018, 01:18 PM	#6
turkeestalker Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2015 Location: Cottleville, Missouri Posts: 1,115	I’ve never done it with handgun grips but have dressed up some lackluster long guns doing such. You just need to ‘scuff’ like Hal mentioned before and between coats. Keep the coats thin, your best results will come from using it sparingly. __________________ Vegetarian... primitive word for lousy hunter!

March 8, 2018, 11:05 PM	#3
Colorado Redneck Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2008 Location: Northeast Colorado Posts: 1,993	I have used TruOil on long gun furniture. Looks like your revolver, from the web page pictures online, probably has nicely finished wood in the box. TruOil is not a cut and dried application, in my experience. My suggestion to you is, wait till you have the gun and then if you are really convinced the grips can be improved, buy some 0000 steel wool, cheese cloth, and a bottle of TruOil. Follow the directions. Good luck.

March 9, 2018, 07:53 AM	#4
griz Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2000 Location: Middle Peninsula, VA Posts: 1,588	If you want to see what it would look like without risking the existing look you could take off the grips and try the finish on the inside surface.

March 9, 2018, 11:01 AM	#5
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Tru Oil is solvent(mineral spirits - actually, stoddard solvent), boiled linseed oil & a proprietary oil of some kind - most likely an alkyd type of drying oil. You can save a couple bucks and get more for your money if you use Watco Danish Oil. Or - just pick up a rattle can of gloss Polyurethane - which will give you a real gloss finish in a tenth of the time. Just scuff sand what's already on the grips and have at it. Or - pad on some Zinsser Seal coat - a 2 pound cut dewaxed shellac product, similar to what the AK 74 and AK47 stocks are finished with. There is a learning curve involved here if you aren't versed in how to pad shellac. To achieve the nice gloss finish with the other oil finishes will require 8 to 10 coats - allowing 1 to 12 hours dry time between coats. The more coats applied, the longer the dry time will become. But - to answer your question - go right ahead and use the oil finish over the existing finish after giving the grips a light scuff sand. There's nothing in the oil finishes that will bother the existing finish.

March 11, 2018, 02:59 PM	#7
fredvon4 Junior member Join Date: January 18, 2010 Location: Lampasas Texas Posts: 154	WE finish raw wood for many different reasons Beauty sheen/shine Water proof Make harder prevent harsh environment damage Increase grip/ decrease grip There are literally 100s of products that can do many of the desired attributes Some are very wood or other base materiel specific...even different wood varieties react differently for many of the available products I prefer Danish Oils for some Tung oils for some Min-wax Polyurethanes for others Plain old Johnson paste wax for others Thankfully we now have internet and Google...et all search engines Determine exact wood used,,,,, what is ALREADY on it....desired attribute when done Hint...if exotic wood grips....search for that exotic wood and pay attention to Cabinets makers sites for finishing that wood BUT for the OP.... I assume the grips are already prepped and finished.... sounds like you just want to protect them.... There are dozens of products... Hell even Mop n Glow I prefer any of the carnuba waxes... Johnson floor past wax cuz I have a tin...PITA for Checked grips but Q tips work to get out the excess OK..... many thin coats are better than one heavy coat The Tru Oil OVER a already hard coat is a waste IMO....it is designed to soak into the base wood