Tru oil the easy way - Get a High Gloss finish!

A step by step guide on how to achieve a high gloss finish using just tru oil. Thin coats applied due to the compound curves of the gunstock. This is no time for paint brush application.
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[@jim9637]

If you poke a tiny hole in the foil seal instead of removing it altogether, you can just drip it onto the cloth rather than touching the bottle. Then you don't get the crusty bits on the cloth.

[@18deadmonkeys]

i cut a thin slit and apply it with my index finger, which is 100% lint free edit: I have since changed my method to the one the poster uses. Above worked for a while up until the point where it didn't work lol.

[@mikepair8837]

Thanks. That trick worked great

[@MrMattw975]

Thanks Neil, great to see you back making interesting & helpful videos :)

[@patrickh9226]

It makes a fine finish for hand made musical stringed instruments, too. I know from personal experience. The secret there, as well as in gun stocks, is to remember a few things: 1. It is an oil / varnish finish, with drying agents added. If you put a partially used bottle on the shelf for a year and come back to use it without stirring it, you can bet the drying agents have settled as solids to the bottom. If you don't remix it, you can count on failure. 2. As our host says, it's a very thin finish, built up in many thin coats. If you get impatient and try to build up a few thick coats, you can count on a gummy, nasty failure. But if you do it as advised, and if you are very patient, you can count on a beautiful, high gloss finish. If you don't want it high gloss, just knock it back with some pumice and buff it with a soft wool cloth. PRESTO!...a beautiful egg shell luster!

[@jonathanbaughman434]

The same company makes a satinizing agent (Stock Sheen and Conditioner) that also works very well in turning the gloss finish to satin, which is particularly nice for guitar necks. I got a multipack, and that satinizer will probably last me several lifetimes because you only need like 1/4 tsp for an entire neck.

[@severitt]

Hoooray 🙌🏼 Great to see you back. Love all your videos

[@canadian3gunner844]

Great video! I just started my first ever stock refinish on a Cogswell and Harrison .303 I acquired. This video will really help me out! Thanks

[@andyjs4629]

Just viewed your video Neil... Very informative and very useful.... As a fan of older model Air rifles these tips would make any stock look superb... Many thanks

[@tonynapoli5549]

Thanks for sharing True-Oil gun stock finish providing the preparation is good an excellent finish will be achieved. Nice stick you have. 👌

[@GsyMoo]

Thank you so much! Your vid gave me the knowledge and confidence to strip, repair and Tru Oil my 40 year old air rifle's stock. The results are breath taking. Never seen anything like it on a gun I could afford! Thank you again 😁👍

[@jamespb93]

Great idea with the kitchen roll and cloth. Have just done this on my stock having previously applied two coats with my finger but have had to steel wool between the coats due to it being streaky but I've just done a 3rd coat with the roll and cloth and the results are so much better

[@pkutschman]

Great video! Very smart way to apply the Tru Oil, thank you 😊

[@shavguru]

Fair bit of work you put in mate, ruddy good job!

[@johnlanktree2803]

Well done! Beautiful finish! Hope to do as well on my next guitar build!

[@wiggsan]

A labor of love. Stunning!!

[@stephencottam2763]

This is really helpful for getting a gloss finish on my guitar. Thank you.

[@PranaCustomGuitars]

Beautiful work!

[@user-di9te7rg4t]

stunning result! will follow your method

[@kevowski]

Great work, looks fantastic 👌🏻

[@dailacey89]

Anther cracking video, Neil. Thanks for sharing

[@richardturk7162]

Cracking video? He isn't cracking anything.

[@erwinfraanje8170]

Thats not a gun stock....thats a masterpiece👌🏻

[@Trav_Can]

Nice job! Cool gun stock.

[@blitztrip3427]

I'm here because I wanted paint my guitar... so far this is a best video and result. I love your work!

[@blitztrip3427]

@Shael Utah Yes I have, This is one of the best method. Nice and clean, no fumes no mess.

[@michelebenini8125]

Very nice job ! 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@steveguest8028]

That’s unreal....great results

[@black_baron_net]

☠️BLACK BARON☠️ That's what most rifle manufacturers do not offer. The more coats the customers wants, the more glossy and high quality finish it gets, the higher the price which is totally fine since the time investment for more coats is much higher than the standard. I am pretty sure, some rifle customers would pay extra to get this result for their ordered stock. Well done, it looks very nice, high quality, hand-crafted woodwork. 👍

[@shootingatdawn]

Thank you sir :)

[@blakesterr.9599]

All that elbow grease, and stick-to-itness. Shows hard work pays off. Almost looks like a Minnelli stock. Good bones to work with for a video, that's for sure. My air arms pro sport came unfinished walnut. I use a coat of Watco wood oil, and buff it after. Comes out nicely for a day. I figure without a high gloss, I can work dings out easier. Haven't got one yet. I handle that rifle like a baby. Good job on that stock, I love it.

[@richgixxer6]

I was going to message on Facebook too see where you had gone, I love your videos and I’ve probably watched nearly all of them. More springer shooting pleas

[@shootingatdawn]

Got a couple in the pipeline. :)

[@Who5tealmynamE]

Its absolute gorgeous

[@ricashbringer9866]

Been seeing so many ways to refinish a stock. I'm refinishing the stock on an Remington Bolt-action .22lr. After removing the old finish and cleaning it, I've added the Birchwood-Casey walnut stain. I then plan on applying their sealer to it, then applying the tru oil. My goal is to get a glossy finish following their directions.

[@TheLeader0009]

You are a doctor in The Finishing

[@jamesgravel7755]

Thanks for the help. I like your methods. I’m a better craftsman because of it.

[@StaceyHerewegrowagain]

Gorgeous ❤ Thank you for your help

[@craigleibbrand7761]

Love shiny finishes

[@coiledspringofapathy]

Great video. Tip: Use a rubber band or hair tie to your applicator so you don't have to wrestle with holding the material together to stop the filling coming out.

[@paraplegichistoricalsports5700]

Sir, that is the best finish job I have ever saw! I bought a Lyman Great Plains that was stained but not finished. I just ordered sandpaper, cheese cloth, and a very nice True Oil Kit. I wish you could coach me through doing my stock, but listening to your accent, it tells me that we are just way too far from one another. I sure hope I don't screw it up.

[@shootingatdawn]

Dont panic, you will be fine. Ger the lint free cloth. Make the pads. Press on HARD - spread the finish real thin. Do lots of coats. A fine coat doesn't take long to dry. If you get a bit of rough or uneven finish,get some real fine wire wool and just flat it then put another couple of coats on. Take your time, enjoy :)

[@LigerSupremacy]

@@shootingatdawn Which car cutting product did you use in the end?

[@shootingatdawn]

@@LigerSupremacy farecla

[@markanthonystringfellow3923]

Great Work and Results!!! I feel like getting my Pair of Diana mod 52,s Out now and give the stocks a bit of TLC :-)

[@markanthonystringfellow3923]

@Clark Roberto Its a Scam be warned!

[@markanthonystringfellow3923]

@Hendrix Sutton its a Scam Be Warned!!!

[@anteatert600]

Beautiful wood !

[@tonynapoli5549]

Nice Stock 👌

[@AFishBicycle]

If you poke a small hole in the foil under the lid you can regulate your pour more accurately, and it helps prevent that skin from forming. I just use the tip of a pen and that works great. Cheers!

[@tony4metallicaify]

Man that's a good looking stock!!

[@shootingatdawn]

Thanks :)

[@MikeChristian-wz8vc]

Nice job

[@jimomalley1518]

Well done Well done.

[@turmasable]

Starting today my first 1943 Mosin restoration )))

[@Bixll09]

Well done.

[@matt6288joyce]

What a superb finish! I’m going to be copying this process but for a guitar

[@JohnSims3]

How did your guitar come out? I am ready to use his method on a maple solid lap steel body I am making...

[@matt6288joyce]

@@JohnSims3 it came out beautifully though lots and lots of coats and buffing

[@JohnSims3]

@@matt6288joyce Great! thank you!

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

@@matt6288joyce how many

[@randyadams03]

Hey from Tennessee. I used your video on the bleach to take stock back to the " white " . Been a few ago. I'm a sub but no notifications. Found you by folly. I used your example to make my M1 Garand beautiful. However I finished with many coats of Tung oil. I've missed your vids. Thanks 💥💥💥👏

[@shootingatdawn]

Glad it helped mate :)

[@franklagos7066]

Beautiful

[@aboutthemetal8783]

That's absolutely beautiful, Iv tried and tried doing it myself but I just can't get anywhere near to what you have been able to do.

[@shootingatdawn]

Just keep adding thin coats mate. It will come.

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

I'm curious how long you are waiting in between coats

[@robertrandin9568]

Would you be so kind as to send me the steps by steps process that you take even with the Sandpaper and the codes and the materials you use I would greatly appreciate it what a wonderful job you've done

[@joekelly9369]

Also with tru oil to make it last longer (it goes off ) put a tiny pin hole in the foil cap near the edge of the lid and squeeze a little out at a time .. it doesnt set in the bottle then

[@robertrandin9568]

That is beautiful I wish mine would come out like that I have an issue with sanding it and then when I cover the the grips where the check ring is then it looks bad cuz I'm covering the grit

[@JDs_RandomHandle]

I've been working on a Traditions muzzle loader for a few weeks and got to the oil finish, 5-6 coats in and it looks great except mine is slightly blotchy with a lot of high points. I knocked it down with 0000 steel wool but I keep getting bits of steel dust everywhere and it looks like I'm back to bare wood. I know I went a little heavy with my fingers so I'm going to try your method with the towel and lint free cloth. How long is a good drying time? I'm on about 5-6 hours earliest. Best part about wood working is if you don't like it, it's fairly easy to undo and try again.

[@davidhalliwell6844]

First class job. Did you flatten back after every coat, or every 3 or 4 coats. Thnx

[@scottybobatv]

Im refinishing thestock on a 40 yr old weihrauch hw35 ive stained the stock after taking back to bare wood. And the last grade paper i went over it with was 280grit whats the finest grit you would go upto before applying the tru oil. My worry is that if i sand it to fine it may seal the wood and not allow tge tru oil to soak in? Thanks in advance love the videos👍

[@gordonmoore4356]

Hi Neil, I have just seen your vid on the try oil method and it looks a great finish, just what I'm looking for. Could you tell me how you dealt with the chequering? did you sand down like the rest of it as well as the oil? I see some suggest thinning out the first couple of coats to help fill the grain, what's your feelings about that method?

[@slawsonscot]

Thanks for the video! I’m about to finish the back and sides of a guitar - I had bought tung oil but I think it will take too long to dry so tru oil is my next option. How long would you leave it between coats? Many thanks!

[@MascarasMil]

I’m not sure I’d take that gun outside. That’s a piece of art.

[@nashgarcia4490]

What was the compound did u use sir ? An how many times did u repeat the process . You did a magnificent job on that stock .

[@user-bf5wx5ub8f]

Looks great, how much time did you have to wait between coats

[@bobsmith1965]

Nice work, using on my guitar build and looking for tips, thanks.

[@murpsman]

Me too dude.

[@Synthie77]

Sounds like Lemmy. 😅 Great finish 👍

[@camb6795]

How long between coats do you wait pal

[@sirronbailey3109]

How long do you have to wait so it will dry in between coats? Before you do the sanding?

[@Minervagunsmithingllc]

What did you use for a polish to make it shine? I have some really fine vehicle paint polish, would that work?

[@davewalker3873]

I need to strip my beech gamo coyote because its got a few dents. Its a really nice dark finish but if when stripped the wood is nice im going to try this.

[@shootingatdawn]

You may find that once you have stripped the wood that it is very light in colour. You may need to stain it before applying tru oil.

[@kameelelian6044]

Using this in a knife handle but can’t find any 0000 steel wool any alternatives

[@robertrandin9568]

I wish I can have mine come out like that if you can send me an instructional wording on it I would appreciate it so I can do it exactly like you did thank you for the video

[@maandpasadventures5147]

What did you use to polish it at the end? I could not understand what you said.

[@Patbwoy]

Is 120 grid sand paper considered fine grade sandpaper in your area? I'd call 120 pretty coarse and scratchy.

[@harrisontaylor4531]

How many times you use the steel wool? Every time between coats until the final coat you leave it?

[@TommyTucker0]

great video! so to get a high/satin finish rather than a gloss finish just lightly rub with 0000 wire wool, or apply less coats?

[@patrickh9226]

I'm not the original poster, but yes, or pumice.

[@jakecolam33]

How do you think it’ll go on knife handles

[@johnfiore9390]

How long you leave it to dry mate between coats

[@chrisdickenson8116]

When I use TruOil on my guitar necks I build up the layers much like you do, but after 6 coats or however many I want I dry it for several days then buff it out with a scrap piece of clean denim cut from an old pair of blues jeans.

[@shootingatdawn]

Nice tip - thanks :)

[@LateBoomerGR]

Are you just buffing with the denim or are you using a wax, etc?

[@chrisdickenson8116]

@@LateBoomerGR I start with dry denim. If I thinking need cut more, I'll use buffing compound. And I've got used it once.

[@steveg2645]

what was used in the final polishin step?

[@WaschyNumber1]

How many bottles of trueoil Wher needed for this finish 🤔

[@MRPrimosynchro]

Do you wirewool it between every coat? Great video thank you

[@shootingatdawn]

I didn't wire wool it every time. I simply felt the finish and if I thought it needed flatting a little i would gently wire wool it.

[@tomyoung8449]

I thought your video helped a lot could you tell me what stuff you used so I can get the same material. Thanks

[@shootingatdawn]

Tru oil. Lint free cloth to make the pads. You can use either cloth or anything else that will just soak up a bit of oil to use for the middle of the pad. Small amounts of oil per coat - rub hard.

[@tomyoung8449]

Thanks what sand paper did you use and that t cut thing.

[@RoboRocker69]

What about treating the stock surface with wood grain filler first and then doing the Tru Oil treatment? Would that aide in having to use less oil coats? Any thoughts?

[@shootingatdawn]

Give it a try, it cant do any harm. I basically used the first fine coat as a sealer. It doesn't need much when you apply it this way.

[@joekelly9369]

The sanded wood fills any small cracks

[@bep357]

What stock is that and can I order one somewhere?

[@niknoks7638]

Sorry if I mist it but how long do ‘you’ leave it before each coat or do you just follow the oil instructions? Thanks

[@shootingatdawn]

If you do it this way, it won't take long for the coats to dry - maybe an hour or two. Have a piece of scrap wood available and coat that at the same time. Then you can use it to test if its touch dry rather than the stock itself.

[@antwuannodd4006]

What was the last product you used on the pink cloth. I thought I heard compound

[@oceres]

I’ve like to know this too!

[@jbeaube]

How many is lots?

[@car_detailing0327]

On the very last coat do you still buff it with steel wool?

[@shootingatdawn]

I didn't because I was happy with the gloss finish. But if you prefer matt you could do - or even wax it.

[@brent3569]

so you french polish with tru oil instead of Shelac

[@punkstudios9955]

This is amazing! I have a guitar that I have finished with tru oil and sanded up to 2,000 grit. I was wondering what buffing compound should I use to get rid of the lint from my cloth and the visible wiping streaks. I don't want to dull the finish though. What would you recommend?

[@scojotro]

Don't bother with cloth, wash your hands and use just your fingers. I have never used cloth after an old timer showed me the results from hand rubbing it in. Much smoother, no lint

[@Rsc-dz2sh]

Wow! Looks like glass! Will this work on knife scales?

[@shootingatdawn]

I cant see any reason why not. Same technique that is used by some for guitar bodies.

[@jimlepeu577]

How long between coats? Did all those coats come out of one 3oz bottle?

[@shootingatdawn]

Yes all those coats came out of one small bottle. Using the pad method that I use, a little goes a long way - nice thin coats! Drying time, not long and in the recent warm weather we have had it takes even less time. I could do at least two coats a day but I was in no rush so I could happily leave a day between coats.

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hi Neil, Sorry to bother you but how long do you leave between each coat? Take care Paul,,

[@shootingatdawn]

I put them on really thin. Small amount on the pad and rub hard. It only takes a couple of hours between coats if you do it like that.

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

@@shootingatdawn Thank you Neil...

[@MrMyshed]

nice

[@grahamkelly8299]

Did you sand in between coats? Or did you later a good few coats up first then sand back a bit?

[@shootingatdawn]

The coats I put on were as thin as possible. That means it dries quickly and there is less chance of getting irregular build ups of tru oil which easily happens if you try the finger application technique. I would give it 3 or 4 coats and then flat back only if I thought it necessary. You can play it by ear. If it's looking great- carry on. If it's looking a little irregular anywhere, flat it back and then carry on :)

[@grahamkelly8299]

@@shootingatdawn great advice! And just in time to by the looks of it! Cheers, and what a finish on the gun stock!

[@jamesgardner8048]

Its had plenty of coats? Right thanks for that yeah that's crystal clear 😂

[@kieferbradley2860]

The finest steel wool I have is 0 grade, will that work out?

[@mikemeadows7312]

No you want to use 000 or 0000.

[@gmoney8873]

What was that stuff that you applied at the very end to buff and polish it? How many coats of that stuff did you use and does it stay glossy after using the gun?

[@jasonsimone3523]

Use a automotive rubbing compound like meguiars ultimate compound then follow up with a wax. Use like 16 to 20 coats. And yes it will stay shiny after use. I have guns I tru oiled 15 years ago and still look great.

[@shootingatdawn]

The specific stuff I used was farecla fine cutting compound. Car polish.

[@JohnG-gu5wo]

Ive been told to mask up the grippy parts until the final coat of oil is this correct mate?

[@shootingatdawn]

Up to you. Tru oil is semi synthetic so it dries hard. If you are using a pure oil I would go with that suggestion.

[@JohnG-gu5wo]

@@shootingatdawn after my first coat of tru oil ive noticed the walnut stain could do with another coat would it be ok to rub with 000 wool and apply more stain ? Thanks again !

[@englanddartsreviews3348]

@@JohnG-gu5wo I have never done that but all I can say is try it and see. If the trul oil has sealed the wood , the stain won't take. The worst that can happen is that you have to strip it and start again.

[@davewalker3873]

Take it this method is largly depedant on the having a really nice pieve of wood?

[@shootingatdawn]

You will never get great grain unless it is there to start with. However, you can achieve this standard of finish on any piece of wood.

[@davewalker3873]

@@shootingatdawn thanks

[@benkanobe7500]

How many coats before you use the steel wool ?

[@shootingatdawn]

It's all about how it looks. It is a lot easier using this technique to avoid thick build ups and runs. I basically only used wire wool if I wanted to flatten the finish to remove and rippling or "orange peel" type surface.

[@BaronArms]

How long do you wait between coats?

[@shootingatdawn]

Until its dry to the touch. You press hard and apply it thin so it doesn't take long to dry. A couple of hours.

[@steveavant9727]

What did you use to polish it? I didn’t understand what product you used.

[@shootingatdawn]

I used farecla car body polish. It is a finishing polish with a mich fine grit than t cut.

[@shootingatdawn]

Farecla car body polish. Very very fine grit polish.

[@theandybchannel.1819]

Can you use tru oil on a laminated stock?

[@shootingatdawn]

Never tried pal but at the end of the day it's just a finish. This is how they finish guitar bodies so I can see no reason why it wouldn't be exactly the same for laminate.