Finish for grips

[crossdraw]

I just made a set of wood (Bubinga) grips. What is a good finish? They are smooth and I don't think I want them glossy. I was thinking about some type of oil finish.
Anyone have a good mix for a homemade finish?

Thanks

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  I like Arrow wood finish, it will give you a hand rubbed finish that's beautiful and durable, here's a link to one of the many providers,
 http://mpi.websitewizard.com/  here's a pic of a couple Remington 1875's I refinished using this oil. I really like working with this oil, you can create the type finish you want from satin to glossy if need be, but it never gives you that plastic glossy look.IMHO This is great oil for doing grips , stocks , and furniture.

             Hope this helped

               Regards

             tEN wOLVES

[crossdraw]

Thanks  tEN wOLVES

That is the look I am after, they look great. I will see if I can find that product.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I got my used Pietta '51 Colt with the usual red tinted grips and one big chip right were it would be seen ...

When I owned an old sailboat, I had very good luck with a combination oil an 'varnish' called Deks Olje (pronounced Decks Olay) ...

The two nice things I like about it:

1.) Unlike varnish, you just keep applying new coats about every 20 minutes until the grain is covered. Then you let it sit for 24 hours to harden ....

2.) This stuff is prety bullet proof compared to a traditional varnish ... I am told that they use it on their fishing boats in Scandinava ... and should it ever chip, the chipped area can be wet sanded (I use 4-0 'plastic' steel wool), and the area then cleaned and the Deks Olje reapplied in the same way .... and, unlike varnish, it will 'feather' into the previousely applied surfaces!

BTW, the treated gun is the one on my profile .... and here is is again;

[Adirondack Jack]

Bubinga is nice wood that requires NO finish.  Sand em to at least 600, then use a dry felt wheel in a dremel to polish em lightly (don't let it burn the wood).  This will raise the natural oils in the wood and give em satin sheen, but when used in the wet, they will become "tacky" enhancing the grip.  Once dry again, a buffing with a rag will shine em back up.

[Crow Choker]

I can give a 'Big 2nd' to the Arrow finish Ten Wolves mentioned. Refinished a TC Hawken with it and was very pleased. Have also refinished a shotgun and a set of Ruger grips and several other items with it. One of the items WaddWatsonEllis mentioned about the Deks, which I have heard good things about, is if you need to retouch an area, it 'feathers' into the exhisting finish with no trace showing of the retouch. Glad you gave a link to where it is available Ten Wolves. The bottle I have is about gone, bought it a number of years ago at a gun show and haven't found where I can get more. Many thanks.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Crow Choker,

I lived on a little 28' sailboat (a better description would be that I continually camped out on it ... LOL) I worked a weekend or two at West Marine a month to help afford my boating habit, and used about every teak product they had to offer. Deks was the only think that would survive the summer in the dry Delta sunlight and heat (90-100 degrees in June and August, 100-117 in July).

And on th few occaisions when someone shows up at the boat with stilletos and scratches the finish, I am here to tell you that the teak could be wet sanded, dried, and new coats feathered in.

My hoster being a crossdraw, I am stilll getting used to it sticking out a bit. So I have clunked the grip hard enought that I though for sure a refinish job was in the works. But no, not even a scratch ....

And it leaves a very good surface for gripping a pistol .....

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

I can give a 'Big 2nd' to the Arrow finish Ten Wolves mentioned. Refinished a TC Hawken with it and was very pleased. Have also refinished a shotgun and a set of Ruger grips and several other items with it. One of the items WaddWatsonEllis mentioned about the Deks, which I have heard good things about, is if you need to retouch an area, it 'feathers' into the exhisting finish with no trace showing of the retouch. Glad you gave a link to where it is available Ten Wolves. The bottle I have is about gone, bought it a number of years ago at a gun show and haven't found where I can get more. Many thanks.

  Crow, I got my first bottle at a gun show too, if you want you can Google Arrow wood finish, there are several places you can get it now, the stuff is wonderful, as you have found out, and because it's an oil and finish, any scratches can just be rubbed out using a little Arrow oil, but what I like too is the feel of the finish, it grips, and doesn't get slippery than snot when your hands get a little sweaty, and the way it allows the natural grain of the wood to show through is fantastic, seems the more you rub the oil on the more the grain pops out, I know other finishes will do this too if applied properly but the proof is in the feel and looks when done.

[Crow Choker]

Thanks again Ten Wolves, I'll have to 'google' and locate some. Have had good comments on the items I've used Arrow on. I like it better than Tru-Oil which is a similair type of finish in application. Ref the Deks Olje WaddWatson mentioned, my wife used to work at a paint, wallpaper, finish, carpet, etc. store and she said they had a similair type product under the company name. She advised those that used it said it 'wore' like iron and was 'tough as nails'. Knew a guy who was into wooden boats and he used the Deks. He advised you could 'tap dance' on anything refinished with it wearing golf, baseball, and hob-nail boots and not put a dent in it. I have the same problem you do WWE with a cross-draw on my left side-the right grip gets 'nailed' from time to time. Wonder if the Deks comes in smaller cans like 3-4 oz.? Would like to give it a try.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Crow Choker,

West Marine no longer sells  it ... they have gone to a cheaper brand..

Although the stuff is now hared to find, I would go directly to the website and ask then for a 'sample' bottle...

www.deksolje.com

[crossdraw]

Thanks for all the info, I will have to see what I can find locally. I have a satin conversion varnish that I use on cabinets so I may see how it holds up to cleaning solvents.

[crossdraw]

Well I couldn't decide which finish to use, then I remembered I have some M.L. Campbell "Krystal" finish that I used on my oak vanity. I choose that finish for its durability and moisture resistance.

It is a satin conversion varnish. It dries fast and hard. I used a cheap airbrush to spray them.

I am happy with how they came out.

[Dr. Bob]

Look real nice.  Good job!