Thread: Wooden Scales Finish

I am working on making a set of wooden scales for my straight razor and have read all I could find about about different finishes. I was having trouble finding pros and con of polyurethane so I was wondering if anyone had experience with it? How does it compare to CA, and is the application of it the same as CA?

Cam

Originally Posted by Kirasy

I am working on making a set of wooden scales for my straight razor and have read all I could find about about different finishes. I was having trouble finding pros and con of polyurethane so I was wondering if anyone had experience with it? How does it compare to CA, and is the application of it the same as CA?

Cam

Take a look at Birchwood& Casey's. "Tru Oil"
Its a gun stock finish, that beats them all.

It doesn't like extremely oily woods, won't cure properly.
It takes a few coats for proper coverage ( directions on bottle). But its well worth it in the end.
Really makes the grain of the wood POP.!

You can get it at just about any sporting goods store, that deals guns. Probably Walmart, K mart, too.

I'm currently going the Tru oil route after a disaster with CA. Call it operator error. Heard lots of good stuff about Tru oil. Got a few coats on it that I've been wet sanding after applying it. Already looks awesome

I've used polyurethane on wood scales for several years with no issues but oily woods like Cocobolo are another story. For the oily woods I use Formby's Tung Oil, it takes a few coats with sanding between coats but works great. Have never used Tru oil but have heard very good comments about it.

I'm in total agreement with those recommending Birchwood Casey Tru Oil. This product is Linseed oil that has a chemical added that takes away all the negatives of Linseed Oil.

Linseed oil has stood the test of time for effectiveness. Almost all of the rifles in WW2 were finished with this and many of those stocks are still in good shape.

I wouldn't use CA. There are several things with it that can happen over time.

I do use CA on Black Palm scales - not on the face of the wood, but around the edges. Black Palm loves to have narly splinters peel off the edges and I use CA to seal them.

Birchwood Casey is definitely easier than CA IMHO.