jake_xms3_punk
New member
im thinking about finishing an ash tele with oil, i've heard "tru oil" is the best but can't get hold of any, so what would be the best one to use? danish, teak, tung, or linseed. thanks
best oil for oil finish
- Thread starter jake_xms3_punk
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jake_xms3_punk
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
uk
uk
jmh151
Active member
Re: best oil for oil finish
P.S.- if you can't find tru oil, here's the pros and cons of each
danish- not sure, never used it
teak- meant just for teak. I used it on boats, it's not very durable at all. Teak is a very oily wood to begin with, so it's just used to restore some oil. Without teak oil, teak will survive just fine on its own and will never warp.
Linseed- very thin, IMO it feels the best, is closest to raw wood. Requires frequent re-oiling
Tung- basically thinned out varnish. Takes forever to cure and stays sticky a long time. However, once cured, it's the most durable
P.S.- if you can't find tru oil, here's the pros and cons of each
danish- not sure, never used it
teak- meant just for teak. I used it on boats, it's not very durable at all. Teak is a very oily wood to begin with, so it's just used to restore some oil. Without teak oil, teak will survive just fine on its own and will never warp.
Linseed- very thin, IMO it feels the best, is closest to raw wood. Requires frequent re-oiling
Tung- basically thinned out varnish. Takes forever to cure and stays sticky a long time. However, once cured, it's the most durable
yngwie308
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
I asked Terry Atkins (ex-Hamer) currently production manager and manager of the Washburn Custom Shop about cleaning the fingerboard of my oil finished Washburn SS 80, he replied how they finish the necks on the newer guitars with 'unfinished' necks, like say a Nuno N4, here is his reply. I have heard about the gun oil before, ect,...
I can’t remember what we used before. I can tell you what we use now.
First, you may never get all of the staining out of the fingerboard, but you can try to minimize the problem. Acetone would be what I would try first. You can buy it at the hardware store. Don’t douse the fingerboard. Start by soaking a cotton cloth first and then wiping the fingerboard down. If you get the fingerboard fairly damp it will not harm it. Acetone evaporates so fast it will not raise the grain. Go at it a few times and then steel wool the fingerboard with 0000 steel wool.
We now use a concoction we make here. I buy Lemon essence, which is pure pressed lemon oil. Google “Essential oils” and find some. You can get a pint for about $16. You won’t need that much. We then heat the lemon oil on a hot plate and melt in Bee’s wax. We use a 2” square cube of bee’s wax for every pint of oil. The wax will take a while to melt, but will melt completely into the oil. Let it cool over a few of hours and it will start to thicken. Once it thickens up use it to finish the neck. The oil will get into the wood and condition it, but in doing so it carries the wax down into the wood fibers. The wax prevents the wood from drying out, and skins over on the top surface to prevent debris from working into the wood. Polish it up with a cotton cloth when you have enough worked in and it should be very smooth and very fast feeling.
From Terry Atkins
yngwie308
I asked Terry Atkins (ex-Hamer) currently production manager and manager of the Washburn Custom Shop about cleaning the fingerboard of my oil finished Washburn SS 80, he replied how they finish the necks on the newer guitars with 'unfinished' necks, like say a Nuno N4, here is his reply. I have heard about the gun oil before, ect,...
I can’t remember what we used before. I can tell you what we use now.
First, you may never get all of the staining out of the fingerboard, but you can try to minimize the problem. Acetone would be what I would try first. You can buy it at the hardware store. Don’t douse the fingerboard. Start by soaking a cotton cloth first and then wiping the fingerboard down. If you get the fingerboard fairly damp it will not harm it. Acetone evaporates so fast it will not raise the grain. Go at it a few times and then steel wool the fingerboard with 0000 steel wool.
We now use a concoction we make here. I buy Lemon essence, which is pure pressed lemon oil. Google “Essential oils” and find some. You can get a pint for about $16. You won’t need that much. We then heat the lemon oil on a hot plate and melt in Bee’s wax. We use a 2” square cube of bee’s wax for every pint of oil. The wax will take a while to melt, but will melt completely into the oil. Let it cool over a few of hours and it will start to thicken. Once it thickens up use it to finish the neck. The oil will get into the wood and condition it, but in doing so it carries the wax down into the wood fibers. The wax prevents the wood from drying out, and skins over on the top surface to prevent debris from working into the wood. Polish it up with a cotton cloth when you have enough worked in and it should be very smooth and very fast feeling.
From Terry Atkins
yngwie308
jake_xms3_punk
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
we only have air rifle shops and the nearest one to me is like 30 miles away, i can get all the other oils from the local hardware store.
we only have air rifle shops and the nearest one to me is like 30 miles away, i can get all the other oils from the local hardware store.
CTN
The Drama Dude
Re: best oil for oil finish
Get tung oil
and take your own sweet time with it. Keep your layers thin and even, and everything will be dreamy when you're done.
Apply a layer, go do something else for 5-6 hours. light brushing with 000 steel wool, apply another coat, go do something else. Done for the day. light brushing with steel wool again before applying another coat the next day.
Now...it might've just been the steel wool I was using, but i'd get little steel wool fibers coming off all the time, sticking to the oil... it was profusely annoying. Eventually i got sick of desperately trying to avoid the inevitable so I switched over to 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper, which i used dry, but very lightly. You just need to scuff the surface up a little bit so the next layer of oil has something to adhere to.
repeat at least 3-5 days in a row. be careful to use smooth hand movements while applying the oil. And make sure not to put too much oil on your applicator (what ever you happen to use...I used a clean old tshirt, wadded up but without any wrinkles or creases on the actual application surface to hold excess oil)
Let the final application dry/cure for at least a day or three to harden up properly.
Buff (gently), and play!
Get tung oil
and take your own sweet time with it. Keep your layers thin and even, and everything will be dreamy when you're done.
Apply a layer, go do something else for 5-6 hours. light brushing with 000 steel wool, apply another coat, go do something else. Done for the day. light brushing with steel wool again before applying another coat the next day.
Now...it might've just been the steel wool I was using, but i'd get little steel wool fibers coming off all the time, sticking to the oil... it was profusely annoying. Eventually i got sick of desperately trying to avoid the inevitable so I switched over to 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper, which i used dry, but very lightly. You just need to scuff the surface up a little bit so the next layer of oil has something to adhere to.
repeat at least 3-5 days in a row. be careful to use smooth hand movements while applying the oil. And make sure not to put too much oil on your applicator (what ever you happen to use...I used a clean old tshirt, wadded up but without any wrinkles or creases on the actual application surface to hold excess oil)
Let the final application dry/cure for at least a day or three to harden up properly.
Buff (gently), and play!
MojoMonster
Active member
Ayrton
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
I know Tru Oil is hard to get in the UK, so here are a couple of choices.
Minwax Tung Oil finish. Pure Tung Oil is difficult to work with, and not really the best finish for a guitar neck anyway.
The Minwax stuff is far easier to work with and still has a perfectly oil feel and appearance.
Or you can go with Watco Danish oil which is what the Charvel factory used back in the heyday.
You can get it in clear or tinted in several colors.
I know Tru Oil is hard to get in the UK, so here are a couple of choices.
Minwax Tung Oil finish. Pure Tung Oil is difficult to work with, and not really the best finish for a guitar neck anyway.
The Minwax stuff is far easier to work with and still has a perfectly oil feel and appearance.
Or you can go with Watco Danish oil which is what the Charvel factory used back in the heyday.
You can get it in clear or tinted in several colors.
D
DLT
Guest
Re: best oil for oil finish
Yes, the trick to tung oil is thin coats. You can thin it with mineral spirits and apply many coats. Wipe it on and take as much as you can off with a rag. Let it dry overnight. Reapply again in the same manner until you achieve the gloss you want. The last coat you can buff lightly with 0000 steel wool, then tack cloth it to get all the little fibers off. Then do one last coat.
I had a devil of a time getting it to go smooth on my roadkillcaster. I was too impatient and should have thinned the oil a bit.
Yes, the trick to tung oil is thin coats. You can thin it with mineral spirits and apply many coats. Wipe it on and take as much as you can off with a rag. Let it dry overnight. Reapply again in the same manner until you achieve the gloss you want. The last coat you can buff lightly with 0000 steel wool, then tack cloth it to get all the little fibers off. Then do one last coat.
I had a devil of a time getting it to go smooth on my roadkillcaster. I was too impatient and should have thinned the oil a bit.
jake_xms3_punk
New member
Ayrton
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
That is Tru Oil, and frankly what you want in the end. Do not get the aerosol version, just get the regular bottle.
Google Tru Oil finishes, and you will find plenty of info. If you are doing an ash body, then you will want to fill the grain first.
You can use a dark filler if you want the grain to pop, or use a clear if you want a plainer finish.
This is a hard ash bodied guitar I finished with dark filler, and Tru Oil.
That is Tru Oil, and frankly what you want in the end. Do not get the aerosol version, just get the regular bottle.
Google Tru Oil finishes, and you will find plenty of info. If you are doing an ash body, then you will want to fill the grain first.
You can use a dark filler if you want the grain to pop, or use a clear if you want a plainer finish.
This is a hard ash bodied guitar I finished with dark filler, and Tru Oil.
Last edited:
jake_xms3_punk
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
thanks, can i clear nitro over it? as oil isn't a ever-lasting finish is it?, or is there no need
thanks, can i clear nitro over it? as oil isn't a ever-lasting finish is it?, or is there no need
Last edited:
jake_xms3_punk
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
that guitar looks really nice, thats the result i want with my tele
edit- how much oil would i need to finish a guitar 3oz or 8oz? thanks
that guitar looks really nice, thats the result i want with my tele
edit- how much oil would i need to finish a guitar 3oz or 8oz? thanks
Ayrton
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
Tru Oil is a "hard" finish, so no lacquer over it.
A 3oz bottle will do both a body and a neck no problem.
Applying Tru Oil is almost fool proof, and is one of the best finishes for the hobbyist builder. You can do it indoors, and it is hard to screw up.
The amount of coats you apply will determine the amount of shine you have in the end.
Tru Oil is a "hard" finish, so no lacquer over it.
A 3oz bottle will do both a body and a neck no problem.
Applying Tru Oil is almost fool proof, and is one of the best finishes for the hobbyist builder. You can do it indoors, and it is hard to screw up.
The amount of coats you apply will determine the amount of shine you have in the end.
jmh151
Active member
Re: best oil for oil finish
Varathane sounds like marine varnish. If that's the case, it's not good for guitars, it takes forever to cure and dulls your tone until it hardens
Varathane sounds like marine varnish. If that's the case, it's not good for guitars, it takes forever to cure and dulls your tone until it hardens
Ayrton
New member
Re: best oil for oil finish
Good list of different finishes, but some may not be the best for a guitar.
Good read nonetheless.
https://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=622
Good list of different finishes, but some may not be the best for a guitar.
Good read nonetheless.
https://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=622
kmcguitars
GuitarArtologist
Re: best oil for oil finish
Here ya go ! And it's on your side of the pond! http://cgi.ebay.com/Birchwood-Casey-Tru-Oil-Stock-Finish-3oz_W0QQitemZ320360628093QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportingGoods_Hunting_ShootingSports_ET?hash=item4a96fb3f7d
Here ya go ! And it's on your side of the pond! http://cgi.ebay.com/Birchwood-Casey-Tru-Oil-Stock-Finish-3oz_W0QQitemZ320360628093QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportingGoods_Hunting_ShootingSports_ET?hash=item4a96fb3f7d
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