Burnishing

[Buckskinn]

I stained my stock with ferric nitrate/heat gun and applied the first coat of Chambers Oil today. Last gun I burnished the stock right after applying oil and before wiping off excess. I forgot that step this time...

Wondering what my best option is...

Can you burnish it as the finish is drying (several hours after applying)?

After it's dry?

After second coat?

Don't bother?

 

[Buckskinn]

Is burnishing not a common practice anymore?

 

[EC121]

I would think that the finish is getting gummy/sticky by now and burnishing would roll it up. I would let it go. I always burnish on the dry wood after staining and before finish.

 

[tenngun]

Are we talking burnishing with an iron tool,or buffing. I have heard people say burnish when they mean buff the finish.
I have no experience with Chambers oil. With oil finished I use I rub in with bare hand until warm. When I add the next coat I buff with a cloth till warm, then add the next coat bare handed and rubbed till warm again.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Buckskinn,
Ask yourself, why does anyone burnish a stock? The purpose of burnishing is to press the wood fibers down making a smoother surface. It is usually done after staining and before finish. However, on some stocks I make that are military, and therefore, not finely finished before oil-varnish is applied, I often burnish after the first coat of finish has dried thoroughly. That presses the fibers down filling the grain and after that, the stock usually requires fewer coats. However, the result is the kind of textured finish you see on original muskets but not finer guns.

dave

 

[Buckskinn]

Thanks. I meant burnishing, with an antler in this case. I decided to forego this step since I had already had finish on.

 

[1861colt]

"Staining Curly Maple Gun Stock With Iron Nitrate" video by Kiblers Longrifles gives how to burnish.

 

[bptactical]

Burnishing has the advantage of almost "surface hardening" the stock. I have noticed the rifles and ramrods I have burnished seem much more resistant to minor dings than unburnished.
I have a heavy "range rod" I made 30 years ago, between soaking it in a linseed/turpentine for a few months and burnishing the bejeezus out of it, it is nearly like iron.

 

[Vaino]

I use Dangler stains and when the stain has completely dried, a hard rub w/ 0000 steel wool removes any unabsorbed stain and smooths the stock. Then 2 soak in/wipe off coats of LMF sealer are applied w/ a 10 min soak in time and after the 2nd coat is dry, a hard rub w/ 0000 steel wool removes any surface sealer and further smooths the stock. Then 2 finger rubbed in coats of the final finish w/ a complete dry between coats completes the job. This process yields a very smooth finish and the wood looks like it doesn't have any finish on it. I've never burnished a stock because w/ my process the stock doesn't need it, but w/ other processes it might. By the way.......after the last finger rubbed in coat is dry, the only thing done to the stock is a light rub w/ a fluffy bath towel to bring out some sheen.....Fred

 

[1861colt]

NICE! And you didn't kill off the high spots of the carving with the steel wool that could easily take down the stain in those areas which I happen to prefer. You used steel to rivet the box lid instead of brass. Is there a particular maker that did that or was it the standard. Also do you chamfer the tops of the holes and peen over the rivets or just rely on them swelling up in the middle to do their job.

 

[David Coulter]

Would you burnish a walnut stock on a fowler? Thanks, dc