Chambers stock finish streaking

[Pete Holmes]

Hello all,

Im sure its been asked before but im new here. Im using Chambers stock finish and im having a hard time with getting streaks in finish. Im applying in light coats small areas at a time with my fingers. My hands are rough so I've even sanded my rough finger tips smooth.. "desperate men take desperate measures" I'm buffing between coats every 24 hours with 000 steel wool. Any tips tricks or advice would be appreciated.

Pete.

 

[64Springer]

Sanding one's fingertips in search of a smooth stock finish.

We do indeed learn something new every day.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I apply oil finish by just touching the stock with a tiny bit of finish so it might be six spots of finish on one side of the butt. Then use the palm of my hand to evenly spread it out. Very little oil spread very thin will dry in a matter of hours.
61F9779D-D402-456B-B8A1-93652CF5142E by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I've never used Chambers finish so I don't know about it. But, what has always worked for me is to apply a coat and then wipe it off with a blue paper towel or piece of soft cloth as soon as it gets just a little sticky. It's very important to go over every part of the stock or some clumps will remain. If the finish sets up too much to rub out, just add a little more and keep polishing.

 

[CuNosecap]

A picture of the streaks may be helpful here. And to clarify, the "finish" is the clear oil product correct?

 

[Pete Holmes]

A picture of the streaks may be helpful here. And to clarify, the "finish" is the clear oil product correct?

Chambers has i believe nut brown dye in it.. so not clear

 

[Pete Holmes]

So what im getting is the final finish will have a haze no matter what due to buffing with steel wool. Then wax and buff out?

 

[Pete Holmes]

I apply oil finish by just touching the stock with a tiny bit of finish so it might be six spots of finish on one side of the butt. Then use the palm of my hand to evenly spread it out. Very little oil spread very thin will dry in a matter of hours.
61F9779D-D402-456B-B8A1-93652CF5142E by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Do you wax your final coat? Or is it just straight finish?

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Stock finish applied with your fingers, no matter how rough, wiped off when still wet and set aside to dry. No matter how long it takes to dry!!
When DRY, go back and do it again. When dry, do it again till it looks like YOU want it to. Never had issues.

 

[Scota@4570]

I use spar varnish. I dilute 50:50 with turpentine and add a splash of japan dryer. Any suitable oil based finish is fine. They key is to dilute any thick finish. I want a finish that looks plausibly old timie. I am not trying to get the Weatherby mile deep epoxy look.

It is a a good idea to apply the first coat with the scotchbrite. The sawdust will help fill the grain. Wipe off any standing finish before setting it aside to dry.

After that, I apply very thin coats with small wad nylon stocking material. The nylon fabric is non absorbent and very soft. It has no lint. Between the thinned finish and the soft applicator there are no tracks in the finish. It flows out completely flat. It dries hard in a couple of hours in the sunlight. I do a new coat in 24 hours. I scuff with maroon or grey scotchbrite between coats. It takes about five coats on maple, so five days.

 

[Flintandsteel]

That’s NOT how you apply Chambers oil. Flood it, let it set a few minutes, wipe it off, and let it dry. Repeat as necessary.
Perfect finish!

 

[Pete Holmes]

That’s NOT how you apply Chambers oil. Flood it, let it set a few minutes, wipe it off, and let it dry. Repeat as necessary.
Perfect finish!

Thanks for the tip much appreciated

 

[Pete Holmes]

Tganks for the tip!

Stock finish applied with your fingers, no matter how rough, wiped off when still wet and set aside to dry. No matter how long it takes to dry!!
When DRY, go back and do it again. When dry, do it again till it looks like YOU want it to. Never had issues.

 

[Flintandsteel]

BTW, after the first few coats, I apply additional coats with a scotchbrite pad. Saves sanding between coats.
Great finish.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

As I've mentioned before, it's not the brand of finish that matters, it's the method.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Do you wax your final coat? Or is it just straight finish?

Just finish.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Thanks for the tip!

It seems that I get more into building as the weather gets cooler. Too cool to work outside so stocks get the finish when it'll take longer to dry. I finger apply the finish then wipe it off, then the stock gets set in the corner to dry for however many days it takes to dry.
Leave it alone!! I know it's hard NOT to touch it BUT, patience IS a virtue. And even after a week or so, fine steel wool will smooth it out more. You do one or two and before too long, YOU'LL be the expert giving advice.

 

[Eric Krewson]

On the bottle it says to slop it on and wipe off the excess. My favorite finish but costly with shipping so I use Tru-oil now.

Here is Chambers finished stock with the finish slopped on and the excess wiped off, it probably has 5 coats of finish on the stock with a walnut pore sealer applied first and sanded back to bare wood.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Folks,
Often when you ask advice about finishes you will get responses that suggest one method is the way and fits all circumstances. That is simply wrong. For example, you will have trouble hand rubbing a finish if it is formulated to dry fast or the weather is hot and dry. Many of our modern finishes are not really oils (despite what they say on their labels) but derivitives of some oil mixed with solvents and/or varnish. Under some conditions they can be hand rubbed, particularly if they are thinned to slow drying. Often hand rubbing is not a good idea. Most of these finishes are designed to be applied with a brush or rag, let sit a few minutes, and then all non absorbed finish completely wiped off. Pure oils such as linseed and tung, can be hand rubbed forever. They actually need the heat generated from your hand to begin polymerizing the oil. However, they always dry very slowly, which is why the old timers used those oils mixed with a resin varnish so they dried much faster. The successful tradesman could not have stocks taking months to dry. He needed to get them out the door and be paid.

dave

 

[Pete Holmes]

On the bottle it says to slop it on and wipe off the excess. My favorite finish but costly with shipping so I use Tru-oil now.

Here is Chambers finished stock with the finish slopped on and the excess wiped off, it probably has 5 coats of finish on the stock with a walnut pore sealer applied first and sanded back to bare wood.

View attachment 244094

Thanks for the tip and the picture. Helps a lot.