final sanding grit

[JohnN]

When getting a stock ready for staining what's your final sandpaper grit?

 

[Swamp Buck]

I progressivly use sandpaper grits down to 320 grit. Then I whisker the stock a couple of times, using 400 grit sandpaper to knock off the whiskers each time once the stock is dry. After that the stain is applied.

 

[Zonie]

220 grit for both final sanding and for whiskering.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

On the GPR rifle I just finished I took Zonie’s advice and just took it down to 220 and it worked out great. I remember when I used to sand stocks down to a 600 grit, wow, what a waste of time and effort that was and the results were not better.

 

[necchi]

220.
There is technique involved, even with sandpaper.
Some wood is hard and some ain't, and that can vary even within one stock.

Sandpaper doesn't always need a heavy hand.

I mean, you can get a spot looking pretty nice with light sanding after it's been shaped, then rub the same spot with the same grit really hard and leave scratches,,

 

[Vaino]

Both final sanding and whiskering are w/ 220 grit paper. The carving is whiskered w/ green Scotchbrite. After the staining has been completed, the stock is rubbed down w/ 0000 steel wool to remove any dried, unabsorbed stain......Fred

 

[fleener]

I go down to 1500 grit on wood and 400 grit on metal

All depends on what you are trying to make it look like and what you like

Once u get everything good at 220 it goes fairly fast from there

Fleener

 

[mikemeteor]

go to scrapers - you'll mostly forget sandpaper forever.
/mike

 

[jdkerstetter]

go to scrapers - you'll mostly forget sandpaper forever.
/mike

+1 Mike. I try to avoid sanding as much as possible. I don't like the dust and because I find that with scraping results are achieved faster than sanding with finer and finer grits.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Col. Batguano]

2000 grit on metal (for polished parts), 220 for pieces to be browned, 320 on wood. Sometimes I'll use 4-0 steel wool too, but never before an aqua-fortis treatment! I use scrapers a lot too, but in curly wood, I'm very worried about tear-out.

 

[jdkerstetter]

When scraping to prep for finish and de-whiskering tear-out really isn't much of a concern for me.

I don't use a "hook" in the scrapers edge as you do when scraping for wood removal so it's a much less agressive technique.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[M. De Land]

Haven't done it very much and tried it with glass once or twice but always wound up with flats.
I suppose convex and concave shapes could be made to the shape one is trying to achieve at the end.
I've read of it and am interested in pursuing the technique. Mike D.

 

[Vaino]

I use scrapers made from "Red Devil" single edged razor blades and contour them into various shapes on the disk sander. They remove a lot of wood very quickly and are better for shaping certain areas of the stock than using files. I also use some commercial scrapers for "heavy duty" use....mainly the wrist/cheekpiece transition.

I don't use scrapers for the final shape....don't like facets and waviness from the curl. So, after a final scrape, the 220 grit paper is used to eliminate the facets and waviness left from scraping. After rasping a surface....nothing like a good scraper to quickly smooth the surface.....Fred

 

[mikemeteor]

As always, its different tastes for different people.

I've gone to using various-shaped utility knife blades for final scraping/prep.
e.g. carpet knife blades, modified utility knife blades, carved scalpel blades, and my latest MVP go-to discovery: the round replacement blades for circular fabric cutters.
Sharp right out of the wrapper, and gets many of those pesky concave surfaces around lock panel transitions and cheek pieces.
You can rotate it and slant it for various contact profiles.

Try the test yourself: With low-angle lighting, sand with 320 or 400 grit, then go over the same area, with a light hand, with a sharp blade (hooked or not) with the grain.
I believe you'll see the difference immediately.

Again, different tastes. The barely perceptible flats left by these blades don't bother me.
Tool marks can add character to many rifle styles.

If you're going to Dixon's this week, try to catch Mark Wheland's seminar on scraping. I learned a lot from it last year. Its Saturday I believe.

/mike

p.s. this wasnt directed at you Fred, altho my post was in reply to yours. Your results speak for themself !

 

[Vaino]

Hi...didn't think it did. Excellent results can be achieved w/ very different methods. Never went to Dixon's and really regret that fact. Too late now, but the younger builders should attend a few pertinent classes or seminars....re-inventing the wheel which I did at times, is folly.....Fred

 

[George91946]

May be me just being a bumbling fool, but I sharpen my 3 inch wood chisel, hold it like a pencil and scrape away. It (scraping) is indispensable after rasping the wood to a roughed out shape.

I agree with others though that there is a time to put the scraper down and pick up some sand paper. The grain will make waves over time with a scraper.

George 91946