Walnut Open Grain

[rusty flint]

What do you guy's use to fill the open grain in a walnut stock, or do you leave it unfilled?

 

[BrownBear]

I prefer it filled, and there are lots of fillers out there.

My favorite is to oil the stock pretty heavily (your choice, tung or linseed), then sand it lengthwise with the grain while it's still wet. The sanding dust makes a nice fine walnut paste with the oil and gets down into the grain. Sure a lot quicker than filling with multiple coats of the oil, and looks better to, for my eyes.

 

[hoochiepapa]

When I was building cf's, I would sand it with Tru-oil and 400 grit, let it dry, then sand it with 400 grit. Repeat until you get what you want.

 

[Stophel]

I fill it with hard boiled linseed oil. :wink:

 

[Scota4570]

Sanding dust mixed with dilute finish on the stock is a great way to go. About #320 wet/dry paper will work well. Dilute your finish of choice with mineral spirits and wet sand the stock. Let it dry, repeat if needed. Plain old spar varnish works great for this.

Filling the grain can be done with the finish. It takes many, many coats. It is a pointless exercise. When you hear about some one needing a gillion coats to finish a stock that is what is going on. There is no magic or desirability to it. It is just doing a simple job the hard way.

I also sometimes use grain filler. Get the walnut tone or black, Woodcraft has it. Finally, Deft sanding sealer will do the job quickly. It dries real fast and sands super easy without cloggind the sand paper. Several coats of it, sanding between coats, will do the job.

Once filled use whatever finish you want. Half a dozen coats or boiled linseed will look nice and old time-ie. Smells good too.

 

[Billnpatti]

I have tried various fillers on Walnut but have found the technique that both BrownBear and Mike Brines suggested to produce the best results. Once the grain has been completely filled, I like to apply about 7 to 10 light handrubbed coats of either Linspeed oil or Tru Oil. I then buff the last coat with 0000 steel wool after allowing it to cure for several days. You will end up with a very durable finish that has a very soft luster similar to a good oil finish.

 

[rusty flint]

Thanks to all. This is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[frogwalking]

Chamber's black walnut grain filler.

 

[vulture]

What is or where do you get Chamber's Black Walnut Grain Filler?

 

[Scota4570]

http://www.flintlocks.com/pdf/pricesheet.pdf

P.2 of the PDF

 

[M. De Land]

Ditto although I have started to use thin epoxy and sanding dust for a very water proof filler that will soak into the grain if thinned by heating a bit.
This works very good if you plan on checkering as well because it supports the diamond points and keeps the wood from fuzzing up.
Finish up with Tru-oil or Linspeed over the top and it looks just like a pure hand rubbed oil finish but is truly water proof.