Whiskering????

[4570tc]

Ok a quick question; when removing sanding hairs, do you use sand paper or steel wool?

 

[Dances With Coyotes]

I don’t have a lot of experience with that but I would like to add Scotchbrite pads to the question as to what is best for whiskering

 

[springfield art]

Ok a quick question; when removing sanding hairs, do you use sand paper or steel wool?

Steel wool can leave tiny specks of steel in there that can then 'rust' or whatever. I think I've seen people recommend the green pads or whatever, but be assured that several guys will give you good information shortly here!

 

[Flintandsteel]

You can use paper, progressive finer grit, re-use old paper. No need to go past 220 or 320.
Scrapers work better. They don’t leave whiskers.

 

[ord sgt]

Cabinet scrapers is the best solution for wood whiskers. They come is various sizes and shapes for different contours. YouTube videos will show how to keep a good edge on the scrapers.

 

[user 48679]

I de-whisker with new pads of 0000 steel wool, followed by going over ALL the wood with a large horseshoe magnet to ensure no metal remains in the pores.

 

[longcruise]

I had read about the historical practice of burnishing rather than whiskering and tried it on a maple stock with excellent results.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I de-whisker with sandpaper.

 

[Schatz72]

I had read about the historical practice of burnishing rather than whiskering and tried it on a maple stock with excellent results.

I've come across references about burnishing before too, what did you use to burnish with?

 

[frankie]

I would use 400 grit sandpaper, lightly. If you use steel wool it will likely leave tiny little shinny specks, You may not see them until after you apply the finish and it hardens. I whisker (twice) my stocks using water and a heat gun. Keep the heat gun moving until you see all the water dissipate. You can even put the stock under a garden hose or in your bathtub. Set the stock aside after doing this for a couple of days before you apply finish. I hope this helps.

 

[bptactical]

I've come across references about burnishing before too, what did you use to burnish with?

Typically it is known as “boning” the stock using a polished piece of bone. I have used polished antler and even a polished spoon. It makes a difference.
You compact the surface fibers of the wood and it gives you a little of a denser “skin” to the wood and it does help prevent light dings.

Do not use steel wool on bare wood after whiskering, if using a water based stain you will get rusty freckles and if using oil based you will get a metalflake finish. Fine on a 1960’s chopped Harley but not your frontstuffer.

I have always used alcohol when whiskering, it seems to raise the grain better IMO.

 

[nhmoose]

Fine bronze wool from Brownell's

 

[necchi]

I de-whisker with new pads of 0000 steel wool, followed by going over ALL the wood with a large horseshoe magnet to ensure no metal remains in the pores.

Ok,, Then tell us,(?)
How much "metal" is removed from the wood with the "magnet"?
Why imbed iron particals to the wood that need's to be removed from the pores with a magnet in the fisrt place?
Honest,, If your rubbing steel on wood and then have to remove the steel with a magnet,, how much do you pick up with the magnet?
How much of the applied/imbedded metal comes out of the wood with the magnet? How much is left?
I ask, because decades ago, I followed advise to use steel wool, while never being advised to use a magnet after, and totally botched the job.
I've never used steel wool on wood since(!), when sand paper does the job without a problem,,
Why go through the extra step?

"Scraping" works also,,

 

[MSW]

i use sandpaper (although i see no reason that a scrubbie pad wouldn't work). As regards steel wool, i have never used it, not for fear of leaving bits in the wood (which is a consideration) but that unless you buy special oil free "cool guy" steel wool from a woodworking supply house, you can leave bits of residual oil which will adversely effect the absorption of whatever dye you're using.
just one guy's opinion... free and doubtless well worth the price

 

[Jim]

i use sandpaper (although i see no reason that a scrubbie pad wouldn't work). As regards steel wool, i have never used it, not for fear of leaving bits in the wood (which is a consideration) but that unless you buy special oil free "cool guy" steel wool from a woodworking supply house, you can leave bits of residual oil which will adversely effect the absorption of whatever dye you're using.
just one guy's opinion... free and doubtless well worth the price

Quite right . . . .
Soaking the BEST QUALITY (not Chinese garbage) steel wool in alcohol to remove oil BEFORE dewiskering is the key!

Ever notice, when tearing a Chinese #0000 wool pad, the steel “dust” that becomes airborne as you tear?
That’s because China uses very short strands of steel . . . .more like “powder”.

 

[Reno]

I whisker the stock and then use fine sandpaper to remove the whiskers. Then I wet the stock again and sand again. It us best to wet the stock and sand until you do not get whiskers again.
after the final sand paper I have used the butt of my palm and rubbed the stock or wood. This actually burnishes the wood. This really creates a base for a very smooth surface.
but it depends on what you want as a final appearance.

 

[user 48679]

Ok,, Then tell us,(?)
How much "metal" is removed from the wood with the "magnet"?
Why imbed iron particals to the wood that need's to be removed from the pores with a magnet in the fisrt place?
Honest,, If your rubbing steel on wood and then have to remove the steel with a magnet,, how much do you pick up with the magnet?
How much of the applied/imbedded metal comes out of the wood with the magnet? How much is left?
I ask, because decades ago, I followed advise to use steel wool, while never being advised to use a magnet after, and totally botched the job.
I've never used steel wool on wood since(!), when sand paper does the job without a problem,,
Why go through the extra step?

"Scraping" works also,,

I don't "have to" use the magnet, but do so in an abundance of caution - well founded, because the magnet always picks up some steel "lint/dust" when I use it.

(I wipe off the magnet until it no longer picks up any more metal)

I've been doing so for over 50 years, with zero stock/finish issues from the steel wool.

 

[waksupi]

Whiskering isn't really needed. I've built around 450 guns over the years, and only whiskered a few at the very beginning. I sand to 320, then do the stain and finish. I do a rub out of the finish every 2-3 coats, until all the wood pores are filled. One of the bolt action rifles I did was named best of show at the SHOT Show some years ago, so it must work okay.

 

[LSB]

I have refinished 25-30 stocks, mostly those new fangled cartridge thingies, and built 5 muzzleloaders from kits. I always use 320 grit sandpaper for removing the whiskers until the final wetting and then I go to 400 grit for the final smoothing of the stock. The current kit I am working on has a walnut stock and it was a tough one to get smooth. I wet it and sanded it 5 times before no more whiskers were raised. I wet the stock thoroughly and then dry it with my wife's hairdryer before LIGHTLY sanding it. You just have to keep wetting and lightly sanding until the wood stays smooth after wetting. You are not doing any shaping with the sandpaper, you are just removing the grains that have stood up on end after wetting it. Walnut definitely seems to be more of a problem with whiskers than maple, for me at least.

 

[Philip Lebow]

I have used 320 paper for whiskering. I do it a couple of times. If you used a water base stain (Birchwood), you might have to whisker again. Alcohol based stains, also known as NGR (non grain raising) stains might raise a few you missed. On walnut, I whisker until it stops, using 320 or 400, stain if I need to, and then fill the grain with shellac thinned about 30%. Then steel wool to level the shellac and finally a drying oil, or for outdoor hunting guns, and Oil/Urethane finish. Since we do a lot of stocks, instead of Tru-Oil, we mix a little Japan Drier with boiled linseed oil and thinned shellac. Same stuff, and a fraction the price.
I use the satin oil urethane from Brownells or Laurel Mountain forge. Brownells spray dries fast, and with care, will not run or sag.