wood grain filler

[dallen]

guess this is the place to ask seeing as how its gonna go on a gun, I need to know what would be a good filler to use on Walnut to fill the open grain of this and a couple other piece's I'm trying to make.

[TomG]

David,

I don't like to use filler because it hides the grain. Just use Tung oil and keep applying coats until the grain is filled to your satisfaction. It might take half a dozen coats, but it will look great.

Tom

[dallen]

I put some oil on it just to see what it would look like sure brighten it up, I still got a bunch of saw dust to remove before I find the finished product of my labors.

[TomG]

David,

Tung oil is essentially varnish and has been used as a wood finish forever. Successive coats with a light sanding in between will result in a very nice finish. Springfield used boiled linseed oil on the Garands and the manufacturer of your (AK?) probably used the same.

Tom

[stevec]

Didn't Kalashnikov use the sweat and blood of the peasants to finish the wood of his "nifty sporter" ( Mikhail)

[TomG]

Oh yeah, maybe it was boiled "peasants", not linseed oil.

[f350ca]

Dallen you could try rubbing in the Tung oil with fine steel wool making figure 8 motions. The steel wool will cut the surface of the wood, the dust will be in suspension in the oil, some of it will pack into the open gain, the dried oil should then hold it there. This would be similar to the first stage of french polishing whee you use shellac.
A test piece is always recommended.

[Sunset Machine]

I've used a 50-50 mix of shellac and real varnish, rubbed on with a rag. Might have filled with brown shoe polish first; it's been awhile. Kind of a mat finish, not sticky, didn't show fingerprints and handled smoothly.

[dallen]

thanks for all the input guy's for now I think I'll stick with what I been doing which is wipe some on look at the wood then sand all over the place while making things fit better then wipe on some more so I don't have to look at dull boring black walnut, I wish the butt stock had some of the character that the pistol grip is going to have.

here the old girl is wearing American Wood.
   

[Micktoon]

I was just watching some guy on Youtube who custom carves gunstocks doing exactly what Greg said , he was rubbing down with fine paper and linseed oil and the fine slurry of dust filled the grain in , his work was total calss so think he will be doing it the best way there is. I think this is the video , he does chequering , its worth watching anyway as real craftsman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XD36-NyzMo

Cheers Mick