Which Oil To Use?

[Brandon@LastRitesCustom]

Guys,
I like how easy Velvit oil is to apply on duck calls but I can't seem to get it to shine like I would like even after buffing. What is the best oil finish for getting the deep grain to pop but also giving a fairly glossy finish?

[dogcatcher]

Velvit oil is a wiping varnish, it contains oil, mineral spirits and varnish.  I once looked at the MSDS sheet, but I forget how much varnish, but I am sure it is not a large percentage.  The varnish is what builds up faster and gives you the varnish shine.  I only use Velvit oil when I do not want a shine, if I want a nice shine I either use Watco Teak oil, Tru-Oil or sometimes mix up my own. 

Search Google for an article by Frank Whiton on on gunstock finishes, his method is work, lots of work, but te end result is one of the finest looking finishes you can do.  You can use oil finish to get a nice sheen to a high dollar gunstock look, all depends on how much work you want to invest in your calls.

Marvin

[FDR]

I often use Teak Oil as the initial soak, wipe dry after 30 minutes and dry for 24 hrs. The Teak oil soak seals the inside of the call barrel.  I usually do that twice and after the second coat is dry I buff lightly with OOOO steel wool and begin applying Tru Oil. 2-3 coats of Tru Oil will give you a nice gunstock type shine.

[Brandon@LastRitesCustom]

Velvit oil is a wiping varnish, it contains oil, mineral spirits and varnish.  I once looked at the MSDS sheet, but I forget how much varnish, but I am sure it is not a large percentage.  The varnish is what builds up faster and gives you the varnish shine.  I only use Velvit oil when I do not want a shine, if I want a nice shine I either use Watco Teak oil, Tru-Oil or sometimes mix up my own. 

Search Google for an article by Frank Whiton on on gunstock finishes, his method is work, lots of work, but te end result is one of the finest looking finishes you can do.  You can use oil finish to get a nice sheen to a high dollar gunstock look, all depends on how much work you want to invest in your calls.

Marvin

Thank you for the info. I'll look up the article.

[Brandon@LastRitesCustom]

I often use Teak Oil as the initial soak, wipe dry after 30 minutes and dry for 24 hrs. The Teak oil soak seals the inside of the call barrel.  I usually do that twice and after the second coat is dry I buff lightly with OOOO steel wool and begin applying Tru Oil. 2-3 coats of Tru Oil will give you a nice gunstock type shine.

Fred,
Do you apply the Try Oil while on the lathe? How long do you let dry b/w coats? Do you buff after your final coat?

[FDR]

I apply the Tru Oil off the lathe.  With a new bottle of oil you can get in a couple coats of oil a day.  For the final coat thin the oil with a little mineral spirits. It will dry a little slower and level out better.  No buffing required!

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

It is absolutely possible to get a nice shine from a call soaked in Velvit oil.  I do it on an almost daily basis.  Higher density woods like cocobolo, blackwood and stabilized woods will shine up better than some of the softer domestic hardwoods.  For instance, you're not going to get a hedge call very shiny with an oil finish that isn't a polymerizing oil like Tru Oil or Waterlox are.  Multiple coats of Velvit will just turn gummy.  Velvit oil is not intended as a finish that you can build up to a glossy thickness like some oils are.  The key is in the density of the wood and the prep work.  Sanding to at least 600 is necessary, and even finer will be of some benefit. 

This call was sanded to 600, soaked in Velvit oil overnight, allowed to dry, then buffed with Tripoli and then white diamond.  It is stabilized wood. 


Here's about as glossy as you're going to get hedge (or walnut, cherry, or other domestics) with Velvit oil.  This call was not buffed.


If you're looking for an oil finish that will build up more like a polyurethane-type finish, consider Tru Oil.  It is far less durable and not all that appropriate for waterfowl calls in my opinion, but it'll shine nicely and is a relatively easy finish.  In my opinion, if you're looking for high gloss and durability in the same finish you shouldn't be looking at oil finishes.  Spar would be more appropriate.

[dogcatcher]

Stabilized woods has enough resins in it, that it will shine without any finish.  A good buffing will shine the resin just like it will shine up any of the cast resins.  Velvit oil does contain some polymerizing agents or commonly known as varnish just like all of the other wipe on oil varnish combinations.  Check out the MSDS, it contains very little compared to the others like the teak oils, Tru-Oil or Danish oils.  Be careful, all of those oil varnishes are not equal, some contain more oil, while some contain more varnish, while others are more mineral spirits.  None will tell you what percentages or what specifics they contain, but by using the MSDS sheets, you can figure out what the mixtures are. 

Read an article by Russ Fairfield about his "Finishing Secrets of Russ Fairfield.  Almost every question you can think of has been answered in his articles about finishes. 

Marvin

[Truefire]

I have some proprietary mixes that I craft but often use the Watco Teak oil on quite a bit of my calls with great satisfaction.  As Aaron stated the densities of the wood are a huge factor in the equation as to how the finish responds during cure out. 

Several coats of Teak Oil across the period of several days, on really dense woods, will provide you with a good satte finish.  One application--> wait 30 minutes then wipe off excess --> wait 24 hours before new application.  Stretch this out over the course of a few days and several apps and you will be pleased.  Best to buff call after your final application with a loose knit buffing wheel to elevate the shine. 

One other good finish,  is to utilize the same Teak Oil for a couple of coats, then after a few days of curing apply a topical coat of Zinsser's oil based poly (satin).  Makes for a very interesting looking finish unlike any other polys out there.  worth a try.  I love it!

[Truefire]

By the way Aaron, that's an awesome osage call.  You know I love that species anyway.  Looks GREAT man!!!

[Brandon@LastRitesCustom]

That's as shiny as I have been able to get w/ Velvit Oil.

[B Hoover]

I have been soaking calls in marine Penofin lately followed up with a coat of wax.  It's a Brazilian rosewood oil product used for boats and it seems to give the wood a little bit more shine than my teak oil finishes.  A little spendy, but worth the try.

[stumpjumper]

Velvit oil WILL shine

Thuya (stabilized)


Hedge n coco


Coco


STUMP

[Brandon@LastRitesCustom]

How do you get that much shine? What grit do you wet sand to?

Velvit oil WILL shine

Thuya (stabilized)


Hedge n coco


Coco


STUMP

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

No reason to wet sand a wood call.  You can wet sand a wood call with the oil to create a grain filling slurry on open grained woods.  I'll sometimes do that before soaking in oil overnight.

Can't speak for Stump, but I normally sand my oiled calls to 600 or 800 prior to oiling.  If I do a grain fill by wet sanding with oil I do it with 600 or 800 grit usually.  Sometimes I'll go as fine as 1200 but I don't usually see a lot of benefit from it on a wood call.  Buffing will pop the shine quite nicely.