Matte Finish Tru Oil

[Dan_B]

I'm about 20 coats in to a Tru Oil finish & the oil is starting to build up. I like the way it is filling the grain & hardening up, but I'm not much of a fan of the gloss level. To me it feels a bit plasticy & overly glossy. I'm looking back on pictures of the finish after the first couple of coats & I much prefer that low sheen satin, matte look. So I've been looking at ways to knock the sheen back a bit, from cutting compounds to waxes etc..

I think at this stage I want to continue applying coats of Tru Oil, & wet sanding, to fill the grain, & then figure out how to knock back the gloss level.

I've found this: https://shop.birchwoodcasey.com/prod...oz-bottle.html
But I understand it contains silicone, which may not be the best option?.. that is if I don't plan on refinishing it (which I don't). Does anyone have experience using this?

I've also picked up some micro-mesh pads & am contemplating buffing the sheen down with them, or 0000 steel wool, & maybe something like this wax? - https://gillyswaxesandpolishes.com.a...makers-wax-cmw

Does anyone have any tips for achieving a nice matte satin finish with tru oil?

[Brendan]

I got a satin effect from TruOil (https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...ead.php?t=2759) by applying with 800 grit (from memory) wet and dry sand paper. Stoked with the outcome - couple of years old and still smooth as a baby's rear end.

[Dan_B]

Thanks Brendan. Not sure how 800 grit would go on mine.. using 1200 grit makes me nervous of cutting through the oil & into the stain

That is a great looking bass, by the way. The natural finish on the bass looks mint.

[Brendan]

From memory, there weren't that many (<10) layers. Because you're applying with the wet and dry, you're bringing some of the sawdust into the finish.

Yep - love this finish the most of all my guitars.

[McCreed]

Hi Dan_B.
Personally I like the look that buffed Tru Oil will give, but for what I think you're looking for I would recommend synthetic sanding pads.
Some refer to it as synthetic "steel wool". You can get them from The Sandpaper Man (probably elsewhere too).

They're available in different grades (colours). I have two that I use regularly, one is gold, the other is grey. I can't remember what grit they are but the gold one is perfect for a satin finish - not too aggressive.

edit to add:
The ones I have are Bear-Tex brand, and the Gold = 1000 and Grey = 600.
There are also Norton brand pads that are rated 000 & 0000 like steel wool.

[Dan_B]

Thanks McCreed. Will keep this in mind. The Bear-Tex look like a better option than the Micro-Mesh ones that I already have. They look bigger & easier to handle. Thanks.

[McCreed]

Yes, the Bear-Tex & Norton ones are very different than the Micro-mesh pads.

The MM pads are basically an emery cloth attached to a foam backing. The BT pads are just like the Scotch-Brite pads you get at Woolies or Bunnings except in much finer and wider variety of grits. They almost resemble a type of air filter material but with aggregate attached. I honestly think they're just what you're looking for.

BTW, the bog standard Scotch-Brite pads are very handy in the shop as well. The green ones are pretty coarse but work great on hard finishes like polyester or even sanding bare timber.

[Dan_B]

Great. Thanks for that, McCreed. I've just placed an order for some of the BT pads. I'll give them a go.

[McCreed]

Excellent. Let us know how it goes!