Tru-Oil substitute

[JLT]

I've always used Tru-Oil for finishing the necks of my guitars and mandolins because they get so much more contact with skin and perspiration, etc.

Now that Tru-Oil is increasingly difficult to get here in California (LMII no longer carries it, and most of the gun stores can't get fresh stuff anymore), what would be the next best thing for guitar necks? My current stock is over three years old and I don't really trust it now.

[Fathand]

You could try some of the Danish Oil finishes like Watco or look at other brands of Gun Stock Oil,

heritagenaturalfinishes.com
https://www.heritagenaturalfinishes.com › ...
Gunstock Oil & Wax - Heritage Natural Finishes

I have used Watco Danish Oil but only on rough furniture, I've never tried any other Gun Stock Oil besides Tru Oil.

[JLT]

Originally Posted by Fathand

You could try some of the Danish Oil finishes like Watco or look at other brands of Gun Stock Oil,

heritagenaturalfinishes.com
https://www.heritagenaturalfinishes.com › ...
Gunstock Oil & Wax - Heritage Natural Finishes

I have used Watco Danish Oil but only on rough furniture, I've never tried any other Gun Stock Oil besides Tru Oil.

Thanks. I'll look into it. Danish Oil is pretty easily obtainable here. Maybe a few coats of wax over it...

[Mandobart]

I've used tung oil and boiled linseed oil as well as tru oil on my bare necks on fiddles, mandolins, banjos and guitars.

[The Watchman]

Danish oil is a mix of linseed oil, solvent, and a varnish. So make sure that's what you want.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by JLT

Thanks. I'll look into it. Danish Oil is pretty easily obtainable here. Maybe a few coats of wax over it...

Brian Forbes' excellent book has a chapter on finishing that discusses some of the oil finishes as well as a lot of other valuable information

https://www.amazon.com/Acoustic-Guit.../dp/B00F6JLSM4

[nikpearson]

I’ve recently been experimenting with a satin shellac finish. Shellac was applied in the traditional manner before knocking back the sheen with grey ScotchBrite to achieve a matt-satin finish. White ScotchBrite, being finer, gives a slightly higher sheen level. This experimenting was born out of necessity when I was unable to remove some tool marks in the already very thin cedar outer skin on a double-top build. The high gloss made those marks stand out like a proverbial sore thumb, de-sheening improved things considerably. Having never been a fan of the high-gloss aesthetic I may well try this on future instruments. Shellac does take longer to apply than Tru-Oil, but if anything it’s even more pleasant to work with.

I’ve also heard good things about Liberon Finishing Oil. Kevin Adam, an excellent classical builder uses this on all his guitars.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by JLT

I've always used Tru-Oil for finishing the necks of my guitars and mandolins because they get so much more contact with skin and perspiration, etc.

Now that Tru-Oil is increasingly difficult to get here in California (LMII no longer carries it, and most of the gun stores can't get fresh stuff anymore), what would be the next best thing for guitar necks? My current stock is over three years old and I don't really trust it now.

I used to pick it up in the sporting goods section of Walmart. It's available through Amazon, too.

I haven't used Tru-oil for a long time, so things may be different now. I'm not a big fan of Tru-oil.

I've posted about Osmo PolyX "hard oil" in this forum previously. For a neck finish, nothing comes close to it for ease of use and feel of the finished neck. A PolyX satin-finished neck feels like a "speed neck" finish, but still has protective qualities. I'm a big fan of Osmo PolyX.

Do read some of the older posts about its use and where to find more information about the product.

HERE is a good earlier topic relating to Osmo hard wax finishes.

It's not cheap, but a little goes a long way.

[Quickstep192]

OSMO PolyX is awesome for necks.

It’s goes on easy and once cured and buffed, it is slick.

It’s kind of pricey, but it only takes a small amount to do a neck. Even the sample pack might be enough.


https://www.heartwoodtools.com/osmof...ear-satin-3043

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Quickstep192

OSMO PolyX is awesome for necks.

It’s goes on easy and once cured and buffed, it is slick.

It’s kind of pricey, but it only takes a small amount to do a neck. Even the sample pack might be enough.


https://www.heartwoodtools.com/osmof...ear-satin-3043

It's difficult to find clear and concise information about the Osmo product line, but the blog at the Heartwood Tools website has excellent information:

"What's the difference between all the Osmo finishes?"

[Quickstep192]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

It's difficult to find clear and concise information about the Osmo product line, but the blog at the Heartwood Tools website has excellent information:

"What's the difference between all the Osmo finishes?"

Thanks for pointing that out. I guess when I first bought Osmo, there weren’t enough different types to cause confusion (or it could be that I’m more easily confused now than I was then )

Rudy, which one are you using for necks now?

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Quickstep192

Thanks for pointing that out. I guess when I first bought Osmo, there weren’t enough different types to cause confusion (or it could be that I’m more easily confused now than I was then )

Rudy, which one are you using for necks now?

I use the same Osmo for necks as I have done for bodies for other instruments. Here's a copy / paste from another forum with the details. I have been asked by the mods not to post links to other forums.
**********************
After a final finish sanding and carefully checking over for any remaining imperfections or scratches it’s time to put on a pair of gloves and apply Osmo #3054 Polyx-oil clear satin finish liberally. After 15 minutes you use a soft cloth and remove any of the oil which hasn’t soaked in or bonded with the wood surface. I did EVERYTHING, including the fret board surface. Set all the parts aside for 24 hours and repeat the wipe-on / wipe-off procedure the next day.

That’s all there is to the entire finish procedure! After the second 24 hours the bass is assembled for the last time and is ready to play. It’s best to play minimally and continue to let the finish reach a full cure which takes about a week. It’s fine to play it during that time, but you’ll know when the finish is fully dry by the disappearance of any residual odor. Osmo Poly-X has only a very slight smell when it is applied or as it dries which is “unique” but not unpleasant. I actually like the smell while applying it.

Osmo Polyx-oil is a unique finish, offering a fair amount of abrasion resistance and a really great under-the-hand feel for the neck surface. In addition, it’s super-easy to repair. In the shot of the rear surface control cavity there was a small patch of the gray shielding paint that I accidentally brushed on the body. It required only a few quick swipes with 220 grit sandpaper and a re-wipe of Polyx-oil to fix the problem.

I highly recommend its use as a wipe-on finish; it is unlike anything I’ve ever used before. This stuff has been used in Europe for something like 50 years as a floor finish so it has stood the test of time. Lots of good information if you do a search on the web. It’s expensive, but the small $20 can would do 3 or 4 instruments easily.



****************************

[Quickstep192]

Thanks for that Rudy, I think I probably read that treatise on the “other” forum and that’s what got me started with OSMO.

Have you given any thought to trying the thin stuff for deeper penetration followed by a coat of 3054?

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Quickstep192

Thanks for that Rudy, I think I probably read that treatise on the “other” forum and that’s what got me started with OSMO.

Have you given any thought to trying the thin stuff for deeper penetration followed by a coat of 3054?

I haven't.

I don't think the penetration is much of an issue with the 3054. I think the thinner formulation is really about ease of application, and the Osmo PolyX 3054 suits my needs.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I haven't.

I don't think the penetration is much of an issue with the 3054. I think the thinner formulation is really about ease of application, and the Osmo PolyX 3054 suits my needs.

Rudy, have you ever tried the gloss version, 3011?

I also noticed 3054 is not available in Canada, I guess we need the thinner 3043 since it is so cold here in our igloos 🙂