# Wet sanding....



## Dave Martell (Feb 18, 2019)

What do you use for a lubricant when you wet sand handles? Maybe you don't wet sand at all?

I do the last few grits using a light teak oil that I thin down. I find that I get a much finer finish wet sanding than not. This can also be used on low grit sanding to fill in the pores.

Whatever you do don't use water on wood and horn....it swells the wood and shrinks/twists horn badly...ask me how I know.


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## Matus (Feb 18, 2019)

I use the same thinner that I use in the oil mix(es). This works for me as only the very last steps I do wet sanding (usually after the handle already got the first coat - so I do not evaporate too much thinner in my poorly ventilated shop.

I was thinking of using some kind of oil instead, I just do not know how the subsequent oil coats would react to it.


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## inferno (Feb 18, 2019)

I actually wet my handles to raise the grain, then sand, then do it again until no grain rise anymore. Then usually a 600 grit paper then oiling cycles. I were going for ultra polished results I would use the oil that I would be oiling with. I like tung oil my self and only use that.


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## McMan (Feb 18, 2019)

inferno said:


> I actually wet my handles to raise the grain, then sand, then do it again until no grain rise anymore. Then usually a 600 grit paper then oiling cycles. I were going for ultra polished results I would use the oil that I would be oiling with. I like tung oil my self and only use that.


Yup. I used to do almost exactly the same when I had space to goof around with handles. Nice way to make sure the grain doesn't swell the first time it's wiped/washed.


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## inferno (Feb 18, 2019)

You also have to do this if you are painting/clearcoating wood. Otherwise it will look like a hedgehog


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## Dave Martell (Feb 19, 2019)

Is the fuzz (grain lifting) something you guys see with both non-stabilized and stabilized woods? I'm asking because I haven't seen this myself but the only woods I use are stabilized or really oily (not requiring stabilizing).


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## Tim Rowland (Feb 19, 2019)

Natural woods I only wet sand after using Odie's Oil and it has fully cured and filled in grain gaps at which time I use a little bit of orange oil.
On stabilized woods and synthetic materials I use again just a touch of orange oil. I have had good success with teak oil as well slightly thinned. 
As for the lifted grain I never really see it on stabilized woods nor on oily natural woods.


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## inferno (Feb 19, 2019)

Dave Martell said:


> Is the fuzz (grain lifting) something you guys see with both non-stabilized and stabilized woods? I'm asking because I haven't seen this myself but the only woods I use are stabilized or really oily (not requiring stabilizing).



It does not happen with stabilized woods as far as I know. Stabilized woods is more similar to a piece of plastic than actual wood. Its similar to carbon fiber/kevlar except the reinforcing material is now wood instead of carbon.

The handles I have built is mostly dry not really exotics woods like walnut/birch/oak and so on and those does raise the grain when wet. The more oily fat woods seems to be less affected by this, but it still does happen. 

I think non stabilized wood that is simply oiled feels nicer in the hand. It still feels like wood kinda to me.


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## Dave Martell (Feb 19, 2019)

Matus said:


> I use the same thinner that I use in the oil mix(es). This works for me as only the very last steps I do wet sanding (usually after the handle already got the first coat - so I do not evaporate too much thinner in my poorly ventilated shop.
> 
> I was thinking of using some kind of oil instead, I just do not know how the subsequent oil coats would react to it.




Using just thinner isn't a bad idea at all, I might have to give that a try. Thanks!


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## Dave Martell (Feb 19, 2019)

inferno said:


> It does not happen with stabilized woods as far as I know. Stabilized woods is more similar to a piece of plastic than actual wood. Its similar to carbon fiber/kevlar except the reinforcing material is now wood instead of carbon.
> 
> The handles I have built is mostly dry not really exotics woods like walnut/birch/oak and so on and those does raise the grain when wet. The more oily fat woods seems to be less affected by this, but it still does happen.
> 
> I think non stabilized wood that is simply oiled feels nicer in the hand. It still feels like wood kinda to me.




Thanks for the explanation.


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## keithboyle13 (Feb 19, 2019)

I use thinned oil for wet sanding, I find it better fills the grain through the sanding progression.


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## Dendrobatez (Feb 19, 2019)

I don't wet sand until 1,500 grit then I wrap my brass bar with a peice of leather, then the sandpaper, and wd40. 
For handles I'll shape them then apply a little bit of walnut oil - it's not for lubrication but to prevent dust from dark materials from trying to settle in the lighter wood. As an example carbon fiber and curly maple look great together but are hard to keep separate.


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## Bert2368 (Feb 26, 2019)

I was taught back in high school to use 00000 steel wool wetted with mineral spirits for sanding between coats and a blob of mineral jelly (Vaseline) on a new piece of the steel wool after the last coat. This was with drying oils such as boiled linseed, tung oil, etc.


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