about burnishing stock

[Ric27]

Question about burnishing the stock after scraping. how much and how hard to press. I have done this in the past but never under the supervision of someone who really knows just how it should be done. tonight I was working on a stock to night burnishing lightly and the wood was developing a little shine as I went. Is that enough or do you really have to get after it and press down with some force?

[Ed Wenger]

Ric..., if I'm reading this correctly, burnishing should be done after the wood has been stained.  A burnished piece of wood can be problematic for staining.

To answer your question, pressure should be firm, but not overly hard.  A shine, as you described, is really all that is needed.



           Ed

[mikeo]

Ric

Here is the way I do it.  Scrape stock, I use store bought scrapers, old jackknifes, and sometimes broken glass, no sandpaper.  Stain,wipe down, burnish, I use about 5 inches of the tip of deer antler.  Hand rub with very light amount(finger tip wet) of boiled linseed oil, let is set over night, burnish between hand rubbed coats (10-20 coats)with the deer antler, pressure, I don't know about medium pressure I guess, or until my arthritic hands cramp up.

Mike

[Mikecooper]

What's the purpose of burnishing? 

[Ric27]

I love this forum. Thanks guys.
R