Fill the pores

[smylee grouch]

On my last black walnut stock, straight grain with little figure I used walnut stained Danish Oil with the ultra fine walnut saw dust mixed in to fill the pores .Seemed to work good. Now i,m finishing another black walnut stock but with fair amount of figure so i,m hesitant to use the stained Danish Oil thinking it might hide some of that pleasing figure. Would using BLO with the walnut sawdust work for this job?

[P.W.Berkuta]

For me I don't like BLO on anything. I use mostly polymerized oils that are manufactured by the major makers.  Your mileage may vary.

[J Shingler]

I like using a dark filler like bone black mixed in a little finish oil. Rub in good and wipe off all the excess. So basically just a pore filler. Then finish as normal with oil of your choice. Works good on Walnut and Ash.

Jeff

[JPK]

On figured walnut a sanded in oil finish will completely fill the pores and have no surface buildup to hide the figure. Then a very thin top finish is applied to the level of shine you decide on.

[Daryl]

I like using a dark filler like bone black mixed in a little finish oil. Rub in good and wipe off all the excess. So basically just a pore filler. Then finish as normal with oil of your choice. Works good on Walnut and Ash.

Jeff

DITTO - if needed, after filling, sand down to the wood to expose the figure, then finish in clear oil. Tried to answer this question yesterday on my phone, but it timed out twice, refusing to post.

[Pete G.]

Wet sand with BLO for the lubricant. Wipe vigorously across the grain with paper towels to remove any left on the surface.

[Bill in Md]

When using Boiled Linseed Oil as a filler or base it must be cut 2 parts oil to 1 part Gum Turpentine to penetrate and fill pores.

[Pukka Bundook]

The old way was hot linseed and pumice powder.
As Bill in MD says, a split of gum spirits of turpentine aids drying and penetration.

[Taylorz1]

Using a “bar top” modern finish then wet sanding down after it dries will fill the pores and not darken or hide the grain. Though you cant tell your friends you used something so non traditional

[Mike Brooks]

Flat black rustoleum. easy peasy.

[Taylorz1]

The rustoleum works as a faster and easier bone black if you want the pores dark. I buy such cheap walnut you could park a truck in the pores and flat black gives a very...distinct...appearance

[Clowdis]

This stuff works really well if you want a red tint on either walnut or maple.  https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/gun-tools/stock-finishing/stock-filler/

[smart dog]

Hi Smylee,
If you do a search for finishing walnut using the ALR search function, you will find pages on finishing walnut.  Taylor and I alone posted methods several times.

dave

[sdilts]

Ebony Timbermate filler works well. Easy to apply and sand off. It also comes in other colors. Woodcraft handles it.

[Eric Krewson]

I use Birchwood Casey stock sealer; it dies in minutes and takes 5 or 6 coats sanded back to fill the pores.

[Scota4570]

My current project is midwestern walnut.  It is very porous. 

After sanding I did one coat of "Woodperfect" filler.  I used the walnut color with some black Iron oxide and turpentine.  Any sort of blackness is fine, soot? Lamp black ?  I just have the iron oxide on hand.  I scrubbed it in with Scotchbrite and wiped it off.  One day later I touch up all the sanding flaws.  Then another application of the filler, this time plus some mahogany dye stain.  That gave me the very dark color with a hint of red I was looking for.   

Each coat of filler takes only a few minuets.  I am getting lazy, or results oriented?, in my old age. 

It is now ready for top coats.  I'll probably use thinned spar varnish.  Beware that some fillers contain silica.  Silica is tough on checkering tools. 

https://www.woodkote.com/products/Fillers/WP.pdf