Abralon Pad for WOP and Oil finish?

[Jon McElwain]

At our monthly club meeting last night, there was a brief discussion about using an Abralon Pad to apply wipe-on-poly as well as for application of various oil finishes. I can see it with the oil, but i don't understand why WOP would be better with an Abralon pad than a rag or paper towel. I didn't get a chance to ask the presenter for further clarification...

Any thoughts?

[Jon McElwain]

Any bites on this question?

[Reed Gray]

Wet sanding of wipe on types of oil finishes is as old as dirt. Pretty much the same thing as using oils for sanding your bowls. You do manage to work up a little slurry, and that does help to fill in pores. It will leave a matt finish, which can be buffed out. It is only done with finer grits, and I would use the grey pads, or when I did flat work, I would use 0000 steel wool. It does work kind of like 400 or 600 grit abrasives. Caution note here, left over oil in the pads can spontaneously combust, just like oiled rags, drown them, or put out in the gravel drive way till dry.

robo hippy

[Jon McElwain]

Thank you Reed.