sticky jo

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[bob_s]

hello all,
I recently purchased a Japanese white oak jo and applied Watco Teak oil. I applied one coat, let it penetrate for ~10 min, then wiped it off and applied another light coat. I let it sit for another 10 min then wiped it again and let it penetrate and dry overnight. Its been around 2 days now and the surface of the jo is pretty sticky. It seems like some of the oil may not have fully penetrated and dried on the surface of the staff. Will this go away with use or should I try to lightly sand the jo?

Thanks,
Robert S.

[Janet Rosen]

Seems like an awful lot of oil for a jo: most of the instructions I have seen/followed call for a couple of drops on the hand, warmed up, and rubbed in.
I'll leave it to more experienced wood folks to put forth solutions to the current problem...

[Will Prusner]

I'd take either a sticky bun or a sloppy joe, but a sticky jo sounds like bad news...

[SmilingNage]

Did you sand the jo first with a light weight sand paper? Most times weapons are shipped with a fine varnish on them. That needs to be removed with a light sanding before applying the oil.

I would sand the jo. Then apply the lightest amount oil. It sounds as if either you did not sanded the jo initially or applied way to much oil. So easy on the oil pedal lead foot.

[Pierre Kewcharoen]

Are you sure u didn't use pancake syrup as your jo oil?

[Chris Farnham]

I have always been told to use boiled linseed oil after sanding off the factory finish. It is usually a little sticky for a day or two, but then the stickiness goes away. Of course teak oil may act differently.

[ChrisMoses]

I've never used teak oil. I generally use "Howard's Orange Oil" or just a light mineral oil. As stated above, always sand the light varnish that most wood weapons come with before oiling. For new weapons, I usually over oil, then wrap in a garbage bag and store flat for a few days. Then sand, oil, bag, wait... a few times before I put a do a final (finer) sanding. A properly oiled stick will feel slightly oily when you're done, which is why you need to wait a few days between your last oiling and using the thing, the oil should be drawn into the grain over a couple days.

[BC]

I have used teak oil with success, but usually cut it with some mineral spirits for the first couple applications, then sand lightly after each application.

[Erick Mead]

...applied Watco Teak oil. --- It seems like some of the oil may not have fully penetrated and dried on the surface of the staff. Will this go away with use or should I try to lightly sand the jo? Watco is linseed based, and has a varnish component -- what ahs probably occurred is that the manufacturers varnish is now dissolved or emulsified in the Watco product which has affected its drying. I would start over. Linseed based finishes darken adn soften with age. Tung oil does not

I milled my own jo and finished it about twenty years ago, and has seen good service with no further attention . With your situation I would strip the existing finish you have attempted, with either mineral spirits, or turpentine several times drying completely between, Then I would use 100% pure tung oil (NOT "tung oil finish", whihc has other varnish components) Cut with mineral spirit or turpentine proportion about 1:2 upt o about 50-/50. Pure gum turpentine is better than mineral spirits, overall, and contributes to the finish, mineral spirits will not.

For furniture you start with about 1:2 oil to thinner, and then add progressively richer proporiton oil coats. With a jo, it will be handled and the oil of your hands will keep the finish up with use, so I would only use one or two coats (two in my case), with nothing more than 50/50 mix, wet sand each coat after applying, and then dry buff with 000 or 0000 steel wool until the desired smoothness and grip/slip preference is obtained.

Have fun.

[bob_s]

Thanks again. So should I put some turpentine on a rag and just wipe down the jo, then let it dry and repeat?

[bob_s]

YAY!!!! I applied 2 applications of turpentine (apply light coat, let sit for 5 min, and wipe off excess, then sand with 0000 synthetic steel wool). Now my jo is super nice, not sticky and not slick. Thank you all for saving me $45!

[Janet Rosen]

Let's hear it for the collective brain working!

[Gonçalo Alves]

after sand the jo, you just have to do 1000 suburis. the jo gets the oil from your sweat and after some time it gets perfect!!

[Mato-san]

lol

[Mark Uttech]

Onegaishimasu. I have been fairly successful over the years with lightly sanding my wooden weapons and then rubbing plain vegetable oil on them. After that, the natural oil from my hands from constant use usually does the trick.

In gassho

Mark