Anyone apply Tru oil with latex gloves?

[peacefullymadewarbows]

Like the title says. Have found applying tru oil with the fingers is the best route because of the dexterity and precision of spread but the residue on my fingers gets old. Do y’all think latex gloves would hurt the texture if I put those on while spreading? Thanks everyone.

[Rākau]

 If you quickly rinse your hands with a dash of kerosene or turps before washing them with normal dish soap then it will come off no worries.

[Pat B]

I use my finger.

[Pappy]

I also use my finger, residue on my fingers don't bother me.
 Pappy

[peacefullymadewarbows]

You think acetone would do the trick as well? I’m also slightly worried about absorption but I’m sure I’d have to do it everyday of my life for that to be an issue.

[Bayou Ben]

I use latex gloves when applying tru oil.  But most of the time I use a wiping rag.  I don't think it would leave a bad finish though if you wanted to wear gloves and apply with your fingers.

[PatM]

Tru-oil is carcinogenic.  Use a glove and a piece of lint free cloth if you value your health at all.

[Bayou Ben]

Tru-oil is carcinogenic.  Use a glove and a piece of lint free cloth if you value your health at all.

I didn't know that Pat, but I'm cautious of most things like this.  Is it the fumes,  contact with the skin, or both?

[High-Desert]

I use latex gloves every time I put on truoil. The only downside I have found is as it tracks up the gloves grip that area, so you have to keep a lot truoil on the gloves to keep it moving smoothing. The gloves gripping to the drier areas doesn’t hurt anything it’s just annoying.

[DLH]

The msds for this seems normal just mineral spirits linseed oil and a modified oil. I’ve seen a msds  of tru oil before that stated soya oil. I’m thinking the modified oil is soybean oil polymerized with Dicyclopentadiene that’s what gives it it’s unique smell. This makes a unsaturated polyester/alkyd that will air dry much better than linseed oil alone. You could also spray it if you have compressed air some people that do gunstocks do that and they look great.

[SLIMBOB]

I could never get it to look good with just my fingers. I use the tip of a rolled up cloth.

[Weylin]

Tru-oil is carcinogenic.  Use a glove and a piece of lint free cloth if you value your health at all.

I'm not doubting you, but do you have any references for that? I tried pretty hard to dig around and find info one way or the other about skin contact with tru oil because I apply it by hand pretty regularly.

[peacefullymadewarbows]

Thanks everyone. Quite the discussion. Have done two coats with bare fingers. Will try third with gloves and see how it compares. Yeah I know I am making an assumption about substances, but I've learned in school how easily chemicals can get absorbed even through thicker skin. So I was making the assumption on the safe side that Tru Oil probably does have some carcinogenic properties to it and wanted to compensate as such for future bows. Follow up question, What materials are lint free cloth? Because that also sounds like an easy alternative. Thanks again.

[PatM]

Tru-oil is carcinogenic.  Use a glove and a piece of lint free cloth if you value your health at all.

I'm not doubting you, but do you have any references for that? I tried pretty hard to dig around and find info one way or the other about skin contact with tru oil because I apply it by hand pretty regularly.

 You need to get a list of what's in it and then research those compounds.  The other problem is that people often use some sort of solvent to remove the sticky residue on their fingers which likely greatly enhances the absorption through the skin.

[peacefullymadewarbows]

That’s a good point PatM. The kerosene idea is nice in terms of removing residue but that’s another thing you probably don’t want habitually on your skin. I did coat 3 now with a latex glove and it went just as well as without so I think I will follow suit with that. Thanks again everyone. I would be interested to see the component chemicals of tru oil for health’s and curiosity’ sake.