Topic: Oil before scuff sheet? (Read 596 times)

kancell10 · « **on:** February 12, 2025, 12:40:26 PM »

Hi guys,

I'd like to oil a naked bat before applying a scuff sheet and decals to give it a nice full coating and make my buttefly stained willow really pop ha ha!

Would that be ok or do you suspect the face and/or decals may come off it applied after oiling?

p.s. where do people normally way their bats, just on the back, not the face?

Chad · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2025, 03:32:45 PM »

You can wait a week after oiling if you desire - assuming you've not overoiled. I'd probably sticker before oiling personally, but if you have clear stickers and you want to oil before stickering for the aesthetic, recommendations would be...

Assuming you've got a polished bat:

Give the bat a very light sand on the face, edges and back with 240 grit. (You can go up to like 400 and above, but you're essentially burnishing the wood at this point, so oil doesn't seep into that surface layer as readily)
Make sure all the dust has been wiped off. The finer you sand, the more thorough you'll have to be with this
Thin layer of oil to face and edge, and leave for 1-2 days
Wipe the surface for any excess
Flip over and oil the back, and leave for 2 days
If you want another coat, then just repeat
You can run over with very fine sandpaper after
Dust it, then apply your stickers and scuff

Normally I oil before knocking, then scuff. Only times I've had issues with the scuff not sticking really is when I've went with too thick a coat of oil, or I've not removed the residue properly after sanding.

InternalTraining · « **Reply #2 on:** February 12, 2025, 07:55:43 PM »

People still oil bats?

whysoserious · « **Reply #3 on:** February 12, 2025, 08:06:03 PM »

I�ve not oiled any of my bats, just slapped a fiber sheet on. I did put bat wax on once but it gave it a horrible over oiled varnished look

Chad · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2025, 01:29:49 PM »

Quote from: InternalTraining on February 12, 2025, 07:55:43 PM

People still oil bats?

I'd still recommend it, helps protect them from the rain, and prevent too much moisture fluctuation. If you don't scuff sheet, definitely need a light coat for the face/edges every few weeks/month during a season!

kancell10 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2025, 02:46:32 PM »

Thanks Chad, good points also on the oil v wax... I've been unsure if there is a modern train of thought whether both are needed, or one is preferred. I'm assuming a linseed wax would behave similarly to an oil anyway and if using wax the guidance shared would be similar to lightly sand after waxing then applying stickers?

Author Topic: Oil before scuff sheet? (Read 596 times)

kancell10

Oil before scuff sheet?

Chad

Re: Oil before scuff sheet?

InternalTraining

Re: Oil before scuff sheet?

whysoserious

Re: Oil before scuff sheet?

Chad

Re: Oil before scuff sheet?

kancell10

Re: Oil before scuff sheet?