OK, I am going to offer different advice because of over 40 years of using Tru Oil on literally thousands of stocks, though most of them were modern stocks - done while I was on Active Duty. Yes, we used steel wool between coats on most of those stocks and that showed the problems with using steel wool.
PLEASE DO NOT USE STEEL WOOL to "knock off the Tru Oil shine" and ESPECIALLY if you are going to put another or more coats of oil on the stock after you do so. ALSO, there is NO NEED to put a different Oil over the Tru Oil to get a superb "traditional" look.
The reason I most strongly advise against steel wool to abrade/smooth the finish between coats is there are WAY too many times you find a steel wool "hair" or hairs stuck in your finish down two or more coats in the finish and you don't realize it till later on. There is no resort other than abrade the finish back down to get rid of the steel wool hair/hairs and that is a real PITA. For decades, we had no choice other than to use steel wool between coats or as a way to level and polish the surface of the last coat of oil, outside a Rottenstone or Pumice Polish and those are tricky and messy.
FORTUNATELY there is a superb alternative to Steel Wool for these uses and that is modern Abrasive Pads, similar to Scotch Brite Pads though MUCH finer. You can find the GRAY and WHITE Pads at most "Big Box" Hardware stores in the Paint Section. The Gray Pad is supposed to equal OOO Steel Wool and the White Pad is supposed to equal 0000 Steel Wool, though BOTH give a finer/smoother finish than Steel Wool in those respective grades.
I use the Gray Pads between coats as it does enough smoothing for the next coat AND most importantly, you just wipe off, air blow off or use a vacuum to get rid of the residue. I can't say it is impossible that you would never wind up with the residue in the oil (as is way TOO easy to do with steel wool) but it is Much, MUCH easier to ensure all the residue is gone than Steel Wool, between coats and after the final coat. Personally, I also use the Gray Pad as the final surface smoothing/polishing on the last coat of oil and then "Rub the Dickens" out of the finish with a Terry Cloth Hand Towel or Dish Washing Cloth. This gives that mellow, warm traditional oil look.
I only use the White Pad as a final polish, IF I want a shiny finish when I'm done. However, many folks and especially muzzle loaders don't like that shiny of finish. So I rarely use the White Pad unless I want the oil finish to look like glass and that is not very often.
I have found as little as 2 to 3 coats of Tru Oil rubbed with the Gray Pad looks like a stock a G.I. hand rubbed and handled often. Add a few more coats, up to 6 or 7, to get a deeper glow and just stop when you get to the point you like after rubbing the dickens out of the final coat with the terrycloth.
Hope this helps.
Gus
