Finally, an EAL rifle...

[woodchopper]

thanks Lou , should I also work the linseed oil in with steel wool?

no just rub it in with a rag.

also note cotton and BLO can react and spontaneously combust so dispose of the used rags in a fire proof container.

 

[flashman2]

no just rub it in with a rag.

also note cotton and BLO can react and spontaneously combust so dispose of the used rags in a fire proof container.

I just burn them as soon as I'm done... a rag soaked in linseed goes up pretty quick. No worrying about it that way.

 

[flashman2]

thanks Lou , should I also work the linseed oil in with steel wool?

Put on a thick first coat (like sloppy wet thick) and let it sit for a half hour, then wipe it all off with a rag. You can thin the first coat 50/50 with turpentine for better penetration. Warming the mixture up will help with penetration too. Get it all over including (especially) the milled inside of the stock and on the end grain. It'll take forever to dry. Depending on temp and humidity wait about a week to a month before each subsequent coat. Stop when you're happy. It will definitely not be glossy. The only sandpaper possibly required is if the stripping raises any grain, then you want to JUST knock the fuzz off. Gently gently and don't round off the edges.

An oil sanded finish is a different process entirely, and results in sealed grain and gloss. Much much more labour intensive and not really appropriate for an EAL.

Technically it should be straight linseed oil as Lou says, not BLO with dryers added. Whether or not EAL used BLO or linseed oil or what I suspect is lost to the mists of time, but the military LE wood finish was regular old linseed oil.

 

[ben walker]

thanks for the info and will proceed as recommended