Finishing Boyd's walnut stock / M14

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NaviDave

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I have an unfinished stock from a few years ago. I have lightly sanded it (220, 400, 600 grit). I then removed the dust with a damp cloth and noticed that it darkened up nicely.

Here's the question. Should I stain with Birchwood Casey water based stain before Tru-oil or just skip the stain and start with Tru-oil?

Any finishing suggestions are appreciated - however I used Tru-oil on my R700 project and the end result was great.
 
I use Watco brand Danish oil in "walnut" color to refinish wood.

It takes a bit of time and takes forever to "cure", but the end result is worth it.

It is very similar to tru-oil finish.

Tru-oil will protect the wood and seal it up nicely, if you want a different color than what the try-oil will give you, then use the stain. If the tru-oil alone nets a pleasing color then I say skip the extra step!

John
 
NaviDave. Is your unfinished stock with or without metal? Reason I ask is I have one also that requires finishing and it is metal free. It's extra extra thick everywhere. It will require bedding for perfect fit. I just wonder if A person should bed the stock before staining it or a finishing oil?
John if you could chime in with your thoughts that would be appreciated
 
brutus460 said:
NaviDave. Is your unfinished stock with or without metal? Reason I ask is I have one also that requires finishing and it is metal free. It's extra extra thick everywhere. It will require bedding for perfect fit. I just wonder if A person should bed the stock before staining it or a finishing oil?
John if you could chime in with your thoughts that would be appreciated
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I'd bed it first if I had the choice.
 
I just stained it this evening with water-based stain). I won't apply Tru-oil to the inside at this point as I suspect it will need modification. Bedding is out of the budget for this project. I need 100-200 yards out of it max.

I have a donor M14 stock I am sending to John as well (move over the hardware among other things).
 
When I finish a stock I do a quasi finish sanding, to say 200 grit. Then stain, Then bed it. Then finish-finish it.

When I finish a walnut stock, I sand out the stock with 200gr. Then add danish oil, sanding it in with 200. I do that for 3-4 coats about 8-10 hrs apart. I then go to 400, sanding in the oil 4-6 coats, same time frame. Then finally 600 for the last 4 coats. This fills all the end grain in with small fine powder that is impregnated with the danish oil. It leaves a very nice smooth finish that appears like a matte varnish finish, a little gloss but very durable. The heat from sanding also helps the danish oil seep into all the pores of the wood.

All of the wood M14 pattern stocks I have bedded were finished before I bedded them. They all required refinishing after bedding, to some extent. I use methyl hydrate to remove the excess bedding compound from the bedding process, it also strips a bit of the oil finish off.

It's probably a good idea to fit the stock to the action before finishing. I find the Boyd's products generally need the front stock ferrule be moved back into the forend about 1/16" some a touch more. Minor fitting is pretty normal.

John
 
This is after 4 coats of Tru-oil. I sanded after the third coat and plan to thin the Tru-oil a bit with turpentine and apply 6 more coats (gently sanding in between with 400 grit).

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After the final coat - I will take the shine down a little with 0000 steel wool.
 

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I use marine grade linseed oil as it goes into the wood instead of staying on the surface, which is a requirement
in finishing boat hardwood guard rails.
 
I have two Boyd's M14 stocks in progress. In both of them, the barrel sits at an angle to the barrel channel. I've had to relieve the stock on one side of the receiver to be able to push it over parallel to the bore, and use some epoxy on the other side to hold it square.
 
For a dark walnut look the BC water stain followed by blo.

For light walnut look I use golden oak stain followed by tung oil
 
I might be the only one, but after 8 coats of tung oil I used Clapham's Beeswax Furniture Polish applied with 0000 steel wool. Took all the unwanted gloss right out of it. I don't presently have any good pictures.
 
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I have to say - tru-oil will not produce a matte or even satin finish.

0000 steel wool will reduce shine - but the finish will get cloudy (just a little). I ended up sanding with 800 grit after steel wool.

I am ok with a somewhat glossy finish. I am going to add one more thin coat (5th), let dry then rub with a microfibre cloth after a couple of days to see if that takes it down a notch.
 
Yail Bloor said:
I might be the only one, but after 8 coats of tung oil I used Clapham's Beeswax Furniture Polish applied with 0000 steel wool. Took all the unwanted gloss right out of it. I don't presently have any good pictures.
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Another option is to cut the oil you are using (be it tung, linseed or walnut) with pure turpentine and 100% beeswax (1/3 proportions). Soaks deep into the wood and produces a deep matt/satin finish.

Imho, trueoil doesn't belong anywhere near an M-14, but whatever turns your crank.
 
beltfed said:
Another option is to cut the oil you are using (be it tung, linseed or walnut) with pure turpentine and 100% beeswax (1/3 proportions). Soaks deep into the wood and produces a deep matt/satin finish.

Imho, trueoil doesn't belong anywhere near an M-14, but whatever turns your crank.
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Turpentine stinks like hell no matter where you work with it. I use PURE tung oil. Not the big box crap. First two coats are thinned 50/50 with citrus solvent. Smells good and cleans up well. After those set for a day between coats the tung oil is used straight. Very little goes a long way. Apply, wait fifteen minutes and wipe off the excess. Wait a day or so before the next coat(s) Tung oil does not 'dry' but oxidizes and penetrates the wood. As oxidation is constant do not keep oil soaked rags in a can or bag. Spontaneous combustion may occur. The finish is a nice matte and is easy to touch up if you bang the wood up during use.
 
Tung oil works best as mentioned above. If wood soaks in the oil it does not get the air needed to cure. That is the reason for wiping off any excess. A vacuum would remove the air and it will not work as it should. I have considered using a cabinet that could be oxygen enriched but that would probably not end well.

The three at the top are finished in pure tung oil (Lee Valley). The cinnamon laminate is out of the box Boyd's.
 
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I am going to order in some FFFF pumice and use that to take down the shine after it has cured for a month. I will form an opinion after that.

I have a Garand to finish at some point. Perhaps I will go more traditional with that project.
 
Yeah turpentine does stink, but so does any of the oils you're using.
It's also about the best compatible carrier to get the oil to soak deep into the wood, so there is that.
I too use non-polymerized oils, with tung being my preferred.
 
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