I have a Winchester 88 in .243 that I acquired about a year ago. It was repaired for a stock crack and had the wood refinished. The smith who did it did a great job, however, the stock is now overly shiny. It looks nice and all, but it doesn't look like a factory Model 88. I'd like to make it look as original as possible by dulling the shine a bit. Is there any way that I can dull the shine of this stock without taking it to a gunsmith or completely refinishing it again? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
How to take the sheen off a refinished stock?
- Thread starter lilsurfer
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I have used "Birchwood Casey stock sheen & conditioner" on stocks that I have finished with tru-oil. It has a pumice grit in it that cuts the shine when rubbed in with a coarse cloth. It works to cut the gloss on oil finished stocks, not sure about lacquer or varnish.
As just mentioned try 0000 steel wool, or rotton stone compound, anything with a fine grit just to take the sheen off. If you take to much, no worries a light coat of stock wax, or similar will probably give you the look you want.
I have refinished over a hundred stocks in my day it is not rocket science but like anything else there are tricks to it. So you dull it to much with the 4 zero wool all you will have done is cut the shine off the finish or taken it down to the wood in spots. Taking it down to the wood is okay as now you get to apply a finish of your choice. "Linspeed" was a good finish I used years ago with good results but it also hasn't been available in years that I've seen, it was a boiled Linseed oil based finish with dryers.
I have also used raw Tung oil with good results, in fact it is the finish I use on my own guns. It needs end of season touch ups as most oil finishs do but over time and years it builds to great lustre.
I have refinished over a hundred stocks in my day it is not rocket science but like anything else there are tricks to it. So you dull it to much with the 4 zero wool all you will have done is cut the shine off the finish or taken it down to the wood in spots. Taking it down to the wood is okay as now you get to apply a finish of your choice. "Linspeed" was a good finish I used years ago with good results but it also hasn't been available in years that I've seen, it was a boiled Linseed oil based finish with dryers.
I have also used raw Tung oil with good results, in fact it is the finish I use on my own guns. It needs end of season touch ups as most oil finishs do but over time and years it builds to great lustre.
