Identifying wood and stock stypes
- Thread starter Duncan71
- Start date
If you showed pics of them it would be helpful. No 4 stocks and handguards were made in any of walnut, birch, beech, maple, and even laminates. It is tough to match up different woods. Once the rifle left the factory stocks and handguards were changed out with no consideration of matching woods. All stocks and handguards were interchangeable which is all that mattered in military service.
It depends as different woods react differently to the same stain. I've had some luck at matching up birch and walnut. Best bet is to match the handguards to the butt and forend as the handguards can be easily stripped and re-stained. An alcohol based brown leather dye is a good choice as it will penetrate residual oils in the wood that an oil or water based stain will not.
This is very much a matter of experimentation over time. Some pieces can never be color matched. As a start the existing finish and embedded oils should be removed by repetitive applications of a good stripper such as Minwax Antique Refinisher. Acetone and laquer thinner can also be used. Avoid the use of caustic strippers. Go easy on the sandpaper as nothing looks worse than an over-sanded stock. Dents and gouges can be steamed out or filled after a point where steaming no longer works.
This is very much a matter of experimentation over time. Some pieces can never be color matched. As a start the existing finish and embedded oils should be removed by repetitive applications of a good stripper such as Minwax Antique Refinisher. Acetone and laquer thinner can also be used. Avoid the use of caustic strippers. Go easy on the sandpaper as nothing looks worse than an over-sanded stock. Dents and gouges can be steamed out or filled after a point where steaming no longer works.
What Purple said 
Colour matching is an art, but it's fun. Best to start with wood types that are the same though. Use water-based stains. Or, I've been told that it's even better, dyes. Take your time to prepare the wood properly.
Colour matching is an art, but it's fun. Best to start with wood types that are the same though. Use water-based stains. Or, I've been told that it's even better, dyes. Take your time to prepare the wood properly.
