Linseed or Tung oil? Lee Enfield no.4 mk1
- Thread starter TransAm1991
- Start date
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
So, when i ordered all these parts, the lower handguard is 'new'.
The front upper is 'new', and the rear upper is 'gently used'.
The stock was probably used in the D-day attack, as the dings, and dents make it look, not bad, but still, not great.
I did the ultimated 'evil' thing to a milsurp and hit it with some 180 grit paper, I know, horrible.
But if you seen it, it was just that bad.
The front parts all seem to match up, and I'm sure they're all walnut.
The stock seems darker, but I think it's walnut, it's not much darker, but if I notice it, I'm sure you lot will..
The front upper is 'new', and the rear upper is 'gently used'.
The stock was probably used in the D-day attack, as the dings, and dents make it look, not bad, but still, not great.
I did the ultimated 'evil' thing to a milsurp and hit it with some 180 grit paper, I know, horrible.
But if you seen it, it was just that bad.
The front parts all seem to match up, and I'm sure they're all walnut.
The stock seems darker, but I think it's walnut, it's not much darker, but if I notice it, I'm sure you lot will..
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
gloves.......
oh my, how... girley
now if your using other chemicals gloves are good but BLO not an issue
(I've had some nasty chemical things absorb thru my skin
)
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
Ugh, I'm gonna get flamed for this.
Ugh, I'm gonna get flamed for this.
LET THE ROAST BEGIN
.......Is that lemonade next to your Enfield ....Girlie indeed Where's the single malt?
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
LET THE ROAST BEGIN
It certainly is!
So refreshing, yet so light..
So whats with the butt stock being darker? Did I fail?
To be truthfull it is actually my pops rifle. I am just the one that has always cared for and used it. I have only used it in the woods as well, and it has seen numerous rain and snow storms. It has held up very well, but I keep oil soaked rags with me in the bush and clean constantly, especially with my(pops) lee.
Linseed oil finishes tend to soak in more than build up. So if the stock is a darker colour then it's more than likely due to handling in the past history embedding hand oils, greases and dirt into the pores of the wood. But that's all just part of the rifle's history. If it bothers you then wash out out with something like Varsol or low odor paint thinner (AKA mineral spirits), let dry and then begin with the BLO.
Long time wood workers that do BLO finishes have a little creedo they live by. To properly oil (with BLO) finish an item it's apply, soak and wipe away one coat a week for a month. Then one coat a month for a year. Then one coat a year for the rest of forever.
Once the summer comes along setting the freshly oiled stock out in the direct sun to "bake" from the warmth and UV speeds up the otherwise very slow polymerization process (drying) of the oil a LOT. Otherwise it's a slow go with modern BLO taking about a week to even half way polymerize courtesy of the drying additives used in modern BLO. This is because it's not actually boiled any more like it was back in the days of yore. Boiling linseed oil was a highly dangerous process.
Long time wood workers that do BLO finishes have a little creedo they live by. To properly oil (with BLO) finish an item it's apply, soak and wipe away one coat a week for a month. Then one coat a month for a year. Then one coat a year for the rest of forever.
Once the summer comes along setting the freshly oiled stock out in the direct sun to "bake" from the warmth and UV speeds up the otherwise very slow polymerization process (drying) of the oil a LOT. Otherwise it's a slow go with modern BLO taking about a week to even half way polymerize courtesy of the drying additives used in modern BLO. This is because it's not actually boiled any more like it was back in the days of yore. Boiling linseed oil was a highly dangerous process.
I'm not a wood expert by any means, but that looks like a walnut butt and beech/birch forward stocks.....look on EE I saw a guy selling enfield butt stocks for $25, I'm sure one of the many he offered would be a match or alot closer to your fore stocks.
P.S. {yet so light} with all that sugar?.....what's next cosmopolitans?
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
I'm not a wood expert by any means, but that looks like a walnut butt and beech/birch forward stocks.....look on EE I saw a guy selling enfield butt stocks for $25, I'm sure one of the many he offered would be a match or alot closer to your fore stocks.
P.S. {yet so light} with all that sugar?.....what's next cosmopolitans?
Naaa, I'm going to jump right and and switch to daquiries!
The weird thing is, the furniture up front was different colours in the beginning too, I'm wondering if I apply more coats to the front, maybe then I'll be able to even them up.
No harm in trying. You might end up more $ in time and materials trying to match the wood colour than $25 and match the buttstock to the fore wood though. my .02
If you promise not to tell anyone......I'd tell ya I've had a daquirie and liked it!!.............But then I'd be lying to you
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
Who can guess what I used?
And it isn't stain.
And it isn't stain.
Wow...... NICE!!!!! you didn't rub that f@$king lemonade into that wood did you
Coffee?....Earl Gray?......Do tell! Not petroleum base....Please God, anything but petroleum base oil
NICE!!!!! you didn't rub that f@$king lemonade into that wood did youCoffee?....Earl Gray?......Do tell! Not petroleum base....Please God, anything but petroleum base oil
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
Wow......
Coffee?....Earl Gray?......Do tell! Not petroleum base....Please God, anything but petroleum base oil
Fine.. I'll share..
Leather dye.. (alcohol based)
Medium brown
$8 for a bottle and about.. 5 minutes of work.
Linseed oil only takes forever and a day to dry if it hasn't been BOILED.
That's why it's called BOILED Linseed Oil.
The stuff they sell you at the hardware store as "Boiled Linseed Oil" usually has not been boiled; it has been treated chemically to MIMIC boiled oil.... for the purposes of paint. Walnut and paint are two very different things.
The British did their stocks at the factory, of course, starting with wood which generally had been kiln-dried. Remember, better than 90% of all production was wartime AND rushed. Ever since the end of the Civil War and the Restoration (1660) the British Gummint (i.e. Parliament) has kept the Army as poor as possible because they don't want another military dictator such as Cromwell. So the Army gets equipment generally AFTER they NEED it.
So stocks were kiln-dried and submerged in BOILED Linseed Oil for about 24 hours, them removed, wiped down and allowed to dry. If the stuff is properly BOILED, it then sets up fairly nicely in a couple of days. It ALSO soaks INTO the wood and replaces some of the natural moisture which the kiln-drying process boiled OUT. The stock actually gets STRONGER as it ages. The rifle was assembled, given a final wipe-over with BLO and stood on a rack for shipping.
If you want the stuff to dry quicker, you add a little bit of JAPAN DRYER to it and stir. Local paint store might not have Japan Dryer, but any artists' supply has it, also artists' grade BOILED Linseed Oil.
There is a product called Double-Boiled Linseed Oil, also. Dries fast and soaks in well. I'm just worried a bit that it might dry TOO fast for the good of the wood. I have used it on couple of stocks recently and it looks okay.
YES, do dispose of rags used for this process by getting them out of the house. The stuff stinks and the vapour is flammable to the point of being mildly explosive. Thou shalt not light matches in its presence. You can store your rags indoors if you have a SEALED metal container of some sort; otherwise, chuck 'em out right away.
How does it stand up in dampness?
Ever seen a photograph of Passchendaele?
The rifles stood up pretty darned well, I would call it.
Hope this helps.
.
That's why it's called BOILED Linseed Oil.
The stuff they sell you at the hardware store as "Boiled Linseed Oil" usually has not been boiled; it has been treated chemically to MIMIC boiled oil.... for the purposes of paint. Walnut and paint are two very different things.
The British did their stocks at the factory, of course, starting with wood which generally had been kiln-dried. Remember, better than 90% of all production was wartime AND rushed. Ever since the end of the Civil War and the Restoration (1660) the British Gummint (i.e. Parliament) has kept the Army as poor as possible because they don't want another military dictator such as Cromwell. So the Army gets equipment generally AFTER they NEED it.
So stocks were kiln-dried and submerged in BOILED Linseed Oil for about 24 hours, them removed, wiped down and allowed to dry. If the stuff is properly BOILED, it then sets up fairly nicely in a couple of days. It ALSO soaks INTO the wood and replaces some of the natural moisture which the kiln-drying process boiled OUT. The stock actually gets STRONGER as it ages. The rifle was assembled, given a final wipe-over with BLO and stood on a rack for shipping.
If you want the stuff to dry quicker, you add a little bit of JAPAN DRYER to it and stir. Local paint store might not have Japan Dryer, but any artists' supply has it, also artists' grade BOILED Linseed Oil.
There is a product called Double-Boiled Linseed Oil, also. Dries fast and soaks in well. I'm just worried a bit that it might dry TOO fast for the good of the wood. I have used it on couple of stocks recently and it looks okay.
YES, do dispose of rags used for this process by getting them out of the house. The stuff stinks and the vapour is flammable to the point of being mildly explosive. Thou shalt not light matches in its presence. You can store your rags indoors if you have a SEALED metal container of some sort; otherwise, chuck 'em out right away.
How does it stand up in dampness?
Ever seen a photograph of Passchendaele?
The rifles stood up pretty darned well, I would call it.
Hope this helps.
.
Leather Dye!.....You sir are Brilliant!! That is a perfect match. I keep scrolling back to the pic as I'm typing this and I just can't believe how well that worked!! I would recommend BLO topper to seal in all that lovely tone and give that fine rifle the sheen it deserves.....Wow that is just fantastic.....maybe there's something to that girly lemonade after all
