M1 Carbine stock refinishing

[Plink]

I've got an old M1 Carbine with a busted stock. Got a replacement, but it's been refinished.. poorly.......

What would you guys suggest is a good method of refinishing an M1 stock to make it come out the way it would have been issued in the 40's... ?

Links or whatever appreciated.....

 

[Wendell]

http://fulton-armory.com/

How should I refinish my M1 Garand Stock?
by Walt Kuleck

My CMP M1 stock has a few dings and is very sticky. What can I do to clean the stock? Do I sand it? What do I put on it after all is said and done?

The M1 Rifle was originally manufactured with one of two finishes: linseed oil or China/Tung oil. Towards the end of WWII the linseed oil was supplanted by Tung Oil, a finish which was used, I believe, during '50's production. Refinished stocks were, however, generally refinished with linseed oil.

In all cases the finished stock was simply dipped in a tank of linseed or Tung oil for a few minutes and then allowed to drain dry.

Stocks that come from the CMP, whether as parts or on a rifle, are often coated with that sticky goo called cosmoline. Even those that are not are likely to be oil soaked or stained in one area or another.

Here's what I do. To strip the old finish and remove oil & dirt, I use Easy-Off Oven Cleaner (the Heavy Duty variety). Spray it on, let it soak for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse off with very warm water while scrubbing with a Scotch-Brite pad. Usually one go with the EasyOff is sufficient, but I have had to repeat the treatment up to twice more.

When the stock has dried I follow up with a coat or two of Minwax Natural Stain (unless I'm getting creative) and finish with two or three coats of Minwax Tung Oil finish. Minwax Natural is clear; it simply seals the grain.

Except in extreme cases the strongest abrasive I will use is 00 steel wool. Usually a mild going-over with 00 before and after the first coat of Natural stain, then 0000 thereafter. I use my thumb to cover the cartouche and Proof stamp, in turn, to assure I don't further degrade it. I repeat the process with the Tung Oil; after buffing damp (10-15 minutes after application) with a balled-up nylon stocking or pantyhose (really!), allow drying for 24 hours then buff with 0000 steel wool. After the second coat, buff with 0000. After the last coat, buff with the stocking.

The result looks military but is more durable. I've done more than a dozen M1 and M14 stocks this way, with total satisfaction. If you're able to attend the OGCA shows (e-mail me if you wish to be sponsored as a guest), stop by the GCA booth. I generally have my CMP rifle and my wife's CMP rifle there, refinished with this method.

Works for me! But for God's sake, don't sand it!!!!

--Walt Kuleck

http://fulton-armory.com/

 

[purple]

I generally endorse what Kuleck says,except for the Easy-Off/water stripping.Easy-Off is a caustic agent.It and immersion in water are destructive to wood and should be avoided. Depending on what the current finish is, you can start by stripping with mineral spirits and the scotch brite pad.If you need to be a bit more aggressive to remove the old finish and embedded oil residue use Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher- a stripper available from CTire.Laquer thinner is even more aggressive,but will not harm the wood.After stripping you might need to steam up dents and/or fill gouges which cannot be removed by steaming.Gouges can be filled with a blend of sawdust and carpenters glue with the consistency of peanut butter. Depending on what the stock looks like after stripping and drying,you may wish to give it a brown/red stain to approximate the old military color.Test how it looks before staining by rubbing a bit of water on the stock. If you want to stain,use Fiebings leather dye-medium brown,an alcohol based stain which penetrates very well and will stain your filler as well. 24 hrs after staining,use 1 application of Minwax 209 clear stain to seal the wood and bring out the contrast in the grain.Let dry 24 hrs.Follow directions on the 209 and make sure you wipe the wood clean so that there is no stain left on top of the wood.2 coats on Minwax Tung Oil finish are good.Allow 24 hrs between coats and make sure that ,after application,you wipe the surface of the stock so that the finish is in the stock,not on the surface.You don't need to buff the stock with steel wool or whatever after the last coat has dried.You are looking for a dull military sheen,not a glossy civvie sporter appearance.Good luck.

 

[Plink]

Thanks guys. The stock has been done in a "civvie sporter" look and I want to take it completely down and re-stain it in a military finish.

So the leather dye is pretty close to the original military colours I take it.

 

[purple]

You will find variations of color in a 50-60 yr old US GI walnut stock.Birch stocks are another case entirely.The reddish appearance in old stocks is due to oxidized oils in the wood(both linseed/tung oil) from the original finish plus yrs of smears with both linseed and weapons oil.I've re-done quite a number of stocks using the method I described and I've never been disappointed.I use all of the light,medium and dark brown Fiebings leather stains and find the medium a good compromise.The more of this you do the more you learn and one can thin stain with alcohol or mix stains as necessary.I'm currently in the process of doing a Garand stock and matching handguards which is a very light,almost blonde color.I used 2 applications of Fiebings dark brown on this followed by the Minwax 209 clear stain and got a very nice result with all 3 pcs matching and a rich reddish brown with a good contrast in the grain.Avoid the water based stains.Also do very little sanding.Scraping with a sharp blade will smooth out irregularities quite nicely.Remember that a used stock is never pristine, so the odd minor dent and ding is expected.For example on the Garand stocks,many will carry the impressions of bullet tips where the troops pressed the en block clips against the stock to ensure that all rounds were seated in the clip prior to loading the clip.These maintain the true character of the stock.If you want to remove all of these you will remove too much wood.Filling and staining works better for deep gouges that cannot be steamed up.