Maintaining the finish on a walnut stock with no sealer...oil finish?

Sun_and_Steel_77

Sun_and_Steel_77

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Not really sure I'm even using the correct terminology,I'm hoping some of you guys will give me some input on caring for the stock on my Kimber.

Most of my hunting rifles are synthetic stocked, the other ones like my Model Seven CDL or the Marlins have a coating like varathane or something, I think they are sealed or varnished, but the Kimber is definitely not. I just don't have much experience with wood in general.
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My Kimber never sees bad weather, but I want to make sure the stock doesn't dry out or crack on me. Obviously it's not the fanciest piece of lumber out there, but this is my favourite rifle and one of the things that appeal to me about this particular stock is that it is just dull or matte in appearance, I believe Kimber advertises it as a "hand-rubbed oil finish" or something.
What should I use to preserve the original look? How should I apply it?
This rifle will be handed down to my son, and I just want to know I did my part to make it last.
 
A light rub of paste wax gets rubbed into mine every now and then....keeps them water proof and buffing with a cloth takes some dirt and grime off. If the finsih gets damaged, then a light coat of some oil finish would be smart. I like "polymerized tung oil" from Lee Valley, also have a Min Wax "wiping " varnish that has worked well. A quick email to Kimber and ask them what type of finish is on there would allow you to pick a comparable one. The wax I use is also available at Lee Valley...Chaphams Beeswax Polish
 
I use Schaftol on my Voere Titan II and Steyr-Mannlicher Luxus, both of which came from the factory with oil finished stocks. I use "dark" and am quite happy with the product. Check out the "how to use link" on their website.
http://www.schaftol.de/English/english.html

Bits of Pieces in Delta stocks it.
 
1899 said:
I use Schaftol on my Voere Titan II and Steyr-Mannlicher Luxus, both of which came from the factory with oil finished stocks. I use "dark" and am quite happy with the product. Check out the "how to use link" on their website.
http://www.schaftol.de/English/english.html

Bits of Pieces in Delta stocks it.
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That sounds like a fine product. I still use double boiled linseed oil myself, despite newer "superior" products, but Schaftol might be worth a look. One thing they don't mention on the Schaftol website, is whether or not it should be applied to the inletted portion of the stock and/or to the barrel channel. I treat these areas of my wood stocked rifles to prevent moisture from penetrating the wood.

Another advantage of the wood stock is that dents can be raised with a wet cloth and an electric iron. Try that on a synthetic stock.
 
1899 said:
I use Schaftol on my Voere Titan II and Steyr-Mannlicher Luxus, both of which came from the factory with oil finished stocks. I use "dark" and am quite happy with the product. Check out the "how to use link" on their website.
http://www.schaftol.de/English/english.html

Bits of Pieces in Delta stocks it.
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Thanks to all for the good advice.
I believe I will follow-up on the schaftol lead, it looks like it was pretty much designed for this application.

I've had a rifle sitting at Bits of Pieces for well over a year now, if I pick up some of this schaftol next time I'm on the coast it would be a good excuse to bother Barry.
 
Boomer said:
One thing they don't mention on the Schaftol website, is whether or not it should be applied to the inletted portion of the stock and/or to the barrel channel. I treat these areas of my wood stocked rifles to prevent moisture from penetrating the wood.
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Boomer are you suggesting that the inlet and channel should be sealed with some kind of sealer like varathane or something or do you just use BLO?
 
Birchwood makes a gun wax that I have used and works great.
Shaftol leaves a great coat, but I haven't used enough of it to
build a great base.
The few samples I have been given at gun shows seem to dry up
or the wood eats it.
 
The optimum course of action would be to find out what Kimber used in the first place and use that. An oil finish is never finished. The old adage of the wood finishers of old was "once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year for ever after".

The proper way to apply a coat of oil for this process of ongoing finishing is to wipe on a reasonably generous amount without it becoming drippy. Let sit on the wood for a minute or two then buff off the excess vigorously with paper towels or a disposable rag. You do not want the oil to gum up on the surface of the wood. You only want to leave behind what is down in the pores of the grain.

I don't know what is in that Schaftol stuff but it bothers me that they want us to apply it every time the wood sees any sort of rain. That suggests to me that it's a non polymerizing oil like the original finish. Instead it remains as an oil which can be washed away by some rain. No thanks, I'll go for the stuff that properley dries and forms a water resistant film over something that simply makes the wood shiney. The advertising blurb on their web site makes me think it's similar to Ballistol.

My cowboy action shotgun sees rain on a regular basis given where I live. I finished the stock originally with a mix of boiled linseed and tung oil. I find that it protects the wood marvelously for about 6 to 8 months of regular use. Then when I notice that rain no longer beads up and runs off I recoat with some Lee Valley polymerized tung oil. That keeps it going for another 6 to 8 months in fine form. Mind you by this time a coat of good furniture paste wax would likely do fine for the water proofing as well. I must be up to a dozen oilings by now so the base film should be pretty tough.
 
Boomer said:
I didn't say that, I just pointed out that the manufacturer didn't mention it in his instructions for use.
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I understand that, that is why I said "might". I have been using it all over my rifles and never really thought about the possibility of it not being good for inletted parts.

BCRider - IMO if you have good qaulity wood and a proper finish, the pores of the wood should not be exposed. Schaftol does not just make the wood shiny - in fact it doesn't make it shiny at all. I find that water beads off my stock quite well after I apply it (I think it has a bit of silicone in it), and I certainly don't use it very often - maybe a few times per year. Won't a polymerized oil eventually soften wood?
 
Pure, unaltered, non polymerized Tung Oil (obtained by Lee Valley in my case) may be another option to consider. These are termed drying oils. Pure Lin seed oil may not fight off fungus as well as Tung. Also, pure oils do not include UV protection so if you like to keep your beautiful wood near a window most of the time you will get fading.

The drying process on pure oils takes a very long time. BC Rider is bang on with the old adage. Anything that tacks up or sets up over night is not.......pure oil. But what it does provide is a no build up finish which is easily maintained if you scratch it or find it a bit grimy over time.

So if you would like to remain old school.....consider the pure unaltered versions of these venerable oils. They work, and have worked for a thousand years or more. Ship builders must have had a use for these water resitant products I think. The only thing is that they require maintenance which is our labour of love for the beauty they bring out of real wood! And you have a beauty stock there to love.

Good luck.

Elky.....
 
1899 said:
Schaftol does not just make the wood shiny - in fact it doesn't make it shiny at all.
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That's a relief, for a moment there I was worried Schaftol would not be one to try.
In no way shape or form do I want a "shiny" or oily finish. The whole point of the exercise is to keep that matte factory look.
 
elkhuntr said:
Pure, unaltered, non polymerized Tung Oil (obtained by Lee Valley in my case) may be another option to consider. These are termed drying oils. Pure Lin seed oil may not fight off fungus as well as Tung. Also, pure oils do not include UV protection so if you like to keep your beautiful wood near a window most of the time you will get fading.

The drying process on pure oils takes a very long time. BC Rider is bang on with the old adage. Anything that tacks up or sets up over night is not.......pure oil. But what it does provide is a no build up finish which is easily maintained if you scratch it or find it a bit grimy over time.

So if you would like to remain old school.....consider the pure unaltered versions of these venerable oils. They work, and have worked for a thousand years or more. Ship builders must have had a use for these water resitant products I think. The only thing is that they require maintenance which is our labour of love for the beauty they bring out of real wood! And you have a beauty stock there to love.

Good luck.

Elky.....
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That was a good read Elky, thanks for that info and something to consider because at the end of hunting season I have all winter to work on the stock.
Sounds like how much you want out is how much care you want to put in, and now that I'm armed with some knowledge and advice from you guys I can proceed to give the stock the care it deserves.
I have been reading up a bit on Schaftol and it seems to have a good following. I think I will start the process there.
I plan on calling Kimber directly just out of curiosity, I'll post what they recommend for stock care.
 
Sun_and_Steel_77 said:
That's a relief, for a moment there I was worried Schaftol would not be one to try.
In no way shape or form do I want a "shiny" or oily finish. The whole point of the exercise is to keep that matte factory look.
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I will post a picture of my Steyr tonight - before and after I apply the Schaftol.
 
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