Raw linseed oil on a Gew 88/05 stock?
- Thread starter Silverplate
- Start date
Rifles built in Northern Europe tend to use Linseed Oil (flax oil) in one form or another. It was and remains a local material which works well both for restoring toughness to old wood AND (in its truly BOILED form) for FINISHING wood.
ALL British firearms have used Linseed Oil for centuries, as have German and other Continental weapons. If you buy the best German stock finish today (Schaftoel from Mauser-Werke), you re buying Linseed Oil with their proprietary red colouring.
TUNG oil, which the Americans prefer for their military stuff, is from Asia.
I have the remains here of what once was a French 1855 Musket. The wood was so dry that it was turning white and was VERY lightweight: not standard at all for what once was a very prime chunk of Walnut. I ripped it down to bare wood, slopped on the RAW Linseed Oil and watched it drink it all down. The end-grain of the Butt was so dry that the oil would be absorbed in the time it took to put more onto the sponge I was using! When it finally slowed down, the wood was darker and a lot heavier, so I gave it a coat of appropriate stain, wiped on and wiped off, more Raw linseed oil to get it into the wood, then finished off with just enough Double-Boiled Linseed Oil to bring up a glow.
It might not be original, but the materials were correct and it looks a lot better.
Next step is to electrolyse that rusted old bore and, if it comes up half as good as the last one I saw, it might be a shooter.
If I can shoot just ONE Dinosaur with it (waste to use a .75 on anything smaller!) I will regard the 100-buck Wallhanger to be fully PAID FOR.
ALL British firearms have used Linseed Oil for centuries, as have German and other Continental weapons. If you buy the best German stock finish today (Schaftoel from Mauser-Werke), you re buying Linseed Oil with their proprietary red colouring.
TUNG oil, which the Americans prefer for their military stuff, is from Asia.
I have the remains here of what once was a French 1855 Musket. The wood was so dry that it was turning white and was VERY lightweight: not standard at all for what once was a very prime chunk of Walnut. I ripped it down to bare wood, slopped on the RAW Linseed Oil and watched it drink it all down. The end-grain of the Butt was so dry that the oil would be absorbed in the time it took to put more onto the sponge I was using! When it finally slowed down, the wood was darker and a lot heavier, so I gave it a coat of appropriate stain, wiped on and wiped off, more Raw linseed oil to get it into the wood, then finished off with just enough Double-Boiled Linseed Oil to bring up a glow.
It might not be original, but the materials were correct and it looks a lot better.
Next step is to electrolyse that rusted old bore and, if it comes up half as good as the last one I saw, it might be a shooter.
If I can shoot just ONE Dinosaur with it (waste to use a .75 on anything smaller!) I will regard the 100-buck Wallhanger to be fully PAID FOR.
smellie
Raw linseed was the main oil used on American military firearms, tung oil was a substitute oil used from 1941 to 1945 (or until supplies were exhusted). I have M1, M14 and BAR manuals dated from 1979 that state only RAW linseed oil is to be used on wooden stocks. (NOT BOILED linseed oil in any form)
Linseed oil is amazing stuff. As Smellie said above, it can take a feather weight, dried up piece of wood and make it moist and very strong again.
I used linseed oil to bring back my 1861 snider that had a stock that was so dry it was literally weightless. I applied a dozen or so Coates over a 3-4 week period. The stock turned out nice and dark and it went from weighing nothing to being a nice heavy piece of walnut once again!!
I used linseed oil to bring back my 1861 snider that had a stock that was so dry it was literally weightless. I applied a dozen or so Coates over a 3-4 week period. The stock turned out nice and dark and it went from weighing nothing to being a nice heavy piece of walnut once again!!
Gonna go the other way here.
I've always used boiled linseed oil, with LOTS of rubbing. Raw, I'm told. won't dry and will remain sticky. Grizz
The Swiss used shellac on their rifles.
I would avoid the use of linseed oil, it is sticky in hot weather and is not water proof IMHO.
Read, "The Gunsmith of Grenville County", by Peter A. Alexander, chapter 35, Finishing the stock, page 333.
I would avoid the use of linseed oil, it is sticky in hot weather and is not water proof IMHO.
Read, "The Gunsmith of Grenville County", by Peter A. Alexander, chapter 35, Finishing the stock, page 333.
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"...Raw linseed oil..." Doesn't dry. Use BLO.
"...TUNG oil..." Much better protection. Dries to a hard waterproof finish when applied properly. Not the right finish for a GEW though. Does originally come from Asia, but the trees were imported and grown in the Southern States.
"...TUNG oil..." Much better protection. Dries to a hard waterproof finish when applied properly. Not the right finish for a GEW though. Does originally come from Asia, but the trees were imported and grown in the Southern States.
Actually RAW LINSEED OIL does dry but it takes several months for it to cure and as long as a year to fully dry.
