Shotgun stock refinishing
- Thread starter kdrees
- Start date
i used varathane varnish in a spray can, semi gloss, but it scratches a bit easy. tung oil from the walmart put a finish on it, when dropped, it still wont scratch. but i stained it with minwax chestnut stain first, gave mine a great "ole gun" look.
Strip the old finish from the stock with a good furniture stripper and coarse steel wool - finish with 000 steel wool. Avoid sandpaper if possible
- Apply a good stain. My favorite being Flecto X3-D in a Danish Walnut.
- When the stain has dried proceed with doing three or four coats of Birchwood Casey Tru - Oil. Lightly sand the stock with 0000 steel wool between coats with final sanding determined by how glossy you want the stock to be.
I've done quite a few stocks both rifle and shotgun and have had good success with the stain and oil approach.
- Apply a good stain. My favorite being Flecto X3-D in a Danish Walnut.
- When the stain has dried proceed with doing three or four coats of Birchwood Casey Tru - Oil. Lightly sand the stock with 0000 steel wool between coats with final sanding determined by how glossy you want the stock to be.
I've done quite a few stocks both rifle and shotgun and have had good success with the stain and oil approach.
Use Circa 1850 for stripping varnish or Easy-Off Oven Cleaner if it has an oil finish such as miltary stocks. Just rinse with warm water after applying ( 10 minutes) and dry quickly with paper towels. Let the stock dry and do finishing with medium and then fine steel wool. Use Tung oil with a sponge brush. Let dry and put on 2-3 coats of oil. You'll have a beautiful stock. If you need better details, PM me.
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If you decide to use linseed oil, make sure you use boiled oil, not raw. Raw will take forever to dry. You could also mix it with a mineral spirits to 2:1 to help in soak in.
On my last one I used 3-4 coats of tung oil and a light coat of paste wax on top. Came out great.
On my last one I used 3-4 coats of tung oil and a light coat of paste wax on top. Came out great.
I use Watco , an oil varnish mixture. Wipe on the first coat, leave for 10 to 15 minutes then wipe off. After surface has dried give a second coat. usually i let this dry for a few hours then rub with an old wool sock. Next day repeat the process. If one coat is allowed to dry to much before wiping there will be a sticky surface, however applying a fresh coat will disolve this and allow it to be removed easily. Be sure to quickly wipe off the final coat and then it will leave a nice hard dry finish.Using the wool sock to polish it gives a nice glow that is not shiney like pure varnish or plastic finish.
This oil penetrates fairly deeply and so the finish is actually in the wood as well as on the surface. One rifle stock I made was later cut back and I was very pleased with how deeply the finish had penetrated.
An added bonus for using this is that should the gun get scratced all that is needed to bring it back is to apply another coat. If a deep scratch then sand the affected area back and give it 2 or 3 coats.
This oil penetrates fairly deeply and so the finish is actually in the wood as well as on the surface. One rifle stock I made was later cut back and I was very pleased with how deeply the finish had penetrated.
An added bonus for using this is that should the gun get scratced all that is needed to bring it back is to apply another coat. If a deep scratch then sand the affected area back and give it 2 or 3 coats.
One more thin g. If the actual wood is in good shape and only the outer finish needs touching up I use acetone to get the old varnish off. Rub it on with a cloth, let set for a few minutes and then rub with one of those plastic pot scubers that look like steel wool. After the outer layer is off then very lightly sand with extra fine steel wool. This will retain the original stain plus maintain the dimensions of the stock. Too agressive sanding will mean the wood to metal or wood to butt stock fit will not match. This has woirked well on Remington and older Browning finishes. Four or five coats of oil will complete the job.
