I found a way that really works and gives that old been there done that milsurp look, but it takes time and a lot of patients. I use a warm raw linseed oil bath first, letting the stock sit in it for about an hour. The I pull it out, wipe it right down dry with a piece of denim, then leave it until it is absolutely dry (may take a day, may take a week). Then i apply the next coat. Very very sparingly wet your finger tips in Boiled linseed oil. Does not matter what type. I've done this with the cheap junk hardware store type too. Then you work it onto the surface forcing a tiny bit to cover as much area as you can. You will get a feel for how much to use. You do this until you have put an even later over the entire stock. If you've done it right there should be no excess to wipe off. Then you leave it for as long as it takes to DRY, not tack up. You repeat this until the look you want is achieved. You are not going to fill the grain this way but it will give it the look of an old linseed finish applied over years and years in a few weeks or months. Last one I did took about three months to do about 8-10 applications. It looks just like a seasoned finish just without the dirt.
