Stock Project - True Oil or Schaftol or both?

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wetcoaster

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I am about to start my first stock refinishing project on my husky and am debating on what product to use and would appreciate some advice. I hunt this rifle extensively and have worn the finish thin on the rifle. I have searched here and elsewhere on the internet and feel pretty confident in the stripping and prepping process however, I am currently debating on what finish to go with.

I am unsure what the original finish on the husky lightweight rifles was but am leaning toward an oil finish as the wood is really nice on the rifle. I have seen much written about true oil... little about schaftol. From what I have read Schaftol seems like a good product and is very simple to use but may not be as water resistant as true oil?

I welcome opinions and reccomendations on finishing this rifle and would especially like to hear from those who may have used schaftol. Is using schaftol and true oil in combination possible or advisable?
 
"...leaning toward an oil finish..." Yep. Oil finishes have the advantage that a bit more rubbed in makes any scratch go away. Polyurethane is ugly plastic, doesn't belong on fine wood stocks and there's no touching it up to remove scratches.
Never heard of Schaftol. However, a quick Net search says it gives a dark, flat finish. Has silicone and stain in it. If you want a dark, flat, finish, it'd be better than BLO(Boiled Linseed Oil). BLO is good(also a flat finish, seen on a lot of milsurps), but not a hard, waterproof, finish.
True oil is a blend of linseed and other oils. $18.30US per quart, It'll be around the same here. It'll do.
I like pure tung oil for rifle stocks, myself. Used for thousands of years on Oriental boats and on fine furniture. Properly rubbed in(use a clean lint free cloth and rub until the wood is warm to the touch), it gives a hard, waterproof, shiney, finish. Takes 5 days to get a nice sheen. One light coat rubbed in per day with 24 hours drying time between coats. The more you rub in, the shinier it gets. Brings the grain out really well too.
Pure tung oil can be found in any paint supply shop. Minwax is one brand name. Runs about $15 per litre, the last time I bought a litre (Schaftol runs $64.75 per litre from Bits of Pieces. The Canadian supplier.). A litre of tung oil goes a very long way. Don't buy Minwax Tung Oil Finish. Isn't the same thing.
Stain first(if you're using a stain. Wouldn't stain walnut, myself.), there's no staining or re-staining after the first coat is rubbed in.
 
I just finished my Savage 99 and Marlin 336 stocks with tung oil. Easy as pie. Just stripped, sanded and applied a coat of tung oil every 24 hours for 5 days. You just rub on with a lint free cloth and use ultra fine steel wool between coats to smooth out imferfections. Easy maintenance on worn spots by simply adding another coat when needed.

Good Luck!
 
I've been really pleased with my projects using Tru Oil but don't use the spray-on type, just the small bottle of liquid. No matter which finish you go with, patience is your friend; always let the coats full dry/cure before adding another coat and always use 0000 steel wool or similar between light coats. Try the Tru Oil, you won't be disappointed.
 
I've used True Oil with good results and I've also had good results with spray Varathane on a gun that I wanted a tougher finish on. It looks great but I can't say if it's any tougher....

kfn, I've not tried the spray True Oil but I do have a can that I was going to use on my next project. What is the problem with it?
 
If you use steel wool to rub out between coats degrease it in acetone or similar otherwise the layers won't bond well. You will be amazed at how much washes out of it.
 
I've been happy with tung oil. Usually I apply a coat or two of the oil diluted by 1/2 with mineral spirits. Once that's soaked in and dried hard, I wet sand in several coats (same diluted mixture) with increasingly fine sandpaper, finishing with 600, 800, or even finer grit, depending on the sort of final finish I want. Sandpaper with the grain using a small sanding block (not fingers) wherever you can. Leave the sanding sludge on the wood, and smear it gently across the grain before setting aside to dry. Remove the excess dried sludge with extra fine, non-oiled steel wool (with the grain) before applying the next coat After that, a number of coats of the same diluted mixture rubbed in by hand will produce a high gloss finish, if that's what you're after. Minor marks can be removed by hand rubbing in more oil, and deeper blemishes can be repaired starting with fine sandpaper and oil. Checkering is left 'til the end, cleaned up, and given a few coats of the diluted oil.
 
TwoTone said:
kfn, I've not tried the spray True Oil but I do have a can that I was going to use on my next project. What is the problem with it?
Click to expand...

My friend used it and he said the nozzle clogged up; it seemed the product was too thick for a spray can application.
 
Tru Oil

I went with Tru Oil for a Walnut 870 stock that was in rough shape. Easy to use, great result, with a finish choice between satin and high gloss. Nice product. Just remains to be seen how it wears with long time use.
 
I have done many euro guns in shaftol, I like it allot. In fact, when I get a scratch on many new euro rifles, a good rubbing with Shaftol minimizes the scratch. I do believe that many makers such as Merkel uses Shaftol as their finish product.

Shaftol when applied on a well sanded and hard stock and rubbed in in many, many "layers" will give a luster not found by other applications. A quick rub down after hunting with a very little Shaftol renews it for another season at least.

I also use and love Tru Oil and use it for mainly non-euro firearms (I dont know why - it just seems to "fit" better on domestics). I usually knock down the gloss of the Tru Oil after the final coat to give it a semi-gloss luster. I cut the Tru Oil with paint thinner about 25% to give it more control in application. I use as many coats as I can stand to do before I give up. Usually about 12-15. I do like the Tru Oil as well when a stock gets scratched as a little finger wipe or 3 of Tru Oil will blend in a scratch effectively.

With Shaftol - I have had the odd stock that due to the stock wood or pore size or whatever, the Shaftoil does not form the "hard finish" that many do with repeated rubbings. If that occurs and I want a hard finish - I use the True Oil over the Shaftol with great results.

Ian - were you referring to Tru Oil re the acetone rub down between coats?
 
Thanks everyone seems like there are many ways to skin the cat so to speak...

Sounds like true oil will go over the schaftol well if it is not building up or does not harden up...

I think I might try the schaftol with the tint in solution so I can get some colour as well and then possibly use true oil at the end should I feel I want to harden it up?

opinions on this plan are welcomed...

farshot or others I would appreciate if you could send or post some pics of stocks with true oil and schaftol as examples and would appreciate some advice on what tint of schaftol to use?
 
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