Stock re-finishing. Need advice

Bigbubba

Bigbubba

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
317   0   0
Location
SW Ontario
Hi. So I have a 40-50 yr old rifle and I want to refinish the stock.
I have it all apart down to bare wood, planning to strip the old finish off shortly.

What I want to know is what is a good way to refinish it?
I have read about tung oil, tru-oil, boiled linseed oil. I have watched You tube videos on all 3.
It seems to be the Chevy-Ford debate all over again.

So has anyone got any experience they want to share to help me make up my mind?
Not looking for something that will give it the "Weatherby deluxe" shine, more of a flat finish I think
I just want it to look decent and be able to withstand some wet weather if I take it deer hunting
Thanks
 
Cheap easy effective and flat lol that sounds like my ex gf anyway use min wax wipe on poly satin finish. Just clean up the wood Degrease it and wipe on. Slightly buff after 3-4 hours and reapply. I do 3-4 coats. Shows natural grains and works quite well in rain and snow. It is not shiny at all. The gloss finish gives a nice gentle sheen however
 
Lacquer is very reliable on guns.
This finish is still used today very easy and tough,and easy to repair. Laquer is what the mud finish is on new cz's, as well as many others.


R
 
Either Tung oil or the BLO are equally good in my mind, sometimes fellas will use one or the other to be period correct when restoring a rifle, but the end result is a nice durable finish that protects the wood.
 
The "Weatherby deluxe" shine is done with polyurethane. Polyurethane is plastic. Doesn't come off easily and really doesn't belong on nice stock wood.
A great deal depends on the rifle and the stock wood. Best to read any wood finishing book. Same techniques are used on firearm stock that are used on fine furniture. Which you use depends on how much time you want to spend on it.
Pure Tung oil(Not Minwax tung oil finish. Minwax pure tung oil. Ain't cheap at close to $20 per litre. a litre goes a very long way though.) gives a hard, waterproof, shiney, finish that brings out the grain of the wood really nicely. Must be rubbed in(to friction warm to the touch. Requires patience.), over several days, using thin coats and a clean, lint free, cloth every day. With 24 hour's drying time between coats. No staining after the first coat. No waxing or anything is required after applying tung oil. As with any oil finish, a subsequent scratch gets fixed by rubbing in a bit more oil. The more oil you rub in the shinier the result.
Tru-oil is a commercial blend of tung oil and other oils with a drying chemical. Applied as per direction on the bottle.
Boiled linseed oil(aka BLO) is made from flax plants and is a quick stock preservative used mostly on military rifles. Doesn't work as well as tung oil. Gives the flat finish you don't want.
 
Google how to "sand in" an oil finish. I practised on a couple cheap guns this winter with tru-oil. Turned out pretty good.leaves a nice satin finish, not too shiny. Easy to do,takes some time though.
 
For home maintenance you can't beat an oil finish. For wet weather resistance I suggest tung oil over BLO. Tru-Oil is one of the proven classics but I've never found any here. Mind you I never really went looking seriously either. For me the oil of choice has been and continues to be Lee Valley's Polymerized Tung Oil.

To better seal the wood grain the sanded in finish also seems like a good way to go. I've never tried it but the video I saw made it look good. For looks I prefer a non filled finish. But for weather resistance sealing off the open pores of the wood's capillary tubes is important. And that's where a filler or sanded in finish can really help.

Remember that part of the magic of an oil finish is the ease it can be repaired. But this also means that it wears more rapidly. My oil finished cowboy action guns see more than their share of wet weather and use. Typically I find I need to re-coat about once ever 9 to 10 months to restore the ability of the finish to bead up and run away rain water. This takes no more than a little oil rubbed on with a small wad of extra fine steel wool followed by a brisk rub down with a couple of paper towels to remove the excess and just leave a fresh new shine to the surface.

BLO and PTO can both heat up and start a fire in the oil soaked waste rags.

DO NOT BUNDLE THEM UP FOR DISPOSAL WHILE WET ! ! ! ! ! !

Instead lay the paper towels or rags out for a couple of days until they dry. Once they are crusty to the touch then they are safe. I just about had a house fire here when a helpful OCD buddy put all the oily rub down rags from a gun cart into a plastic bag and set it outside the basement door. The bag burst into flame about 2 hours later.
 
I have finished 7 old gun stocks, and my goal has always been to enhance the wood, even the plain Grade I stuff. If you plan on the gun living outside (lots of hunting in all sorts of weather) then I would recommend a durable poly finish (choose your gloss than go for it). The high gloss thick glassy stuff that Browning puts on their Citori's is also nice, durable, and it can be replicated using bartop varnish with polishing and sanding between the coats.
If, on the other hand, the gun will be one you show your friends and shoot in "generally" fair weather, then I would go with a traditional oil finish. All mine that have been refinished are done in traditional oil finishes. Different products can go from that flat "euro" finish, all the way to a beautiful gloss. I find oil is the only thing that can get you that true "3D" figuring ion the wood.
I have posted , coincidentally, a sample in this forum a few days ago , "winchester pre-64 refinish" . I buy a small can of pure tung oil from Lee Valley for 15 bucks, and its enough to go on forever. Pure tung oil gives you a flat finish, polymerized (heated) tung oil gives you a glossy finish that you can vary by the number of layers you put on. Boiled linseed oil is in the middle of the two.
Oil is rubbed on , then wiped off after a few minutes. I sand in the finish until i get to the last 4 or 5 coats. The results are simply gorgeous. I prefer polymerized tung oil (also from Lee Valley) over plain unheated tung oil and boiled linseed oil. I have found that BLO can take days to dry, whereas tung in either case is never more than a day, and sometimes a few hours. There is no skill involved (believe me,, because i haven't any).
DOnt confuse tung oil bought at the box stores for the real mccoy -- they are apples and oranges.

Once you use oil , you wont go back. If you look at the high end custom guys, they all use BLO and tung.
 
I like an oil finish but wanted something with a bit better water resistance. I used Spar Helmsman, satin, and I wet-sanded it in just like you would an oil finish. I cut it with mineral spirits. The final coat I just simply rubbed in.
 
If you use Tung Oil or BLO you may be old and grey before they actually dry. kiki231 seems to have had better luck than I have. A friend refinished a stock with tung from LV and I could smell it as soon as he walked in the door, not dry several days after. If you use these you need to add Japan Drier or the like. There are a number of European finishes which are linseed oil based and will dry overnight so you can actually sand them. Kunos sealer is one that works well. Any production gun is done in a finish that cures in hours no matter what it is. Can you imagine a warehouse full of stocks waiting for straight BLO to cure, and the money to keep them there, ya right!! Your nose is a good way to determine if a finish is dry or not. I have some unused #4 furniture from the 40's and that linseed oil is as dry as it gets but it did have 75 years to do it.
 
Thanks guys

Yes Kiki, I saw your post - nice pre 64 Winchester you finished up there.

That's what I am hoping for (this is an old Mohawk 600)
 
looch said:
I like an oil finish but wanted something with a bit better water resistance. I used Spar Helmsman, satin, and I wet-sanded it in just like you would an oil finish. I cut it with mineral spirits. The final coat I just simply rubbed in.
Click to expand...

^^ this. I've used Helsman Spar on one of my rifles. 10+ coats, grain is filled and the final finish really brought out the grain. It's used on wood boat decks and remains flexible. I don't want any moisture interfering with my wood rifle stocks so decided on this and was pleasantly surprised.
 
A post on a woodworking forum advises that Pure Tung Oil takes several days to dry. BLO about 3 days. My experience with a BLO based oil stain is that 48-72 hours is about the time it takes for it to dry. In fact instructions on the can advise to leave it dry 72 hours before applying varnish, shellac, etc. I have not used Pure Tung Oil. With Polmerized Tung Oil, I leave the first 1 or 2 coats 48 hours to dry. After that, subsequent coats are dry in 24 hours or less. It does depend on how thick a coat is applied. In fact, I just checked a project where I applied Polmerized Tung Oil about 5 hours ago and it is dry to touch and the temperature in the room is no more than 15C;- but this is about the 12th coat.
 
Over and over again, one gets all sorts of advice, both good and bad. Oil finishes are seem on many premium firearms and yes, many mil guns have an oil finish of some sorts. Mine (and I have done many dozens of guns, both comm and mil) have been with a mixture of turps and boiled linseed oil (about 5o/50) which not only soak well into the wood, but depending on the finish, can be anywhere from satin to high gloss, depending on the amount used and hand rubbing involved. The one draw back is the time required to obtain the finish, as each application needs to soak into the wood and dry somewhat and the darkening of the wood as the oil soaks into the grain. However, not only is the grain greatly enhanced but the finish is very durable, weather proof and easily maintained. Older rifles (some of mine are 100 plus) require this finish to prevent the wood from becoming so dry, it may split. Using comm finishes, like varnish and what have you, are quick and easy, but do not have the ability to maintain the wood like an oil finish does. Want to see what I mean: just take a small piece of walnut, and do half with BLO and the other with your comm finish and compare. A week or a bit longer for the BLO to finally saturate the wood and allow you to either gloss it or leave a satin finish.
 
I must admit I have not tried the Polmerized Tung Oil, I will get a can from LV. Speaking about True Oil, I did a Marlin of mine about 5 years ago and it looked like the 94 that kiki did. I don't shoot it much but looking at it recently it looks like the finish has shrunk and the undulations of the grain are printing through now. Not Good.
 
There was an article in the 2001 Gun Digest entitled "The Lemon Meringue Stock". I have used it on a couple of stocks and it gives a nice matte oil finish. I probably have a photocopy of the article at home. Don't have that particular version of Gun Digest.

For an oil I use the "Tried and True Original Wood Finish" from Lee Valley Tools. I would guess (because I don't know for certain) that it is exactly the same or at least, extremely close, to the oil that was used on the Pre64 M70. I base this on the results I've seen using this on M70 stocks to touch them up and to finish other stocks.

I found a forum where the process was detailed. I corrected the spelling mistakes lest my good name be ruined:

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/finishes-refinishing/47736-lemon-meringue-stock.html

Materials: wet or dry papers in 400, 600, 800, 1000; one lemon, one egg, clear surgical rubbing alcohol, a small bottle of artistic grade linseed oil and a large rubber eraser to use as backing.

1. polish stock with 400 grit
2. after polishing liberally coat with lemon juice
3. after lemon juice is absorbed comes surgical
alcohol, about 5 passes with cotton wool
4. Next need to fill the pores. rubb eggwhite
into stock by hand. Once dry, rub down to
bare wood with 400 grit
5. apply alcohol to stock, let it dry and put on
more eggwhite. Repeat routine untill most of
the pores are filled in.
6. start with 400 grit untill all traces of egg-
white are gone. go on to 600 and always use
eraser backing. move onto 800. Move on to
1000. When done take some used 1000 and
polish again.
7. now hand rub thin coats of linseed oil. If any
oil on the surface wipe off with clean cotton
rag. average density walnut stock will take
about six coats.
8. time for automotive rubbing compound. finest
grit body and paint shops use to finish cars.
make sure compound is not combined with wax.
apply it thinly over stock and let dry. polish
gently with a leather chamois.
9. next comes beeswax polish. if you can't find
it, you can make it. Need 1 block of real
beeswax, about the size of a shotgun shell.
shred it on a cheese grater and drop it into a
jar with four spoonfuls of real turpentine
( the stuff the comes from pine resin, not
synthetic). the was will melt in the turpentine
10. spread a little paste on stock with clean
Cloth and leave to dry for hour or so. once
dry rub well with a leather chamois.
 
Last edited:
BigUglyMan said:
There was an article in the 2001 Gun Digest entitled "The Lemon Meringue Stock". I have used it on a couple of stocks and it gives a nice matte oil finish. I probably have a photocopy of the article at home. Don't have that particular version of Gun Digest.

For an oil I use the "Tried and True Original Wood Finish" from Lee Valley Tools. I would guess (because I don't know for certain) that it is exactly the same or at least, extremely close, to the oil that was used on the Pre64 M70. I base this on the results I've seen using this on M70 stocks to touch them up and to finish other stocks.

I found a forum where the process was detailed. I corrected the spelling mistakes lest my good name be ruined:

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/finishes-refinishing/47736-lemon-meringue-stock.html

Materials: wet or dry papers in 400, 600, 800, 1000; one lemon, one egg, clear surgical rubbing alcohol, a small bottle of artistic grade linseed oil and a large rubber eraser to use as backing.

1. polish stock with 400 grit
2. after polishing liberally coat with lemon juice
3. after lemon juice is absorbed comes surgical
alcohol, about 5 passes with cotton wool
4. Next need to fill the pores. rubb eggwhite
into stock by hand. Once dry, rub down to
bare wood with 400 grit
5. apply alcohol to stock, let it dry and put on
more eggwhite. Repeat routine untill most of
the pores are filled in.
6. start with 400 grit untill all traces of egg-
white are gone. go on to 600 and always use
eraser backing. move onto 800. Move on to
1000. When done take some used 1000 and
polish again.
7. now hand rub thin coats of linseed oil. If any
oil on the surface wipe off with clean cotton
rag. average density walnut stock will take
about six coats.
8. time for automotive rubbing compound. finest
grit body and paint shops use to finish cars.
make sure compound is not combined with wax.
apply it thinly over stock and let dry. polish
gently with a leather chamois.
9. next comes beeswax polish. if you can't find
it, you can make it. Need 1 block of real
beeswax, about the size of a shotgun shell.
shred it on a cheese grater and drop it into a
jar with four spoonfuls of real turpentine
( the stuff the comes from pine resin, not
synthetic). the was will melt in the turpentine
10. spread a little paste on stock with clean
Cloth and leave to dry for hour or so. once
dry rub well with a leather chamois.
Click to expand...

I have the digest. It was a good article, but I was exhausted by the end. I could only imagine how tired I would be if I actually refinished a stock like that! :p

You should post some pictures of the stock. Please!
 
Ian, your experience suggests that you tried raw tung oil and plain linseed oil. Or possibly that you simply left too much on the wood or it was overly cool in the area you did the work.

The BLO I've used dries in the house to where I can sand it easily in a couple of days. I can tell when it's polymerized by the change in the smell. And of course the feel of the surface.

If left in a cool dark place like a garage in the winter then it may not actually kick until the warmth of Spring. When I've used BLO in summer I soak it on, buff it off then set it out in the sun to heat up and get exposed to the UV. A couple of hours on each side and it's totally polymerized as witnessed by the change in the odor.

The PTO from LV is much the same. In cool and dark it'll take weeks to stop feeling greasy. But with some room temperature warmth we're looking at a couple of days tops. And in the summer sitting in the sun it kicks in a couple of hours and I can do two coats a day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom