Stock re-finishing. Need advice

I did some checking on this. I bought a new can of PTO from LV (just up the road). I then found a full can of PTO that I forgot that I tried in the past and I also had the sealer. I guess I had promptly forgotten about it because I didn't like it. Anyway I tried it again. I also gave the first few coats a head start in my hot box at about 60C for four hours or so. It did dry enough overnight to sand and after a few coats I had filled the grain and had a nice flat surface. So yes it works, but, I don't like the funky smell and it is still slower to dry and slower to build than my usual brand of linseed based finish. After a month or so it may be fine and the smell may be gone, we will see. So far the PTO loses on gunstocks in my shop.
 
Pure Tung Oil is my finish of choice. It will take longer to work with but the results are well worth it. I did up two Garand sets last year. One tung oil and the other boiled linseed oil.


The top set is tung oil, bottom BLO. Tung oil penetrates better and does not build up like BLO. This project was not for the impatient and took six weeks plus to do up right. The tung oil was thinned with citrus solvent 50/50 for two primer coats. Just a bit on the fingers and rubbed in well. Any excess is removed and then let it set for a couple of days. Always a light sanding between coats is recommended. After the primers are done then use the tung oil straight out of the can. Use sparingly. A little goes a long way and allows the curing to go faster. Keep the canned oil closed when not in use as exposure to air will cause it to thicken. Rags should be allowed to air dry outside as spontaneous combustion is possible. The BLO is harsher to work with. Primer coat was thinned with pure turps and the stink was not appreciated in the house. After numerous coats it was Ok but do not do the inside where the receiver fits more than twice as the fit became very tight and difficult to install/remove when needed.
 
Yes, I agree that PTO (polymerized tung oi, not pure!) can do a good job. I don't use BLO and like I said I don't like it either. I do this for a living and the results I get must look like an oil finish on a Purdy or it is not good enough for me. Longer is not always better but if it really gives a better finish that's okay. I have not seen that yet and I have tried a bunch of different ways. I really have a problem with some of the old wives tales finishes, if you hold your nuts in your left hand and rotate on your right foot it will self fill and look fantastic. Does not seem to work for me, unfortunately. If pure tung oil gives a finish you are happy with then that is perfect for you.
 
Ian, did I read that right that you put on a few coats within 24 hours? Or did you put on a max of one coat each 24 hours with the heater as a booster?
 
BCRider said:
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.
Click to expand...

Or you can just put them in a fire. They'll burn quite well.
 
Last edited:
Here is the finish I got on an old Cooey I redid using boiled linseed oil. I put on one coat every 24 hours (wiping off excess and extremely light sanding between coats). I ended up putting on 8 coats total. It really brought out the grain nicely, but as noted before is a flat finish rather than glossy

 
I have done many gun stocks over the years, well over a hundred. Lost count years ago. I certainly do not consider myself any sort of an expert on the subject, just well experienced. Walnut is an open grained wood and to be finished properly those open wood pores need to be filled. Why, to help keep dirt and moisture out of the wood pores and to make the surface of the wood smooth.

Only one fella has mentioned filling the grain, and that was with egg white. Well I have never tried egg white, might work like a charm, I don't know. But at least he is filling the grain of the wood.

I have two methods of filling the grain. One is to put two coats of a drying oil on the wood such as Lin-Speed oil (linseed oil with dryers) or polymerized tung ( tung oil heated with dryers added) after each two coats reduce the finish to the wood surface with #0000 steel wool. This will cut all the dried oil off except whats built up in the pores. Repeat this process as many times as it takes to completely fill the pores 100%.
The other method is to sand the wood stock with 220 grit or finer paper leaving the wood dust on the surface apply oil with two finger tips creating a slury of oil and wood dust. Rub in all around an into the wood well. Let dry for several hours, it will stiffen up, sand some more creating more slury, add more oil a bit at a time. Let dry. Repeat process a couple times. Let dry several days, until it all hardens up. Cut it down to the wood with #0000 steel wool. Pores should be full, if not use method one until it is.

Now the final finish can be down with an oil with dryers. Polymerized Tung, Lin-Speed, Tru oil. to name a few popular ones. OR you can final finish with pure oil, Tung, or Linseed oil. Tung being the more water resistant of the two oils. Pure tung oil dries flat with little sheen and can dry wrinkled if applied to thick. Linseed is easier to work with, more forgiving but is weaker less water resistant finish. Note: there are as many receipes for gun stock oil finishes as there are chocolate chip cookies. Thick books have been written on the subject. I have many of them and it does get very confusing.

I am an oil finish person. A decent finish takes time, and patience to apply. Many finish coats need to be applied by putting a drop or two of your chosen oil on your bare finger and rub it around. You do not have to rub until you create heat, just smooth it around evenly, then let it dry.

Pure and Polymerized Tung can be had from Lee Valley tools. Birchwood Caseys Tru Oil where ever. Lin-Speed Oil at this time is not available in Canada. If someone wishes to try it PM me and I can get it for you.

My two favorite products that I keep on the shelf for doing stocks is pure and polymerized Tung Oil and Lin-Speed oil. There are hundreds of other combinations of oils and dryers and methods of application. But this is what I have used over the years and in the past with success for me and the folks that I have done stocks for.
 
Ian Robertson said:
I.....So yes it works, but, I don't like the funky smell and it is still slower to dry and slower to build than my usual brand of linseed based finish. ......
Click to expand...

Yes, the smell does require a little getting used to.... :d The good news is that within a month of storage at indoor or warmer conditions it's all but gone. And after 2 to 3 months it's totally odorless.

What product are you using? It sounds pretty good and I'd be interested in picking up some.

------

I've yet to try the method described by MrGoat and others that involve a sanding slurry of dust and oil. But I like the sounds of it and plan on trying it on some scrap black walnut before I do my next gun stock re-finish.

Thanks for the detailed instructions MrGoat.
 
BCRider said:
I've yet to try the method described by MrGoat and others that involve a sanding slurry of dust and oil. But I like the sounds of it and plan on trying it on some scrap black walnut before I do my next gun stock re-finish.

Thanks for the detailed instructions MrGoat.
Click to expand...
I do that on wood turning projects a fair amount. Works well and really cuts down on the number of coats of finish. I only have so much patience... :)
 
jimbo14 said:
I do that on wood turning projects a fair amount. Works well and really cuts down on the number of coats of finish. I only have so much patience... :)
Click to expand...

Done that. Just kind of wiped the excess off by hand, and applied oil or stain. I really can only stretch it out for a few days. Probably would use a damp cloth and get the dust off if it was a really outstanding piece of wood. Maybe. Found the stain and laquer in one Min Wax, after oil or stain dries works pretty well. 3 or 4 coats can be put on pretty fast if using the oven hold warm feature. Only problem with that way, is it's easy to get the finish slightly uneven, if you are doing it one half at a time. It can actually be a bit of a bonus though on plain wood as it appears to have nicer grain than it does if you streak it a little. The Min Wax i just used is a satin, which turns out pretty nice.
 
I recall that one very well known custom rifle maker tried a different finish every time and when pressed for a description of his stock finishing method would humorously reply that, "There is no way to finish a gun stock". Because there are actually about a zillion different ways to properly finish a gunstock and most people eventually come to use some combination that suits their need. Based on my experience I believe that not enough is said about the wood and its dry pre-finish. As one example, a good quality European Walnut (Juglans Regia) is almost already finished if properly sanded, etc. before any liquid "finish" is applied. The same is not true at all for open-grained American Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra). Its a bit like getting a car part chromed...the chrome will only be as good as the polish on the steel underneath.
 
Last edited:
I do iy somewhat like Mrgroat. After the wood is sanded I no longer raise the grain and sand again. I just put the 1st coat on (usually truoil or linspeed when I can find it) and let it dry Your stock will feel like it has a two day growth of whiskers. I then use 400 grit wet-dry paper and sand the stubble with a small amount of the finishing oil. The whiskers you sand go right into the pores to fill the wood. I usually apply subsequent coats with 600 grit w/d paper. This leaves a dull oil finish that i prefer or for the final coats you can apply with your fingers rubbing it in and the amount of rubbing determines the gloss.
 
By the way pure tung oil and boiled linseed take forever to cure and the polymerized to dries to fast. I have in the past mixed BLO with spar varnish with good results and tried mixing pure and polymerized tung old with some success but not great.After you have your base built up well is the time to use slow drying products sparingly as they give more drying time and seem to cure a little quicker now.,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom