// stock refinishing problem \\

Fred24

Fred24

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Hi guys ! I'd like to have your opinion on a little concern of mine.. I'm refinishing a K98 walnut stock from a Banner K98. I missed my first try and I'm not satisfied with the result. I have put a light walnut stain on it and I came to the conclusion that I prefer its original color after all. I also applied 3 coats of boiled linseed oil on it but I haven't put 50/50 with Térébenthine so it did not do a good job...

Anyway, I want to start all over and remove the walnut stain (powder mixed with water) and I want to completely degrease the stock to apply new series of linseed oil coats on it.

What's the best way of getting the oil and stain off ??

I heard many options like : Circa 1850 / Varsol / Heat gun on and on ....


What's the best and safest option to get my stock clean again ?


Thanks
 
1st off do yourself a solid and throw away your boiled linseed oil. Even if it has actual linseed in it (which most dont), it is the wrong stuff to use as it is most likely a "finish" rather than an oil. Go out and get raw linseed oil from an art supply store. You can get a liter for $10-12 and will last you forever. This is the actual stuff used to finish and maintain those actual battle rifles and anything else is not historically accurate, reducing the firing accuracy, devaluing the gun and IMHO ruining the look of the rifle. Plus it is harder to get off as you will experience.

In terms of the BLO finish you put on, your best bet is to use CIrca. I used it and it works very well. Keeps all original markings and doesnt raise the grain. I dont know if it will get rid of the stain since I never actually wanted to stain a milsurp stock, but if anything may or may not do it, this is the stuff.

Best of luck.
 
dannyd123 said:
1st off do yourself a solid and throw away your boiled linseed oil. Even if it has actual linseed in it (which most dont), it is the wrong stuff to use as it is most likely a "finish" rather than an oil. Go out and get raw linseed oil from an art supply store. You can get a liter for $10-12 and will last you forever. This is the actual stuff used to finish and maintain those actual battle rifles and anything else is not historically accurate, reducing the firing accuracy, devaluing the gun and IMHO ruining the look of the rifle. Plus it is harder to get off as you will experience.

In terms of the BLO finish you put on, your best bet is to use CIrca. I used it and it works very well. Keeps all original markings and doesnt raise the grain. I dont know if it will get rid of the stain since I never actually wanted to stain a milsurp stock, but if anything may or may not do it, this is the stuff.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

Just curious how using BLO will effect shooting accuracy?
 
I have had really great luck with Teak and Tongue oil (marine stores have the best) or Fluid Film (CT, Home hardware). Neither of these products will really dry but what they will do is really soak in and let the natural wood shine on through. To me Fluid Film is the best as you can just keep on putting this stuff on every time that you think it needs it and it has no effect on metal parts other that to act as a corrosion inhibiter....like the lady says..."I use that s**t on everything".
 
Thanks for your answer. I have always heard from many people heaven professional gunsmith that boiled linseed oil was the thing to use.. Some people told me I have two choices. Number 1 is to heat the boiled Linseed oil and mix it 50/50 with Térébenthine.

Number 2 is to submerge the stock in Boiled Linseed oil for weeks then take it out, wipe it again and again and again until it dries a little bit.

I'm more and more confused now because no one is saying the same thing :s




dannyd123 said:
1st off do yourself a solid and throw away your boiled linseed oil. Even if it has actual linseed in it (which most dont), it is the wrong stuff to use as it is most likely a "finish" rather than an oil. Go out and get raw linseed oil from an art supply store. You can get a liter for $10-12


and will last you forever. This is the actual stuff used to finish and maintain those actual battle rifles and anything else is not historically accurate, reducing the firing accuracy, devaluing the gun and IMHO ruining the look of the rifle. Plus it is harder to get off as you will experience.




In terms of the BLO finish you put on, your best bet is to use CIrca. I used it and it works very well. Keeps all original markings and doesnt raise the grain. I dont know if it will get rid of the stain since I never actually wanted to stain a milsurp stock, but if anything may or may not do it, this is the stuff.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...
 
I've had good results using raw linseed oil mixed 50/50 with turpentine. Gives a nice matte finish. It soaks in very well.

The only BLO that I have tried and liked is from Lee Valley. Danish tried and true I think its called.

Not sure what is best to remove your finish.
 
I would first try mineral spirits to remove the current finish. Apply it with a piece of one of the grey colored synthetic sanding pads, similar to the green ones which are used for washing dishes. This isn't one of the rigid foam pads with abrasive surfaces. If the mineral spirits don't remove the finish use Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher. I have not used the Circa 1850 product so can't comment on it.

Your stain was water based so chances are that it didn't penetrate too far in the first place. When you have removed the old finish and the stock is dry apply several thin coats of Raw Linseed Oil. Apply the RLO, let it sit for 15 minutes and then wipe off the excess with a rag. You don't want the RLO to dry on top of the stock as this will produce a gummy accumulation. Allow 24 hrs between applications of RLO.

Unless you are planning a complete refinishing do not use abrasives (sandpaper/rigid sanding pad/steel wool) on the stock.
 
Scrape the old finish off then to completely remove all oils and clean wood spray with Easy-Off Oven Cleaner works like a charm.
Be sure and wash thoroughly to remove all oven cleaner but it does a great job.Use BLO, Tung Oil or Duracoat to change color or Rusoleum.
If you get it wrong do it all again the joys of restoration.
 
Térébenthine = turpentine for the rest of us.
Stain can be bleached or sanded. BLO comes off with Térébenthine and hot soapy water . Add the W's. .ehow.com/how_7680785_remove-linseed-oil-wood.html
 
Hardware store BLO is nothing more than raw linseed oil with a chemical drier added for people too impatient to wait for raw linseed oil to dry. This can keep the BLO from penetrating as deeply into the wood as RLO and BLO ends up as a surface treatment.
The original military stocks were dipped in a tank of hot raw linseed oil and allowed to soak and thus allow the RLO to penetrate deeply into the wood. The use of 50/50 raw linseed oil and turpentine was used by us poor folks without a large heated tank of hot linseed oil.

Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher will strip the finish and it contains natural wood oils that keep the wood from drying out.(safe for refinishing antique furniture) It also contains acetone and three other chemical solvents but the wood oil keeps the wood from drying out and prevents wood shrinkage. You can do the same thing for less money with acetone but it does not contain the oil, meaning you should give the stock a coat of 50/50 raw linseed oil and turpentine as soon as you can.

Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher
http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-antique-furniture-refinisher

The use of BLO and RLO is a personal choice and if thinned both will penetrate into the wood. If the stock has dried out and you have wood shrinkage that effects bedding and accuracy, then raw linseed oil and turpentine "may" hydrate the wood better causing the wood to swell and return to its original shape. Meaning as an example on the Enfield fore stocks it might tighten up the bedding without the need for shimming. I soaked my Enfield stocks overnight in wall paper wetting trays with 50/50 raw linseed and turpentine.

Do NOT use Easy-Off Oven Cleaner it will break down the wood structure, the object is to remove the finish WITHOUT damaging the wood. Just read about refinishing furniture and you will NOT see any of these HARSH methods used that you read about in forums.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your GOOD and Honest answer ! I really appreciate all the informations ! I will do my best to do a good job.

Lets say I had a pipe that I would use as a tank and heat up my raw linseed oil in it. Would it do the perfect job for refinishing stocks ? I'm motivated enough to build myself the right set up.

How would you correctly do it ?



bigedp51 said:
Hardware store BLO is nothing more than raw linseed oil with a chemical drier added for people too impatient to wait for raw linseed oil to dry. This can keep the BLO from penetrating as deeply into the wood as RLO and BLO ends up as a surface treatment.
The original military stocks were dipped in a tank of hot raw linseed oil and allowed to soak and thus allow the RLO to penetrate deeply into the wood. The use of 50/50 raw linseed oil and turpentine was used by us poor folks without a large heated tank of hot linseed oil.

Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher will strip the finish and it contains natural wood oils that keep the wood from drying out.(safe for refinishing antique furniture) It also contains acetone and three other chemical solvents but the wood oil keeps the wood from drying out and prevents wood shrinkage. You can do the same thing for less money with acetone but it does not contain the oil, meaning you should give the stock a coat of 50/50 raw linseed oil and turpentine as soon as you can.

Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher
http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-antique-furniture-refinisher

The use of BLO and RLO is a personal choice and if thinned both will penetrate into the wood. If the stock has dried out and you have wood shrinkage that effects bedding and accuracy, then raw linseed oil and turpentine "may" hydrate the wood better causing the wood to swell and return to its original shape. Meaning as an example on the Enfield fore stocks it might tighten up the bedding without the need for shimming. I soaked my Enfield stocks overnight in wall paper wetting trays with 50/50 raw linseed and turpentine.

Do NOT use Easy-Off Oven Cleaner it will break down the wood structure, the object is to remove the finish WITHOUT damaging the wood. Just read about refinishing furniture and you will NOT see any of these HARSH methods used that you read about in forums.
Click to expand...
 
easy off
spray one shot all over the wood. llet it work for 20-30 minutes
rince with warm water
repeat if the old stain still there.

after, don't forget the 50-50 for the first 3 coats. very thin coat at the time...
 
catapult said:
easy off
spray one shot all over the wood. llet it work for 20-30 minutes
rince with warm water
repeat if the old stain still there.
Click to expand...

I've probably stripped 30 oil finished stocks using oven cleaner and NEVER had a single problem finishing them afterwards. Make sure you get EVERY TRACE of the cleaner off with warm water with just a touch of detergent added.

Let the stock dry naturally for a couple of days and start the rubbing down and wetting process. When you have been through all of the sandpaper grits and wire wool (or synthetic wire wool) to "0000" use a quality wood stabilizer. Personally I like the Minwax product. What that does is to ensure that the wood will take your finish of choice evenly into the grain.

Personally I use quality Boiled Linceed Oil and then buff the finish using jewellers rouge on a buffing wheel.

DaveD
 
If your stock is a laminate wood I would not advise the use of oven cleaner on it. I removed stain from a Mauser stock that someone had stained with a laquer/thinner soaked rag gently wiped down repeatedly until the rag came away clean. Then let dry and hand rub raw linseed oil in to the wood. If you ask ten guys on here about stock finishes for milsurps you will get ten different answers.
 
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