Stock refinishing question:

[fat tony]

I am eventually going to have to pay some more attention to the stock of a #1 MK III*. The stock came from Numrich, looks like walnut, the forend looks like it was stained and maybe once received some sort of coating of maybe linseed oil. I don't really care that it's not all matching but for fun I think I should refinish or replenish the Linseed oil finish on it. I have 4 liters or so of BLO, I have heard that it's a good idea to dip your stock pieces in BLO for a while and wipe off the excess for a first coat (mixed with turrpentine) I also have heard that you should just apply single coats with (?) a brush(?), wipe off the excess and letting it dry, and keep applying coats until you are satisfied. I am a BLO newb, need assistance. - Also, some of the parts like the forward handguard are NOT stained with that mahogany - like stain. Any ideas there?

 

[Dsiwy]

I have done 4 stock in Linseed and the best way is to use double boiled and apply by hand "NO rags it causes lint"
First strip the stock of its finish
Then apply linseed oil every 1/2 hour until the stock wont take any more. Then Appy very thin coats bit by bit for about 10 coats. Once that done Apply 3 coats and use a very fine grit water sand paper with the oil and lightly sand the stock and wipe off the excess. Once it is smooth apply afew more very light coats and the let cure for afew weeks.

It takes time but your stock will look fantastic and be very strong since the linseed fill the pours and harden. I am doing it on my soft wood SVT stock and when its done it will be as strong as any hard wood

 

[fat tony]

Hmm, so it has to be completely stripped? What if it was Linseed oil on there to begin with won't that kind of be like taking 2 steps back and one forward? Thanks though.

 

[Dantforth]

"IF" it's linseed oil on there you could leave it and add coats. One of the most knowledgeable collectors uses raw linseed and immerses the but and other pieces into a pail od oil and leaves it there until it is completely soaked up. He claims that over a period of time the oil will soak in from the end grain portions to completely permeate the wood. The only difference between BLO and raw is that BLO has driers added to speed the process (it is not boiled). No matter which way you do this "do not" ever leave any oil on the surface as it will dry into a sticky mess. Always wipe all off after you have finished your rubbing session. I also add turpentine to thin the oil as I believe it soaks in quicker. Best of luck. PS- don't sand your stock under any circumstances, to remove finish or to remove dings and scratches.

 

[louthepou]

If it's from Numrich, it's probably leftover stocks from drill purpose rifles.
They are probably covered with cosmoline. They probably need to be cleaned a lot. I leave them in the sun for about a day to get as much grease oozing out of them as possible.

I agree with Dantforth about sanding, for woods that match a rifle, which has a collectable aspect to it. But typical drill purpose stocks typically can have a very rough surface (unfinished), sometimes excess wood, and so you may have some sanding to do. Careful though since other times, the wood is too thin, or there maybe a stamped number and it's kind of fun to keep the stamped info on them.

Once cleaned, properly fitted to the rifle (bedded), and the surface well prepared, I usually have a bit of staining to do to get the colors match between the four pieces of wood.

Then, it's BLO time. Very thin coats. I've used diluted oil with turpentine a few times, it does indeed allow the oil to penetrate deeply. But then again, I won't take my Enfields for weeks in the wet trench or in the tropical jungle, so most of my Enfields may not need to get totally soaked all the way to the core of each wood piece with oil. Anyways, you choose what you want to do with that aspect. One thing to keep in mind, when using the diluted stuff, plan on leaving the parts to dry for many days between each coat.

Have fun!

Lou

My latest finished Lee Enfield:

 

[fat tony]

Thanks Lou I'll defer to your better judgement but the wood I got from Numrich didn't look used at all, the forend looks like it came off the assembly line and was shelved after that, but I guess it could have some cosmo in it, but it looks really dry. The forward handguard isn't even stained, neither is the small handguard either. Same for the butt, like the forend it appears to have been stained and finished somewhere along the line and shelved.

 

[303carbine]

0000 steel wool works well with BLO for cleaning,sandpaper tends to leave scratches as where steel wool will be smooth.It takes a little longer steel wooling but it's worth it.
After cleaning with steel wool and BLO,I wipe off the excess oil and let dry overnight.
I then add oil by hand until it won't take anymore,the excess is wiped off and let to dry again overnight.
Then it's..
Once a day for week,
Once a week for a month,
Once a month for a year,
Once a year for life.....simple huh!!

 

[louthepou]

Like 303carbine said. If it looks new, fat tony, ikt probably is!

Good for you for getting some good stuff from Numrich. I've had "hit and miss" experiences with them.

Do take the time to properly bed the forend to the receiver and barrel, and the butt to the socket, before finishing the wood. Otherwise, you risk having to start over the finishing process.

Have fun!

Lou

 

[can14]

go to a marine store and get marine teak oil. it soaks into the wood, doesn't sit on top like linseed oil does. it leaves a nice finish. just wipe off the left over oil in about 20 min. let it dry and add more oil until it looks good to your liking.....

 

[fat tony]

'and the butt to the socket' it's in there good that's for darned sure, I pounded it in there with a 2X4 it is not coming out unless I make some sort of tight fitting clamp for the butt and tap it out by hitting the 'clamp', I guess it's just too darned tight- I guess I have to find some way to 'loosen' it in there. I used the spring washers got rid of the square ended bolt. Yes, bedding these beasts is interesting. I heard the 'draws' or the recoil lugs are commonly bedded in there with varnish and sheets of paper bags - really interesting, my #5 MKI has the 'draws' bedded with little hardwood blocks that were fitted into there - (looks like either maple or beech or something like that)-pretty interesting.

 

[Gary D]

You can get practically any thickness of gasket material if you need to build up a bedding area. Nice that you know they will take heat without effecting your POI and they are very dense thus take recoil well if needed to build up recoil lugs.

definitely heed's Lou's advice about bedding before finishing if you have to shave/ work down any areas.

The technique of BLO I choose to follow is use 50/50 mixture of turp/BLO apply a coat liberally with a cotton rag and let sit 20 minutes then wipe off. Repeat again 24 hours with 40% turpentine. Repeat the process increasing the BLO by 10% each application for 5 applications and then 5 more applications with 100% BLO. Don't forget to get all surfaces including the insides of the wood and not just the visible outside.

Congrats on the wood I just sent a set back to them that was messed up every way possible. They promised to send a better hand chosen set, I hope it's as good as yours.

 

[fat tony]

Well Gary D. I didn't get my woodsets recently from them this was probably 4 or 5 years ago that I got them, I still have an extra forend lying around it's nice too with a minor wood graft in there, for some reason, they are both cracked where the little brass threaded rod goes through, possibly just quite dried out.

 

[Gary D]

My beech forearm was cracked like that. the forearm was still the right width so trying to tighten the crack closed would have not worked. I chose to re-enforce and repair with a slow drying epoxy. if the gap is bad enough you could add some sawdust to the epoxy as a thickener to fill the void too.