stock refinishing, victoria, BC
- Thread starter pothier33
- Start date
I would think about doing it yourself. If there is no significant damage to the stock, it is fairly easy to remove the finish and put a new rubbed oil finish on it. Once you have removed the old finish, you just use 240 wet/dry sandpaper, and then work up to 600. Put as many coats on it as you like. If you get any damage to it in the future, you just get the oil and wet/dry sandpaper out again and touch it up. Way easier than a polyurethane type varnish finish, and very durable.
Danish Oil Finish
I'd also say it's a diy job. Personally I'd use tung oil mixed with a couple drops of Japan dryer. When sanding it down save a little pile of the fine 240 grit sanding wood dust and mix it with tung oil until it's a paste, and use that for your first coat rubbing it in across the grain, and smooth out as best as possible. Let dry 48 hrs, then use 1000 grit wet/dry with some tung oil on it to smooth it out again, and follow with as many coats of tung oil as you'd like. Minimum 24 hrs between coats. 48 is better. I like about 4-6 coats personally. Gives a nice durable satin finish.
There's nothing really wrong with the stock currently but the previous owner re finished it and I find its too light and uneven for my liking. I'd prefer a consistent dark walnut type finish for color.
i get it's doable and I've watched a million YouTube videos, I'd just rather have it done right if there's someone nearby.
i get it's doable and I've watched a million YouTube videos, I'd just rather have it done right if there's someone nearby.
If the wood is not great, you really can't do much but use a dark stain and try and cover it up. Factory finish sometimes will use stained varnish. Some woods have uneven grain in that parts accept too much stain, and other parts none. To some degree an oil finish like Danish oil will even that out better than a straight stain, or just varnish over the wood. Minwax make a product called Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. You put one or two coats of that on to keep the stain from going on so unevenly. Then you follow that with an oil like Danish oil of the colour of your choice.
The issue with refinishing a stock is that if it is done right it takes a lot of time, and with an oil finish, you have to do several coats with it drying between. Lots of calendar time as well as elbow grease time. If someone charges fairly for it, it could be a lot.
You have a next door neighbor there who has been 'smithing for 50+ years, you might ask him. Try Dennis Sorensen (Guntech) in Brentwood Bay, not sure how he feels about wood work, but he's one of the best smiths in the business. I know he knows how, just not sure if he's into stock finishing.
For a strip down and oil finish I'd research and do it yourself. It's not that hard once you see a few videos.
If it's anything else other than polyurethane varnish the equipment to apply it and safety concerns related to much of the stuff means that it's likely better to get someone to do it.
If it's anything else other than polyurethane varnish the equipment to apply it and safety concerns related to much of the stuff means that it's likely better to get someone to do it.
