What to put on an 'oiled' stock

west250

west250

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Hi All, I'm looking for your thoughts on what to put on my rifle's stock. It's a Sako hunter that's being hunted, and the stock's finish seems to be bleaching out (it's been very wet here). Any suggestions would be helpful... P
 
If the rifle has nice wood grain figure, it is worth it to use an oil finish such as tung oil, it takes many coats of the oil rubbed into the wood, but it is the way expensive guns are finished that have beautiful stocks.
 
contact bogie, here's here on this site, he's a pro wood worker, he gave me a dynamite recipe for the home-wood-worker and the complete "how to do". You won't believe the results! :D
 
choices

One of the latest rages in the USA right now is the use of Meguires Scratch X on wood rifle stocks. A fair number of the fellows on rimfire central including myself are getting some very nice results on all kinds of different rifles. It gives the wood a glossy or High Polish look, which I find very appealing. You put in on , rub it in , then buff it off. 3-4 coats usually gets the job done. I have done it to all of my CZ's and others as well. FS
 
If it's truly an oil finish and not a dull varnish "fake oil" finish then the correct answer is "more oil". For an actual oil finish you can forget the ScratchX. That's only useful on varnish or lacquer finishes for polishing them up.

Your description of the wood "bleaching" out sounds like the oil finish is being washed out and the wood is becoming dry looking and dull appearing. That's a classic sign for an oiled finish which is being flushed away and oxidized by the elements so I tend to believe that yo've got an actual oil finish without having to see it.

With an oil finish the right course of action is to find out which oil Sako suggests as a feeding and recoating treatment and apply a light coating, allow to soak in for a minute or two then buff off the excess.

The thing with a true oil finish is that it's never finished. There's an old wood finishers story about doing oil finishes. It's "Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year forever". This recognizes that the oil finishes wear and flush away from use and exposure. So it's actually essential that the owner of such a rifle should recoat with the same or some compatible oil when the wood is looking doggy.

I've been using Lee Valley's polymerized tung oil finish on some refinished old gun stocks for use in my cowboy shooting and on some custom pistol grips. It's standing up well to wet weather and sweaty hands in all cases. It's a great finish for wood being used in a hunting situation where the conditions are often wet. If your Sako is finished with tung oil then this would be a good option. If your stock is REALLY doggy and dull then two coatings applied and buffed off about a week apart when the smell of the first coat is all but gone would not be a bad option. You want to get it to where the finish has a bit of a "glow" and shine to it. With that level of build the wood will have a really nice glow and clarity to it and water will bead and run off like off a duck's back.

The ScratchX treatment is popular with some owners of rifles that have a matt finish varnish. It makes them shiney like they were waxed up nicely. But on a true oil finish it'll just plug up the pores in the wood and look ugly.
 
BCRider said:
If it's truly an oil finish and not a dull varnish "fake oil" finish then the correct answer is "more oil". For an actual oil finish you can forget the ScratchX. That's only useful on varnish or lacquer finishes for polishing them up.

Your description of the wood "bleaching" out sounds like the oil finish is being washed out and the wood is becoming dry looking and dull appearing. That's a classic sign for an oiled finish which is being flushed away and oxidized by the elements so I tend to believe that yo've got an actual oil finish without having to see it.

With an oil finish the right course of action is to find out which oil Sako suggests as a feeding and recoating treatment and apply a light coating, allow to soak in for a minute or two then buff off the excess.

The thing with a true oil finish is that it's never finished. There's an old wood finishers story about doing oil finishes. It's "Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year forever". This recognizes that the oil finishes wear and flush away from use and exposure. So it's actually essential that the owner of such a rifle should recoat with the same or some compatible oil when the wood is looking doggy.

I've been using Lee Valley's polymerized tung oil finish on some refinished old gun stocks for use in my cowboy shooting and on some custom pistol grips. It's standing up well to wet weather and sweaty hands in all cases. It's a great finish for wood being used in a hunting situation where the conditions are often wet. If your Sako is finished with tung oil then this would be a good option. If your stock is REALLY doggy and dull then two coatings applied and buffed off about a week apart when the smell of the first coat is all but gone would not be a bad option. You want to get it to where the finish has a bit of a "glow" and shine to it. With that level of build the wood will have a really nice glow and clarity to it and water will bead and run off like off a duck's back.

The ScratchX treatment is popular with some owners of rifles that have a matt finish varnish. It makes them shiney like they were waxed up nicely. But on a true oil finish it'll just plug up the pores in the wood and look ugly.
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Great info, thank you! I've been trying to find 'Sako Stock oil', but Beretta's never sold it and there's nothing on the Sako web site so I'm thinking that the Tung oil option will be the best for the stock. Your explanation of an oiled stock makes sense, so I will get onto the routine of dressing up the dried stock with the Tung oil as directed. Thanks to all who've offered great advice... Pat out.
 
Lee Valley Tools sells an oil called "Tried and True - Original Wood Finish". It's essentially what Winchester used for years on stocks - Linseed Oil and Beeswax. It's great stuff. They also have an oil that contains modified pine sap that (they claim) builds to a waterproof finish. It might be even better for stock finishing. I've only ever used the Original Wood Finish and it gives nice results.
 
There's another product that I had been hearing about for awhile so I picked some up at a gun show this year.
It's called Schaftol and it's made in Germany. Made as a gun stock oil, and works very nicely.

hf
 
I use a pure lemon oil product on all my oiled stocks to keep them conditioned, protected and to bring out the natural beauty of the wood. I have yet to have a problem. Most of my oiled stocks are tung oiled, which provides a nice protective coat, and does a good job of repelling water.
 
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what I'm working with is boiled linseed oil with a 50/50 mix of turpentine. yeah, a lot of coats, all hand rubbed to make a little heat! look'en good!:D
 
huntingfamily said:
There's another product that I had been hearing about for awhile so I picked some up at a gun show this year.
It's called Schaftol and it's made in Germany. Made as a gun stock oil, and works very nicely.

hf
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Yes, I've talked to him about it and looked at his demo pieces. It seems like a good product. I keep meaning to buy a bottle but get distracted! He is at most of the gun shows in the southern interior of BC. I should pick up a bottle from him if he's in Salmon Arm next month.
 
ive had good success with the lemon oil as well, on dry stock i just apply and let sit half hour, rub it in apply some more let it sit again, rub it in and repeat again the next day. then, for about a week, one time everyday, i apply some oil and wipe it in, then once a week for a month and usually that does it, then once a month
B2012
 
I use tung oil on most of my rifles as well, (circa 1850). Once the initial coat is done, which consists of 2-3 coats applied and wiped down a day for a few days or a week, I oil them once or twice a year. I've been doing this for years and my stocks develope a beautifull rich patina. If I aquire a rifle with a 'varnished' stock I always strip them and change the finish to oil; I find it much more appealing.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Howard Feed n Wax". that stuff is amazing on my CZ's and Beretta's, very popular with the rimfire crowd. You wipe it on , let it set in and then buff it a bit. It really makes the grain "pop" .
 
I've been using Circa 1850 Tung/Teak oil on my rifles but last summer bought a bottle of Tung oil from Lee Valley and put 12 coats of it on my 1955 Husquvara that was new to me.


The Tung oil is thick like honey so I thinned it down a bit with the tung/teak mix as it itself is quite thin being thinned with mineral spirit.

On a rugged mountain hike/hunt last week the tung finish repelled water fine, but some of it rubbed off against my frame pack, exposing paler wood.

I touched it up with the Tung/teak when I got home. Couldn't get the darn child-proof cap off the Lee Valley Tung oil bottle.
 
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