New to me Highway Patrolman...Next to the Last, Almost Final Update, Sept. 10th, 2016

[les.b]

Les, the 4-inch, blue steel, Model 28 has a strong history here in Muscogee County. Prior to the 1970 county/city consolidation (Muscogee/Columbus), the local County Police carried the described Model 28 as standard issue. I remember seeing those officers as a kid and, man-oh-man, did those 28's look like mini-cannons hanging off their hips, secured within a black leather swivel holster. I do remember that in the 1950's I looked upon those fine men with much awe and admiration. The "roots" of my own LE career starting with that "image" firmly ingrained in my memory. Thanks my friend for a great post on a great firearm!

David

David:

Thanks for the police history from down ther in Muscogee County!! I'll bet that one of these did look gigantic when you were just a lad. I can still remember the local police officers in my home town when I was a boy. They wore gray military style shirts and dark, probably navy blue trousers. Black belts and holsters. They were armed with either a Smith and Wesson M&P, or a Colt Official Police. Officers supplied their own sidearms, but had to choose Colt or Smiths. By the time that I started in 1975, the department was issuing Smith and Wesson Model 66s. 4" for uniform, and 2 1/2" for plainclothes.

It is always good to hear from you, hope that you are enjoying your well deserved retirement!

Best Regards, Les

 

[JohnRippert]

What I like about Tung oil is that you can always add another coat at any time, and you can control the "shine" by knocking the shine down with either a little 0000 steel wool, or even a little rubbing compound. When I was applying the finish, I used my index finger to apply the oil, and rubbed it until it would start to feel just a little tacky. I then let it dry over night, and the next day, I would lightly take it down with the steel wool, and then buff it with the palm of my hand until it had a dull glow. Then apply another coat, and repeat the whole process.

For now, I'm going to leave it at 4 coats, and see how I like it.



Best Regards, Les

I do something very like that using boiled linseed oil. Spending a afternoon working by hand can be good therapy.

 

[Warren Sear]

I made this walnut guitar body and finished it in tung oil.

 

[les.b]

I do something very like that using boiled linseed oil. Spending a afternoon working by hand can be good therapy.

John:

I started out using the boiled linseed oil, mostly on surplus M1 Carbines many years ago, but when I discovered the tung oil, I switched. That was about 30 years ago. I like the results, and think that it is a smoother and easier process. You might want to give it a try one day. I just use plain old "Homer Formby's" Tung Oil Finish, in the "low gloss" version. A tiny ammount is all you need. When I am finished for the day, I squeeze the bottle to get all the air out, which helps to keep it from drying out in the bottle. Great stuff, and I love the glow that it imparts to especially walnut wood. Eventually, I will probably put some more coats on these stocks, but not on the checkering. By the way, when applying the first few coats, I use a toothbrush fo work the oil down into the checkering. Also get enough into the little groove around the checkering, the "border", in order to seal the wood and protect and preserve it, all the while bringing out the beauty of the walnut.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Warren Sear]

John:

I started out using the boiled linseed oil, mostly on surplus M1 Carbines many years ago, but when I discovered the tung oil, I switched. That was about 30 years ago. I like the results, and think that it is a smoother and easier process. You might want to give it a try one day...

Best Regards, Les

Les.b, I did the same. I started with boiled linseed oil, then tried tung oil, and never went back.

I have applied a few more coats to that electric guitar body now and then, and I swear it looks better every time.

The only thing I can add to your advice is that too little is better than too much; apply in THIN coats.

 

[les.b]

I made this walnut guitar body and finished it in tung oil.

Warren:

That is a fantastic looking guitar!! Nice job. I see that you can make everything from AK clones to guitars! Now that is what I call talented!

Best Regards, Les

 

[SLT223]

Les, what did you use to strip the stocks?

 

[Derosa]

Sir,

I think you have a new career. Just wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

 

[les.b]

Les, what did you use to strip the stocks?

I followed DevilDog72's advice and used acetone. Actually, my GF had been here at the cabin recently, and left a bottle of Dollar Store fingernail polish remover, which prominently stated: "Pure Acetone". Saved me a trip to town. I took an old Tupperware type container, and put both stocks in it, and poured enough acetone in to completely cover the stocks. Then I put the lid on the container to prevent the acetone from evaporating. Every now and then I'd open it up and scrub the stocks with an old toothbrush, then cover it up and let it soak. DevilDog says he lets it soak three or four days. I wasn't that patient, but you can tell when the finish is gone. These were also stocks with very little finish left on them. If they had been in better shape, I would probably not have refinished them. They also has significant staining, most of which soaked out.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Warren Sear]

Warren:

That is a fantastic looking guitar!! Nice job. I see that you can make everything from AK clones to guitars! Now that is what I call talented!

Best Regards, Les

Hey, I play the thing too!

OK, were are getting some major thread drift here, but here is a montage picture that was sent to me after my band played at an outdoor party a few months ago. I am wearing the white shirt and green pants. A side benefit to playing music; if you look closely you can see a a good-looking young lady (white top and pink skirt) that I met that night. sigh...

Edit to add: OK, sorry about the small size of the picture. I don't know "wut up wi'that".

 

[SLT223]

Les, thank you very much. I have the origial stocks to my little 3" 65 and would very much like to see them turn out like yours. Now I just need to get some tung oil

 

[C Broad Arrow]

I forgot one step... I used a new soft bristle tooth brush to apply and buff the checkering. I did this same thing on several sets and have just two or three coats of tung oil on them. In person they look great. I do not like the shiny look of varnish or poly coatings. As you handle the grips more they take on a very appealing ... glow. I have a set on my EDC 19-4 snub that the more I handle the better they look.

Looks like my kit when I carry.

 

[les.b]

Les, thank you very much. I have the origial stocks to my little 3" 65 and would very much like to see them turn out like yours. Now I just need to get some tung oil

SLT223:

Be sure and let us know how it turns out. We are always learning here on the forum, and we are always curious about how these sorts of projects go. Take some before and after photos, and post them. Either start your own thread, or feel free to post here on this one. Either way, it would be interesting to see how things turn out.

Best Regards, Les

 

[les.b]

Well, today I took time to clean the leather, and recondition it with a light treatment with Lexol, followed by a waxing with Renaissance Wax, and for the time being, at least, im going to use this leather that came as part of the original deal. Here's what it looks like today:



To sum up: Outside cleaned with bronze wool and gun oil to remove the light rust, and stop its spread. Completely refurbished inside, every part scrubbed and relubricated, new trigger, new cylinder stop, new trigger rebound spring, trigger reprofiled and fitted to hammer, retimed, the stocks stripped, cleaned, and refinished with Tung oil. Sights adjusted to fire .357 magnum 158 grain JSP to point of aim at 25 yards. (I have a bunch of factory Federal ammo in this loading, and I handload a 158 gr LSWC 357 Mag that approximates it). The gun and leather still has the character of long use, but are completly free of rust and crud, yet glow from their overhaul, and I believe that they are now ready for a new life with yours truly!

I've really enjoyed the project over the last few weeks, and appreciate the advice and encouragement, and even parts that my fellow forum members (like Weatherby, who supplied the trigger, which I installed, and the grip adapter, which I have been experimenting with) have provided.

Eventually I will provide a final range report, but for now I'm sort of winding down this project. Time to enjoy playing around with the final product!

Best Regards, Les

 

[Gunhacker]

Just discovered this thread... really enjoyed seeing your M-28, and the leather come back to life.

Just a comment on refinishing the checkered area of grips.

The trick to getting that area sealed without it having a built up look to it, is you need to thin out the finish and apply it very sparingly with a tooth brush.

When I used to use Tru-oil, I thinned it down to 50/50 mix of oil and thinner.

What I use now is Laurel Mountain Forge Permalyn stock sealer, which is an oil-modified polyurethane. The sealer is water thin to penetrate wood fibers, so it is easy to control surface build up. There is a Permalyn stock finish which I don't use... it's too thick.

By just using the sealer alone and applying coats until you get the results (sheen) you want, you get a really nice finish without a heaviness look to it.. in my opinion, closer to a factory look. And when the Permalyn dries/cures.. it's durable.

In the before/after pics, notice how the checkered area still looks sharp with no filling in of the lines or build up of the checkering points, which is a common thing that happens when an un-thinned finished is used.

You can also see how this Permalyn brings out the grain pattern. The best way I can describe it it that it is unobtrusive while it does it's thing... yeah, if you haven't guessed by now, I'm really sold on it after having tried various finishes over the years.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Les. I am envious of that whole rig. That is a perfect packing outfit for me. No way to improve. Been shot, looks shot, leathern worn on the hip not in the safe. No way to improve! Billy

 

[les.b]

Just discovered this thread... just a comment on refinishing the checkered area of grips.

The trick to getting that area sealed without it having a built up look to it, is you need to thin out the finish and apply it very sparingly with a tooth brush.

When I used to use Tru-oil, I thinned it down to 50/50 mix of oil and thinner.

What I use now is Laurel Mountain Forge Permalyn stock sealer, which is an oil-modified polyurethane. The sealer is water thin to penetrate wood fibers, so it is easy to control surface build up. There is a Permalyn stock finish which I don't use... it's too thick.

By just using the sealer alone and applying coats until you get the results (sheen) you want, you get a really nice finish without a heaviness look to it.. in my opinion, closer to a factory look. And when the Permalyn dries/cures.. it's durable.

In the before/after pics, notice how the checkered area still looks sharp with no filling in of the lines or build up of the checkering points, which is a common thing that happens when an un-thinned finished is used.

You can also see how this Permalyn brings out the grain pattern. The best way I can describe it it that it is unobtrusive while it does it's thing... yeah, I'm really sold on it.

This is some really great information, Gunhacker!! I am always willing to learn and am making note of this post. I have had a great time with this project, and of course, the first consideration was functionality. I have the revolver really performing well now, and have brought back some of my armorer skills that I hadn't used for some time.

As far as the woodworking side, I did use a very thin tung oil, and as you recommended, scrubbed it into the checkering with a toothbrush. Also, as I added coats to the surrounding stock, I did not build up the checkering coats as much, to avoid clogging the checkering. I added some coats to the surrounding area, and lightly buffed them down with 0000 steel wool to help fill in the grain a little, while not building up the thickness of the coverage. After everything had cured throughly, I buffed it a little with Flitz, and then Renaissance Wax.

But I like the sound of this Laurel Mountain Forge Permalyn stock sealer. I'm going to see if I can find it online, and get some to experiment with. Thanks for the information!! This may lead to even more projects.

Best Regards, Les

 

[les.b]

Gunhacker:

I have been to Laurel Mountain Forge's web site, and they have a wealth of information there on stock refinishing, as well as the ability to buy their products. I was pleased to see that I was pretty much on track for finishing stocks, in their instructions they were suggesting many of the same things I was already doing.

I have ordered a small 4 oz size of the product that you suggested, as well as one of the stock finish, and will let you know how my next project works out!! I'll be happy to add these to my modest shop, and am looking forward to experimenting with them. I recommend that anyone who is interested in this sort of work go to their site and read the very detailed instructions on surface prep, application, finish technique and so forth.

Thanks again for the heads up!

Best Regards, Les

 

[BAM-BAM]

Time to enjoy playing around with the final product!

Best Regards, Les

That picture make me want to carry it cross draw...................

 

[Old TexMex]

I made this walnut guitar body and finished it in tung oil.

Purty work, WS.
Melody Maker pickups?

( sorry 'bout the drift)