Refinishing Ahrends...

[Maximumbob54]

Ahrends Grips come with some kind of polyuerathane coating unless you order his tung oil finish. I decided to be stubborn with a few of his stocks that have the standard finish and remove it. My usual method is to drop them in a bath of acetone. Wellllllll..... Maybe that isn't always the best idea. I'm now trying to rescue some cocobolo that came out of black cherry red Kool Aid colored acetone.... Oops. So until that project is completed I decided I wanted a glossy finish on the raw moradillo wood. Not wanting to pay the twenty bucks for the can of tung oil just yet, I decided on some Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic aerosol. This is three coats with a light 400 grit sanding between the first two. I could have kept layering it and really given it a high gloss shine but I don't want it to be slippery like a bar of soap under recoil. So here is the end result:

Once the Minwax Red Mahogany has done its duty and brought some red back into the cocobolo and they are dry I will take a picture of them. These I am debating applying a tung oil finish. Any comment on tung oil over the Minwax? I have read that this can be done but have never attempted this combo.

Last thought: In previewing this post I see that I am still unable to capture the satiny semigloss shine that the moradillo now wears. If I can manage it better I will replace this pic. Maybe I need to prioritize the building of the light box...

 

[fyimo]

The grips seem to have turned out great to me.

 

[Patrick L]

I currently have a set of unfinished Ahrends on order. I plan on doing my own tung oil finish.

Tung oil can be as simple as rubbing it on, letting the heat from the rubbing help soak it into the wood, wiping the excess off, and letting it dry. Repeat until you are satisfied with the result.

I have something a bit more involved in mind. I am planning on doing the same type of finish I did to my MK X Mauser deer rifle that I stocked myself back in the 80s. It involves sanding the oil into the wood with very fine wet/dry sandpaper so that the wood dust and oil form a slurry which aids in filling the pores of the wood. You let the slurry dry, and then sand the next coat in with progressively finer grits. It takes awhile to do this, say maybe a month or so, but the result was absolutely stunning. This was Sterling Davenport's (custom riflesmith) recommended method of using tung oil. I added to it a coat of paste wax rubbed in with ### steel wool to finishe it off. This finish has held up very well for 25+ years. I used to add a coat or two of oil every year or two, but haven't now for many years. If you do scratch it (which I did once) it is a simple matter to sand out the scratch with the tung oil/paper routine and that's that.

Its funny you mention not wanting a slippery finish. I have a set of Ahrends finger grooves on my Model 24-3 that I bought maybe 3 or 4 years ago. They are "shiny" but not slippery.

These Ahrends non finger grooves on my 66-2 that I bought a month ago are dull looking, but slippery. Did he change his finish in the 3 or 4 years between these two?

 

[Maximumbob54]

I think he has gone from an oil based polyurethane to one of the new water based versions. The more matte finish on the new models would be my guess as to the water based version. I do know from testing that you CANNOT just coat the existing matte finish with a oil based polyurethane. I tried to use the Minwax Wipe On Poly and it did not cure at all. It sat on the surface and dried gummy so I assume they are very dissimilar. The cocobolo and I'm sure others are supposed to be naturally oily woods so drying and cure time could be a problem no matter what. I had thought about adding Japan Drier but would rather see if it can be done right without it since I'm not yet willing to add another element to the process. I checked the finish this morning and overnight it seems to be on its way to drying. (fingers crossed) With the acrylic finish if I keep going it will be a smooth finish that will look pretty much like how Browning is/was finishing their stocks. I don't want it to be glass smooth so that a sweaty hand can't keep a hold.

 

[jughed440]

your Ahrends turned out just fine!!!

i reshape every set of Ahrends to get rid of the sharp edges, and make a better fit for my med. size hands.
these Ahrends have all been modified, and refinished with 2 thin coats of Tru-Oil...(bottom right are untouched Spegals). if i had been more patient they would have turned out better.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Jughed440 -


Are you "flat bottom'ing" the round off the same one I have? I like that and may try that.

 

[jughed440]

yes, Maximum'...also rounded the front.

 

[Maximumbob54]

This is with the Minwax Red Mahogany stain almost dry. The fluorescent lighting is just not helping me out any even under six bulbs with a mirror reflecting the light. It's pouring outside or I would try for some natural sunlight. I have the strange urge to try some Johnson's Paste Wax on one of them to see how that turns out. Maybe the round butt one... just volunteered...

 

[AKsRule]

You can get Minwax for under $10

 

[andyo5]

I have refinished several pair of Ahrends grips by stripping with Fromby's furniture refinisher and then rubbing with Tung Oil. I usually use 2 coats.

 

[Maximumbob54]

The final product. Does anyone know if the Minwax Tung Oil finish is 100% or if it is a blend? That is the only one I can find local and would rather not pay shipping unless it is a very superior product.

 

[BruceM]

Tung Oil Finish is not pure Tung Oil, it has varnishes & drying agents added. Pure Tung Oil can be purchased from Brownells among other places. Try Googling it. Pure Tung Oil is the real deal. I use it on M1 Garand stocks. When you apply it, you mix it 1:1 TO to Mineral Spirits or even 2:1. Use multiple very thin coats which must be allowed to dry completely before the next coat is applied. Break any unwanted gloss with 0000 bronze or steel wool and be sure to remove all of the wool residue before applying the next coat of Tung Oil. The final finish will vary from a dull "oil" finish to a satiny gloss depending on the number of coats and how much "wooling" you do. As you have found out, acetone is not the product to use with polyurethane.

Bruce

 

[AveragEd]

I have a pair of older Ahrends stocks that have a dull yet smooth finish and a set I just received this week that also are dull but are not nearly as smooth, so I would speculate that their standard finish did change. However, using them should "buff out" the roughness, so I'm going to hold off on any refinishing until I've shot the gun some with them on it.

My reason for not going for the optional finish was not the cost but the added delivery time required. Besides, we all need winter projects, right?

Ed

 

[H Richard]

I have always used Tru Oil to refinish both handgun and rifle stocks. Apply with finger and rub in then rub out with heel of hand. Let dry 24 hours and lightly sand with 0000 steel wool, then use tack rag to wipe off. Reapply tru Oil same way. Repeat application with sanding in between for 6-7 coats. Let stand 7 days, then rub out with a solution of Rottenstone in mineral oil to form a paste. This will knock down any high gloss, and give a deep smooth finish. Then coat with Renaissance Wax.

 

[broknaxl]

Whats the difference between the Tung Oil and Tru-Oil? Is there one? Does the Tru-Oil have some additives of some sort? Just wondering.

 

[BW460]

I used to do a lot of woodworking. I always prefered Watco Danish Oil over Tung Oil. On raw wood, it will darken it slightly, but most oil finishes will. I just put a couple of coats on my Rossi Rifle which has a walnut stock. It's beautiful now! If you want, Watco Danish Oil also comes in tinted colors too.

Here's a tip for the can of oil after you use it. Squeeze the can a bit to get as much of the air out of the can before you put the cap back on. It will keep longer that way.

BW

 

[Maximumbob54]

I have been told that Tru-Oil is cut with varnish. It worked decent on a set of beat up stocks that I tried. Nothing amazing, but it worked.

I will have to look into Watco, I think I saw that at Home Depot.

 

[one eye joe]

I think you did a great job, Maximumbob. Your grips don't look much different than my Tung Oiled Moradillos from Ahrends pictured below.. OF COURSE, as you said, you are in need of a light box. I'm sure your pic doesn't do your grips justice......

 

[Maximumbob54]

Thank you. I like the darker hue of your moradillo better than mine. But then again I just ruined mine last night. I wanted to cut the bottom of and... Well, I got one side perfect... The other... Can I get a mulligan please??? EPIC FAIL...

 

[one eye joe]

It just ain't easy, bro..........