STOCK FINISH

[J. R. WEEMS]

I know we have many collectors here and they like things pretty, but I pose the question if I may-- on your feild guns, do you prefer a varnish, or oil finish?? Just wondering. I lean toward an oil finish.

 

[paplinker]

Oil finish for me. Especially anything pre 1970

Some of the newer shotguns do look really nice with the varnish.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

Mostly Tung oil for my stocks.

 

[glowe]

I tried something new to me on a 1978 made Uberti Model 66 rifle a few months ago. Stocks were sticky and dirty, so cleaned them with cloth dampened with trisodium phosphate, wiped down with damp cloth and dried, then sanded with 600 grit. Applied MinWax Antique Oil Finish. Love the stuff and it has several advantages over other oils, varnishes, and polys. First, when used on bare wood, it is hand applied and wiped off with every coat, meaning that you wipe it dry after each coat. No dust, no foreign materials, no runs, etc. It cures very quickly, so I was able a new coat every hour after the first couple coats cured. Can says 24 hours, but I find the finish dry in 30 minutes. It starts out flat, but after several coats, a nice satin finish is achieved, and as one keeps applying, a gloss will build. If you want high gloss, keep adding coats, but you can stop when the finish has the desired luster.

I have since tried it over existing finishes and it works and cures very well. The advantages are many, using it in checkering, just apply and use compressed air to remove excess. Wiping it down after each coat ends the need to sand between every coat, maybe only have to sand once after the first few coats. You can apply several coats in one day due to its quick cure time. It slowly builds shine and you can stop when the proper finish appearance is achieved. Don't need brushes or applicators, since your fingers work just fine. It appears to be very durable.

It is worth a try for anyone needing to finish or refinish any wood project, firearms or furniture.

 

[sheepdawg]

Minwax Antique Oil Finish is just a mixture of oils with a little varnish and driers added. It does work real well but will build up if too much is used. I did a bare wood AK47 stock and hand guard with it and was quite happy. I added some colors in oil and pure gum turpentine to the first coat and used it as a stain then three more coats right out of the can, full strength, buffed and lightly sanded between coats. It leaves a nice military type sheen.

One of the few Minwax products I can say was really good stuff.

 

[H Richard]

I've been pleased with Tru-Oil on a couple rifles and many pair of revolver stocks. Hand rubbed, and using normally 5 - 7 coats it can be left shiny I don't), or rubbed out with a very fine rubbing compound, (I use Mothers Mag Polish now).

A couple recent examples.

 

[Old TexMex]

Tru-oil is my go to. Seems to be real durable, easy to touch up on scratches from mesquite brush.
Unless you don’t get out of the truck, varnish is no bueno.

 

[gregintenn]

There are better products, but Tru-Oil is easy to use and hard to screw up. I did get a bottle once that never would harden, however. After the required number of applications, I like to hand rub it with pumice dust to knock the obnoxious gloss off it.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Being a South paw , I have owned several LH Remington 700BDL’s.
With that hideous plastic coating!
So I guess I prefer plastic on field guns.

 

[Salty RI]

I used to make a mixture of 1/3 boiled linseed 1/3 white vinager and 1/3 mineral spirts, give it several coats with a buffing after each one and I would do it again at least once a year.

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

 

[Old TexMex]

There are better products, but Tru-Oil is easy to use and hard to screw up. I did get a bottle once that never would harden, however. After the required number of applications, I like to hand rub it with pumice dust to knock the obnoxious gloss off it.

That’s the ticket, I have rotten stone and use that with a cotton rag. I used to use Stock Glow paste, but I don’t know if it’s still around. That was pretty good.

 

[gregintenn]

Being a South paw , I have owned several LH Remington 700BDL’s.
With that hideous plastic coating!
So I guess I prefer plastic on field guns.

Whatever it was that Remington put on their BDL line of rifle stocks was tougher than woodpecker lips! Ever try to remove that finish?

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Whatever it was that Remington put on their BDL line of rifle stocks was tougher than woodpecker lips! Ever try to remove that finish?

Funny you should mention that!
Traded for a 700BDL with the coating - finish removed.
Talk about ugly!
What’s uglier than a Rem 700BDL with Plastic Finish?
A 700BDL with it removed!
That stock looked like a piece of rejected firewood!
A buddy of mine was doing beginning checkering.
I tell him, take this gun, checker it!
Any way you want to!
Make a mistake?
No problemo ! Sand it off!
No penalty, no foul.
He never could bring himself to checker that rifle!
I sold it the way it was!

 

[H Richard]

For those of you that use Rottenstone to "degloss" a finished Tru-Oil finish, I always did also, a mixture of Rottenstone with mineral oil to make up a paste to rub it out. Last time I tried Mothers Mag Polish in place of Rottenstone, and I like it. Got the same result wit a lot less mess.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

OIL FINISH

I tried something new to me on a 1978 made Uberti Model 66 rifle a few months ago. Stocks were sticky and dirty, so cleaned them with cloth dampened with trisodium phosphate, wiped down with damp cloth and dried, then sanded with 600 grit. Applied MinWax Antique Oil Finish. Love the stuff and it has several advantages over other oils, varnishes, and polys. First, when used on bare wood, it is hand applied and wiped off with every coat, meaning that you wipe it dry after each coat. No dust, no foreign materials, no runs, etc. It cures very quickly, so I was able a new coat every hour after the first couple coats cured. Can says 24 hours, but I find the finish dry in 30 minutes. It starts out flat, but after several coats, a nice satin finish is achieved, and as one keeps applying, a gloss will build. If you want high gloss, keep adding coats, but you can stop when the finish has the desired luster.

I have since tried it over existing finishes and it works and cures very well. The advantages are many, using it in checkering, just apply and use compressed air to remove excess. Wiping it down after each coat ends the need to sand between every coat, maybe only have to sand once after the first few coats. You can apply several coats in one day due to its quick cure time. It slowly builds shine and you can stop when the proper finish appearance is achieved. Don't need brushes or applicators, since your fingers work just fine. It appears to be very durable.

It is worth a try for anyone needing to finish or refinish any wood project, firearms or furniture.

Great stuff but watch the rags ( cheese cloth). I made my wife a bedroom set out of cherry a number of years ago. NO stain and 20 coats of hand ribbed Antique Oil finish. Has held up great after all these years, with a rubdown of 'Old English' lemon oil polish.