tung oil refinishing question

[rc51kid]

i am redoing the stocks on my 19-4. They had some bad chips and the original clear was yellow and flaking. I striped them in aceton and then hit them with 0000 steel wool. i smoothed some of the chips with 100 grit but i didnt really sand the grips. i would have liked to us some 600 grit in a few spots but the steel wool looked to do OK. They wont look perfict but they should match up the "shooter" grade 19 they are going on.

So to my question. I am using tung oil as a finish. I put the 1st coat on last night with my fingertips while wearing ruber gloves. Then the 2nd coat this AM. How often should i putting coats on and when should i be using steel wool between the coats? Also i am using really light coats on my fingers. Any tips on getting it all in the checkering without getting it too heavy?

 

[longranger]

I just refinished the grips on my 29-2. I thinned the tung oil with acetone and did 6 coats working the t.o. into the wood each time until it becomes a little tacky.I gave a full 12 hrs between coats,finish is hard and sands well,I used 0000 steel wool between each coat and wiping off before the next coat.
The thinned tung oil penetrates better and no uneccesary build up.
The checkering was in perfect condition and I needed just to scrub with a short stiff bristle brush and acetone.
I will post some pictures here in the few hours.

 

[rc51kid]

I just refinished the grips on my 29-2. I thinned the tung oil with acetone and did 6 coats working the t.o. into the wood each time until it becomes a little tacky.I gave a full 12 hrs between coats,finish is hard and sands well,I used 0000 steel wool between each coat and wiping off before the next coat.
The thinned tung oil penetrates better and no uneccesary build up.
The checkering was in perfect condition and I needed just to scrub with a short stiff bristle brush and acetone.
I will post some pictures here in the few hours.

pictures would be great. I am sure it will look nicer than mine will. Mine had some good sized chips and what not. But pictures are nice.

What amount of acetone did you use? 50/50?

 

[sceva]

These Herretts are finished in Tung Oil Finish. Herretts put on 3 coats of Formby's and I put on an additional 5-6 coats of MinWax Tung oil finish. You want it to build up IN the wood instead of ON the wood so you can cut it back with 000 steel wool or very fine scotch brite if needed between coats.

What looks like a dark strip on the right side is a shadow.

 

[firearmsunlimited]

pictures would be great. I am sure it will look nicer than mine will. Mine had some good sized chips and what not. But pictures are nice.

What amount of acetone did you use? 50/50?

FYI:
There are three different types of tung oil: pure, modified and polymerized. Acetone is not recommended as a thinner for any of them as it disrupts the molecular cross linking that occurs during the drying process impacting the life of the finish itself. The acceptable thinners for tung oil are 1-K Kerosene and VM&P Naphtha. Kerosene will cause the drying process to be longer than if VM&P Naphtha is used as the thinner.

 

[Nemo288]

I hope this is appropriate.

The latest refinishing project for gun stocks I have undertaken
was a learning experience but ultimately successful.

Not sure how many in here are familiar with the stocks originally
supplied with the Redhawk but they kinda look like driftwood they are so dry.
I had no idea even what wood it was. I put rubber
on pretty much right away. This gun has gotten me and my buddy
at least a dozen deer over the years.

After I moved and dug out the gun collection after a spell of
doing other things like long distance motorcycling, I found
these original magna style stocks for the redhawk.

We have quite a bit of solid teak furniture and received some
oil to treat it with. Its a very lightly red colored oil I suspect
is tung oil.

Well these grips were so dry after 7 or 8 applications of the "teak"
oil the pores were still wide open and screaming for more.
I got some Dem-Bart London oil finish. After 4 layers with
light sanding with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper in between
they look like xxx grade walnut. The grain is truly 3 dimensional.

Good product if you know when to quit. It gets glossier as more
is applied. I am real happy with the result.

I have been unable to get a picture that shows the grain properly
but I will keep trying.


---
Nemo

 

[Oyeboteb]

I believe Turpentine can be used to thin Tung Oil.

Also, for any of the old 'Hard Oils', one usually added a little Japan drier, and worked the Oils in Hot, or Warm anyway.


Too, one can simply immerse Hand Gun Stocks into a Jar of warm Oil Solution, and let them sit a while immersed, then, take them out, shake off any excess, and, briskly rub them down to more or less dry.

Buff, and Wax thereafter.


Shellac in Alcohol ( alng with Alcohol soluable Dyes if called for ) may also be used prior to applications of the Hardening Oils for new, old, or dry Wood Stocks.

If the Wood can be polished after the Shellac applications, then the Oil and Wax will permit a far deeper final Finish to result.



Varnishes as such, as a material which will lay on the surface, has never been a good choice for any sort of Stocks, Rifle or Hand Gun.

The finish of course, is best to be 'in' the Wood, rather than 'on' the Wood...with Wax being 'on' the finish-impregnated Wood, as the final barrier to moisture, grime or whatever else...and as the protector of the 'Finish' as well as being part of the Finish.

A good Paste Wax is also very nice for the Gun itself...with the 'Renaisance' Brand being among the favorites for this.

 

[sureshotbob]

I've just got a bottle of 100% pure tung oil from the Real Milk Paint co. and it say's to cut it with Citrus Solvent or Mineral Spirits 1:1 .It say's rub on then after 1/2 hour wipe of any seepage let cure for 24-48 hour between coats. I'll be using this to do a set of combat stock's on a 686 and a new stock for a M1 Garand.

 

[Tunachaser]

I don't cut toung oil, but I do warm it up, if you place a glass jar in almost boiling water it will thin out a little on it's, the wood just seams to absorb it better. And I only do that for the first few coats.

 

[BruceM]

I use mineral spirits to cut pure tung oil. You can even dilute it 2:1 mineral spirits to tung oil. This allows you to apply thinner coats which dry faster. Apply more coats which are thinner is generally preferable to fewer, thicker coats.



Bruce

 

[Smith357]

I use mineral spirits to cut tung oil, I also us it in the application process. I apply the tung oils and rub it in until it starts to get tacky, i then moisten my hands with mineral spirits and continue to rub. I let it dry for 24-48 hours give it a light buff with 0000 steel wool and repeat. I used this technique on this 40x Freeland style stock, It took about 35-40 coats to get the deep high gloss finish. I only took about 6 coats for the matte finish on my Kimber and Winchester.

Before

After

Kimber and Winchester

 

[Harrison]

I have refinished several sets of pistol stocks with tung oil. First, Formbys and Minwax Tung Oil Finishes have very little actual tung oil.

I used pure tung oil cut 1:1 with turpentine. Like the other poster said, rub in the wood, let set for about half hour and let cure for 24-48 hours. lightly rub down with very fine steel wool and repeat. Tung oil is in the wood not on top of it. Depending on your piece of wood it may take from 3 to 5 or 6 coats. A real tung oil finish is resistant to almost everything and durable, but it is also something that takes a bit of time to achieve. After the final coat I let it cure for about 3 days and then put on a good coat of wax.

 

[Nemo288]

So does anyone know the formulation of the Dem-Bart "London
Oil Finish"? I had success with it but it does behave as if it has
some synthetics in it. I can smell solvent a month after it was
applied. I have not put wax on yet.

---
Nemo