Does anyone here have experience with gunstock refinishing? The barrel on my Traditions "Shenandoah" rifle is held in place with metal pins. The last time I put them back in, I did not have something lined up correctly and so at the exit hole, when I hammered the pins back in, they pushed out (splintered) a small portion of the stock.
I was hoping toglue the wood back down, but it looks like it is going to flake off after all.
So at this point I am trying tolimit the eye sore as much as possible (the area is smaller than a dime).
I was thinking of:
Removing the splintered portion of the stock.
Sanding it down
Staining the wood
Re-sealing.
Does anyone have any recommendations on products? The Tru-oil stain looks like it is for walnut stocks-mine is more honey colored. As for the sealant, I was thinking ofdiluting polyurethane (sp?) in mineral spiritsand then sanding with the highest grit sandpaper I could find.
It may not be the prettiest job in the world but it will be cheaper than ordering a new stock.
~Robert
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This is just a sugestion but you could remove the splintered wood and fill it in with Plastic Wood. You can get it in different colors and it can be stained. You probably will have to re-stain the whole stock if you want it to match completely. I have used the Tru-Oil stock finish and it is easy to use and, using multiple coats, you can sand it to the amount of shine that you like. It comes as a liquid, you can literally apply it with your fingers or a rag, and it also comes as a spray. It's the easiest finish I have ever used.
A suggestion on the pins. One end will be a bit battered or swelled from tapping them in make sure that end is cleaned up and goes in last when putting them back in; also make sure that they are strait.Lee
A far as the damage have you considered a nice little silver inlet? just find one that looks good big enough to cover the damaged wood. Pinned barrels don't look fun.
If you really like the gun and are willing to put someserious work into it;
Clean off the original finish
scrape to a polish with the edge of glass [becarefull !!] tape and pad your hand grip.
Buy some Tung nut oil
Rub on lightly wait a day and rub out
I do this for 16 coats and repeat through the life of the gun as needed .
This is the finish my Grandfather use on the guns he made ,I think it goes back a ways but I really don't know I do know that it gives very good results if done right.Lee
I hadn't considered that idea. The more I think about it, the more I like it. The gun allready has brass inlays, so adding two more on each side, wouldn't look too bad.
You don't even need to do that if you can find a small inlay that matches your personality and just cover the damage with it.. How about a state coin? Or some symbol that means something to you or your family? It can even be a blued piece of steel that looks like a repair.
If the finish on the stock is real good I thing a repair that is bragged about is better than trying to repair the stock and have this well finished deep hole in it.
I use True Oil on all stock refinishing jobs. I sometimes usea couple of coats of boiled linseed oilfirst, hand-rubbed very thoroughly into the wood and allowed to dry for at least several weeks.
That said, there are better stock finishes than the linseed oil bases ones,(which True Oil is, with some drying agents added), as far as sealing the stock is concerned. For example, polyurethane seals a stock very well.
While True Oil may darken a stock somewhat, it is NOT a stain, and will allow a lighter colored stock to retain its light color.
For instance, this stock is cherry, finished with True Oil.
This .58 caliber Thompson Center Renegade is one I built from a kit in the very early 80's. The stock on this rifle was treated with boiled linseed oil applied by hand. I would warm the oil first and then spend hours rubbing coat after coat into the wood, day after day. What amazes me is for being over 25 years old the rifle still looks good, the stock has not faded, and although waxed, the rifle still shines...
A friend of mine did his T/C Hawkins Kitwith Tru Oil in the early 90's and I have to admit his turned out PERFECT! His rifle compares to the best of the custom rifle stocks I have ever seen. That Tru Oil would be the way I would go for a finish.
As for the splinter that is going to break off... I have little experience with rifle stocks repair. Eldeguello seems to be a good rifle builder and there are others also, that could offer you much better solutions then I can. Good luck. I know how you feel when one of the rifles get damaged. It drives me crazy too...
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Stock Refinishing
