stock finishing

[mauser06]

i need some help...i want to refinish my TC hawken stock. i just dont like Tru oil i put on it. colors alright i guess..but it turned a cloudy, whitish on me??. i heard about using tung oil or linseed oil. its a walnut stock. i just want something to bring out the natural beauty of the wood. its a nice piece of wood..maybe slightly glossy..not mirror finished..just something that looks nice and clean and clear and brings out the natural wood grain. i went to order tung oil but theres a bunch of diffrent kinds..pure, tung oil varnish etc..pure needs diluted with something..i jstt dont know lol...what do you guys recomend?? figured theres gotta be a couple wood workers here...

just lookin to finish my gun during spring break...gimme somethin to do while im not splitting wood...finish the stock and antique the brass...then be done with it forever!

[cayugad]

I've used boiled linseed oil. I put some in a small bowl and then dip my hand in it. I then rub that in to the woods. I want the friction of my hand to actually heat the oil up as it works into the wood. The working of coat after coat of boiled linseed oil will darken the wood. It's a lot of work.

[lemoyne]

Tung oil is an original finish used on many original guns, it also in my opinion is the best. finish your wood to a polish then put 16 coats on waiting a day between coats and rubbing it out every day before the new coat.
It makes a very good finish and is easily repair as long as the scrath does not go all the way to the wood. Lee

[lonewolf5348]

mauser: buy some funiture stripper and wet down the stock let sit and use 000 steel wool to remove the tru oil finish.I use the stripper and you will see the bubbles start to lift ,then go at it with the steel wool,once you have all the true-oil off the stock wash the stock with water and use a hair dryer to remove all the water and let sit for a while to dry.
I then use some 1500 wet and dry paper to wet the stock and sand with the grain,then redry .for deep dentswarm iron and damp cloth will raise them flush and resand smooth.I like to sharpen the edges were the lock sits and the other side when the lock bushing and screw goes threw,take your time and use a good sanding block don't sand with your finger tips .I then like to use FORMBY'S TUNG OIL SATIN FINISH.
I find trying to hold the stock and apply the finish is too risky don't want to drop the stock on the floor I use a 6 inch screw that goes threw the lock screw bushing and bolt up with a nut,lot better to handle,get a nice clean tee shirt cloth about 4 inch square and apply the tung oil with the grain.I start at the butt and work forward one side at a time,tung oil is easy to apply but you can't go over the oil too many times without it drying . I like going with one pass up to or just pass the lock then start from the tip and go to the spot on the lock.I then start the other side butt to lock and tip to lock then finish the underside of the stock.I run about 4 wet coats then use 0000 and rub the tung oil off back down to the grain between coats let dry before using the steel wool.I then reapply the tung oil in even wet coats from butt to tip I run about 15 coats which with every coats just builds up to a low stain finish

[lonewolf5348]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/P1010003.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/P1010004.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/P1010005.jpg

[mauser06]

when applying tung oil can i let it go MORE than a day between coats?? say im on spring break for 8 or 9 days..then come back in 4 or 5 days and put 3 more coats on...then 4 or 5 days later put on 3 more coats etc? or will it be too dry or something??

thanx lonewolf...i couldnt find that first post for some reason that rifle looks good..

cayugad...happen to have any pics handy of a rifle finished with boiled linseed oil?? just curious as to what it looks like..

[cayugad]

That Renegade was finished with boiled inseed oil over 25 years ago. I do wax the stock now only do it does not get darker...

[mauser06]

thanx cayugad...

i dont know if i like either finish the more i look at them. yes they are both fine looking rifles...but i was thinking of it being darker. i dont know why..maybe because when my stock is stripped the wood is dark.

let me look around and see if i cant find a stock the color i want mine. i dont want it black...just a deeper..darker tone..not a redish shade...let me see if i cant find something the tone i was thinking...maybe you guys can help me out...i may have to cheat and use stain....

[mauser06]

http://www.earlyrusticarms.com/bucks05.jpg

maybe something this color...though i know thats a maple stock..i just like the browns and darkness...maybe i should order the stain from that site and try it out?? i dont know...im going to antuiqe the brass and turn it a pretty dark shade...trying to get it dark and original looking...but clean looking..(i know i know...shoulda bought a GPR or Renegade lol) i love my hawken but like the looks of a darker rifle..any ideas?? thanx guys..

[frontier gander]

I used Varathane woodstain in Dark walnut. This is what it looks like after 8-9 coats of tru oil.

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Heres a cva colonial i did with the same stain but i rubbed 6 coats of boiled lin seed oil into it.