Finch

I've been refinishing my Mossberg 500 stock this week. Anyway, I'm on my fourth coat of staining and the stock and forearm appear to be two different shades. I'm currently using tru-oil which I don't think is going to give me the darkness I desire. Should I have used the walnut stain first and then the Tru-oil as a final coat? I read somewhere to use only the Tru-oil. Can you tell this is my first time doing anything like this?

Heres a before pic.



Heres the work in progress.

Wilds

If you're goin' for looks, then strip it to bare wood next time, stain it, let stain dry for a week or so, then apply true oil in multiple coats without any sanding between coats.......

slather it on, let it set a minute or two,and thenwipe it off with a lint free cloth until it's dry enough to handle.

Takes 15 to 30 coats to make it look "good".......

ElkNutz

Wilds correct...
I just got done with the stock on my Abolt '06. First is two or three coats of stain let dry a week then start the tru oil. a coat everyday for ten days sanding it with OOOO steel wool in between. The foreend and the stock may be two diffrent colors when done as it is two diffrent pieces of wood and each may take stain diffrent.

Finch

Okay, thanks guys. The article I read stated to sand it down to bare wood (which I did) and apply a minimum of five coats of tru-oil while sanding in between. Its nice looking but not quite the color I wanted. So you guys are basically saying tru-oil is used as a sealer after the actual stain is applied?

ElkNutz

yes.If you want to get technical.You can mix the stain with the truoil in about a 50-50 mix then mix in a bit of mineral spirits to thin it out. This will help draw the oil/stain deeper into the wood the first few coats.
I generally do stain only for 3 or 4 coats then truoil after that.
I amgoing to be be using my ABolt of a late January elk hunt this year. So I tried something a little diffrent and after my tru oil I sealed it with a couple coats of Minwax clear satin polyurithane. If your shotgun is going to be used for waterfowl I might think about doing something like that.

Finch

In my case, I'll just do a little sanding and add a few walnut stain coats. Then I'll switch back to the tru-oil. Either way, it should look better than it did before.

Wilds

There's a million ways to use Tru Oil, some right,many wrong.

When a factory stain is involved, and often it is, under their "finish", it's best to use a chemical stripper and actually get it down to clean raw wood....then sand.

Stain it, a couple coats will get it even if any sap wood or light wood is showing.

Let the stain dry WELL, as the reducers in the stain MUST be all evaporated out before a sealing coat of any kind is applied.

Tru Oil does not NEED to be sanded in between coats for it to adhere. It's best applied and rubbed dry thus requiring MANY coats to accomplish a finished product.

Adding anything to it to thin it only makes your stock a sponge that will soak up moisture. As the "thinner", including any kind of stain, will cause microscopic bubbles to form as it tries to escape the wood. These bubble holes allow moisture to enter.

Have been down many shortcuts with tru oil myself and have learned none are better than what the pros do when the pros use it........

thndrchiken

I don't like to sand wood unless there are some imperfections to take care of. Personally I use a chemical stripper to get the finish off, allow a week to dry or you can speed it up by putting the wood on the oven for a few hours at a low temp with the door cracked. Stain and allow a day or two to dry inbetween coats then after you have achieved your desired color then allow to dry another week. Then start applying the finish. I prefer a mixture of linseed and tung oil with japan drier mixed in and then comes the fun part about applying a hand rubbed oil finish. two or three coats allow a day to dry inbetween XXXX steel wool, wipe down with a tack rag and repeat. I usually go for at least 12-15 coats and the last 6 don't get any sanding to build depth. You can also use wet/dry sandpaper but I personally feel that is a little too abrasive for the wet sanding.

Wilds

Steel wool leaves metal traces in the finish that eventually rust....................

thndrchiken

Hence the tack rag...