How to do the World's best oil finish

[CZguy]

Plus 1, on this thread being a sticky.

[jwmtx]

Now how about some lessons on cold bluing. I'm about finishd with the stock and am going to tackle the Cold Blueing next. Any do's or don'ts? Most people have told me "DON'T", but I'm thick headed.
Mine is a 1974 39A and it looked like when they bought it they just tossed it into the bed of a pickup and let it bounce around for years. I rescued it a few months ago. I'll post pictures if I ever finish. James

[KINGMAX]

NATCHEZ SOLUTION
P. O. BOX 16235
JACKSON MS 39236


This stuff is the BEST that I have ever used.


It was developed for taking care of antique furniture. It will give you the best hand rubbed finish. When I finished a gun cabinet, it was all I used to seal the wood with. I put about 5 coats on it to seal it up, then twice a year to maintain the finish. No problems.

[dfariswheel]

"Truth" is, cold blues are best for touch up of small scratches.

While results do vary, most attempts to cold blue a large area wind up a smoky, streaked blue-gray color.
Some people have fairly good luck, but even then, the cold blue looks nothing like a hot salts or rust blue job, and the finish is not durable at all.
It rubs off and rusts easily, and tends to turn brown rather quickly.

Best advice if you try it is to spend a LOT of time and effort degreasing the metal.
One of the best of the cold blues is Brownell's Oxpho-Blue.

[tractorshaft]

While looking around in the Woodstain department of our local big box home supply store (Home Depot) I noticed something of interest to this thread. I saw that MinWax had released a "New Color" of their oil based stain in "Gunstock". I bought a pint of it and am going to re-do my Marlin 336 Walnut with it. I will post results and review of stain, so far it looks very promising and looks to be the right shade of "Red".
Thanks for all the info.

Minwax "Gunstock 231"

Here is the link to it;

http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_...fm?tn=4#Colors

Jerry

[dfariswheel]

Apparently, that's just a oil-based stain, not the oil finish.

They used to make a "Walnut" version of the Antique Oil Finish, but then stopped and make only the clear.

[tractorshaft]

Correct, if you desire to darken or "Redden" your gunstock prior to application of the Antique Oil this "Stain" is suggested as an alternative to the Brownells products (Stains) mentioned earlier in the thread. The post was not to suggest an alternative for the Antique Oil application or technique. I am going to apply a little of the Minwax "Gunstock" colored stain to my 336C stock and then a judicious application of Antique oil per this thread. Will this work alright? I read every post in the thread and just dont think that my stock will be dark enough with the Antique oil alone, I found it at our local Tru-Value hardware store for $11.00 a jug.Thanks for sharing this technique with everyone, I am a intermediate woodworker and have used many materials and techniques up to and including "French Polish" with Shellac. I was very glad to read about the durability and ease of application for the Minwax product. Gunstocks have always been either too shiny or not durable enough. This may solve a long standing problem for me. Many thanks!

Enjoy

Jerry

[battlecry]

On the topic of oil stains vs dyes, don't underestimate the penetrating power of alcohol dyes. They can go right through and color dry Tung, Formby's Tung Oil Finish, or shellac coatings. I've even used it to color Marlin's Mar-Coat.

[dfariswheel]

Probably the best looking gun stocks of all were the old British and American "Red" walnut finishes.

Winchester used it up to 1964, and it's not much seen these days (along with real walnut).

When I wanted a red walnut stock I used Tandy water-based leather dyes.
These can be blended and thinned to light tints to prevent dyeing too dark.
Best, these don't sit on the surface of the wood like many oil-based stains.
The water-alcohol based dyes sink right in.
Since they do soak in deeper, rubbing the oil finish with steel wool doesn't tend to rub the stain right back off.

If you have some clean, non-oil soaked walnut, the Minwax stain should do great.

[Dymoke]

Aways back someone said not to buy a large can of Minwax Oil Finish because it would go bad ::
What happens to it and how would we tell is bad?
I'm doing a Riverside Single Barrow now has two coats on it and I'm liking it already.
Got my MOF at Ace $10.49

[dfariswheel]

Like a lot of wood products and paints, Minwax will "gel" in the can when it gets old.

It literally thickens into a jelly-like substance and smells different than the good stuff.

When using Minwax, wipe the can cap and threads really well before sealing.
The can WILL glue itself on the can, and even Vise-grips often won't get it loose.
I hated it when I needed to apply a coat, I could hear it sloshing around in the can.... still good, and couldn't get the %^@#*% CAP OFF.

[battlecry]

One trick that works well with some varnishes, finishes, and paints is to use butane from a lighter refill can to purge the air from the can before sealing it. The butane is heavier than air and will displace the air in contact with the finish, preventing oxidation.

[dfariswheel]

Neat trick.

[Loggerlee]

Back to the top,I was glad to have seen this,so I subscribed,still not sticky I see....

[Oro]

Originally Posted by dfariswheel

Probably the best looking gun stocks of all were the old British and American "Red" walnut finishes.

Winchester used it up to 1964, and it's not much seen these days (along with real walnut).

When I wanted a red walnut stock I used Tandy water-based leather dyes.
These can be blended and thinned to light tints to prevent dyeing too dark.

dfarishwheel, do you have a recipe or some guidance on creating this stain? I am going to refinish a 1956 Model 94 and would like to have an alcohol/water soluble stain like this to treat the wood before I start oiling.

rcmodel helpfully pointed me to some commercial products, but with hazardous shipping and such they were running to $30 delivered, which seemed a bit steep when I know I can re-create them at home with simple chemicals or commercial dyes if someone had a "homebrew" recipe.

Would the "Chestnut Ridge" stain possibly be close match as an alternative?

http://www.chestnutridge.com/images/inv/MAWAL1.asp

[1911Tuner]

Good information here. So much so that it's been requested to go sticky...so I'm gonna put a dab of glue on it.

[dfariswheel]

Thanks 'Tuner.
Saves me from having to search every time someone asks about the technique.

[JoshRushing]

Anybody use Arrow wood finish?

[PiercePaul]

Just a FYI: For the winchester red cast in color of there finish there is a product out on the market to day called Herter's French Red, it comes as a stain or wood filler. Brownell's has it.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=1...ku/Walnut_8_oz

[<SLV>]

I can't find "Minwax Antique Oil Finish." Checked Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and True Value. Even the Signboard for Minwax products at Home Depot did not list this product.

Can anyone recommend a retail establishment that would carry this finish?

Also, will this finish work on Birch? Or am I better off with a poly?

[<SLV>]

... I called Menards and they said that they have it!

[CZguy]

Also, will this finish work on Birch? Or am I better off with a poly?

I used it on Walnut and Beechwood and am pleased with the results. The photo shows a Remington 34 with walnut over a BRNO #1 with Beechwood.

[rondog]

Just wanted to throw this out there, great stuff! http://www.fairtrimmers.com/

[twice barrel]

Think I'll give the Minwax stuff a try next go around but I just used the last of some Watco Danish Oil finish I had on hand to rejuvinate the stock on an old 22 rifle I picked up last week. My guess is the two products are very similar.

Regards,

TB

[Higgy]

I use the Watco oil, but only because I've never tried the Minwax. The Watco takes a long time to harden imho, but the endresult is fabulous.