Best stuff to use to stain SKS wood stock?

[megatronrules]

I am going to be geting a yugo sks this week and while I love these guns I don't like the coloring of the wood stock on it. Whats the best thing to use on the stock as far as wood stains go,also should I seal it after I'am done staining it?,if so whats the best seal to use for this? I'am going for a dark colored finish like a dark cherry woood type color if this helps at all? Has anyone here stained thair sks or any other rifle stiock if so how well did it come out? I would thik its not very difficult to do but would like some input from you guys on this thanks.

 

[standingbear]

first ya gotta get all the soaked cosmoline out of the wood.not a biggie and most here that have done it can give you the rundown.I used formbys wood finish remover after I got the cosmo out..cause im the lazy type that expects alot.rubbed the formbys in..waited hour then wiped off the gunk.steel wooled it and removed all the sharp edges and dings in the wood with a wet towel over the dent..go over the towel with an iron and itll raise the dent out.the important thing is getting all the junk out of the pores in the wood so that any stain wil stick.

they look pretty nice once you get the wood smoothed out and the grain showing.you can try a dark walnut stain,dunno if itll darken it much because of the kind of wood the yugo sets in.alot of people just use boiled linseed oil to seal it and hand rub it into the grain.looks pretty good,just not dark.

maybe try it on the inside of the stock first?

 

[ocabj]

I took a tip from Parallax's C&R Forums and got Behr's #600 Scandanavian Tung Oil Finish. It's not a pure tung oil like other brands, but is a combination of tung oil, boiled linseed oil, and carnuba wax. Gives a great finish and easy to apply.

 

[albanian]

I have done several of my Yugo SKS stocks. I used Tung oil as a finish and sandpaper and steel wool to smooth it up. You may want to wait until you get the gun before choosing a stain. I am not a fan of blond wood but mine are a little darker than some Yugos and the Tung oil does darken it up a little. They have such nice wood and grain that it would be a shame to hide it under a fake stain. Most of them are Teak and very dense so a natural oil finish really seems to be the best route if you like wood. I would only consider staining a poor quality wood because it blurs the grain. If you have ever seen a Beech wood stock that has been stained Walnut you will understand what I mean.

Sorry I couldn't help you with a stain but I have never stained a gunstock and doubt I ever will. I have stained Pine and other poor quality woods and even those didn't really improve the overall look of the wood. It is your gun and you should do what you want but consider looking at some of the Yugos that have had a oil finish and see what you think.