Cannonball888
Member
I'm wondering if I should apply paste wax after my last coat of tung oil is dry, or should I leave it be?
For a walnut M1A stock, apply wax after final tung oil?
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gunnerh
Member
In Texas I just use tung oil, satin finish. I love it. In FL the extra protection of wax may be needed. Either way, KISS is normally the best option. High gloss finishes on milstyle weapons only good with full dress USMC Honor Guards holding them.
Hell is in the details
Hell is in the details
30Cal
Member
If you want it to look glossy, then wax away.
LeibstandarteAdH
Member
Ive never used tung oil, hows it look compaired to a soaking in linseed oil?
Cannonball888
Member
It has a lower sheen and it's not supposed to darken over time.
Dave P
Member
Floor paste wax is great. Low sheen, good grip.
PotatoJudge
Member
Wax does pretty much nothing as a water vapor barrier, for that use oil, poly, lacquer, shellac, or the like. Wax is a good lubricant and will help keep some of the smaller scratches and stuff from happening. It is also very easy to apply, is non-permanent, can easily be reapplied, and will work well on the metal also. There is no disadvantage I know of to applying wax.
LeibstandarteAdH
Member
The linseed oil or the tung oil?
I sanded and finished the wood on one of my WASR's with nothing but soaking the prep'ed wood in linseed oil and then letting it dry for a week or two, and im not satisfied with the way that the handguards are starting to pick up dirt on only the side/edges that i handle when firing. Did i just not sand it fine enough or what? What can i do for a better 'barrier' other then slathering on some kind of glossy coating looking stuff like varnish or something?
Im not real big into woodworking so any info on it would be nice.
Cannonball888
Member
Tung. I use 100% pure. Takes days to dry though.
Brian Dale
Member
...but linseed oil takes even longer.Cannonball888 said:
I do, for routine protection. I use it on both the wood and the outside metal surfaces. After the tung oil and before the paste wax, I use a beeswax and tung oil mixture based on Dick Culver's beeswax and linseed oil recipe, given as Method Three at this link.Cannonball888 said:
I've described it in posts #25 and 29 of this THR thread. Before you ask: no, I don't put oven cleaner on stocks any more.
I reapply the beeswax and tung oil every year or so; it gives the wood a nice, soft glow.
LeibstandarteAdH, you might sand a little finer if you want to seal the pores of the wood. The stock picking up dirt can be due either to the linseed oil not being fully cured yet or to the fact that these oils are in the wood rather than forming an impervious barrier on top of the wood. Tung oil seems to form a little harder finish once it's cured than does linseed oil--would anybody care to confirm or refute this?
Cannonball888
Member
Thanks Brian. Your experience with the hardness of tung oil is valid. Though I've had no experience with linseed oil, everything I've read on the Web about tung oil indicates it is indeed a harder finish than linseed oil.
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