K31 rerefinish so far...how to finish?

[Shrinkmd]

This is my second attempt at my K31 (forgot to stain it the first time...I never did anything like this before) Check out http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=203236&highlight=k31+bubba for the old finish.

Anyway, here we are, 10 coats of formby's high gloss tung oil finish (wiping varnish) over Transtint vintage maple applied with water as solvent. http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/TransTint.htm

Here is how it looks so far. I sanded to 220, tried to raise the grain (water stain and all) a couple times, and have 0000 steel wooled between coats (rubbed on by hand, then wiped off excess after a few minutes with shop towel) 24 hr dry time between coats. These pictures are about 2 weeks after the last coat.

What else should I do? Let it dry a bit more and just wax it, or should I hit it with 600 and then another thin coat or so? I was thinking about lowering the gloss, but when I steel wooled it down the color didn't look right and the blotchy parts of the stain looked like dirt (thanks to the Swiss cleaning their snow boots on my rifle )

 

[DMK]

I think it looks great right now.

I was never a fan of high gloss finish on a milsurp though. It looks silly, like shiny paint on an army jeep.

 

[Coronach]

^^^^
Werd.

 

[Jackal]

Well it looks ok. However, I have never been a fan of the tung/linseed oils. My favorite and most versatile finish is Tru-Oil. Here's a pic of my K31 refinish. Four coats of hand rubbed Tru-Oil after sanding to 440 grit and no stain. Looks great, protect super and doesnt leech on hot days. I left it a semi-gloss, however, I can always cut it down later. And, yes that is a mint 99% finish K31. The only part that is thinning is the rear barrel band and the rear handguard cap

 

[KINGMAX]

Finish it w/ NATCHEZ Solution

I use only NATCHEZ Solution on any of my wood.

Look it up on the net.

 

[telomerase]

I think it looks great. If you need to dull it down in the future a can of black and brown spray paint and ten seconds...

Oh, right. Forgot about the Cruffler Mafia. I never said anything.

Speaking of spray paint, how is it I keep seeing US troops with forest camo in the desert? Haven't they heard of spray paint either? (Are they afraid to "bubba-ize" their equipment for fear of retaliation by the milsurp collectors who outgun them?)