Light spots appearing on wood after oil finish?

[Jessesky]

About a month into applying finishing oil on my English walnut rifle stock I am building. The finishing oil consists of BLO, carnauba was, turpentine, and Venice turpentine. There were no spots like this before and all of a sudden some appeared on (in my opinion) one of the most critical aesthetic parts of the stock, the comb.

I’m thinking it could be moisture from the wood surfacing and being pushed out by the oil and trapped under the surface after being sealed after a month of coats.

What do you think could be causing this? What is your solution?

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Man that must be frustrating.

 

[Kp321]

Almost looks like some of the old finish is still on the stock.

 

[Jessesky]

Almost looks like some of the old finish is still on the stock.

It started as raw wood. Otherwise I would agree. An this only recently appeared after a month oiling.

 

[Odd Job]

That's a nice stock, going to look great when it's finished!
Hope you get a solution...I don't have a clue why this is happening, sorry.

 

[Coyote3855]

That's a beautiful piece of wood. I hope you figure it out because I have nothing to offer.

 

[243winxb]

Wood looks like it wasnt sealed first?

 

[Jessesky]

Wood looks like it wasnt sealed first?

View attachment 909536

Definitely didn’t seal it first, but I’m using an old fashioned English method by the book. I don’t think sealant would be the case. Thanks though

 

[earlthegoat2]

BLO, when not penetrated into wood, can do that when it “cures” on the surface. IME, it always needs to be “rubbed in” with abrasive.

Unless blended with a varnish such as spar urethane it does not like to build up.

 

[Jessesky]

BLO, when not penetrated into wood, can do that when it “cures” on the surface. IME, it always needs to be “rubbed in” with abrasive.

Unless blended with a varnish such as spar urethane it does not like to build up.

Would it make sense that a this would first appear after a month of applications? Thanks. Also do you have a potential solution right now the only thing I can think of is stripping it down

I sanded in with 400grit my first coat of alkanet oil mixed with BLO. I let that dry a few days, but not cure. I then began applying the finishing oil but didn’t sand it in, I only massaged it in

 

[earlthegoat2]

So I think I misinterpreted what your problem was.

You are talking about these spots, correct?



Did they appear sharply after a coat of finish one day or is it something that slowly manifested?

Is the second picture a before shot and if so why do the spots appear lighter now than they did then?

Making some assumptions my guess is contamination between coats along the line. You mention carnauba wax as an ingredient. Is there any way some mistakenly got wiped on in one spot? We’re there any spikes in humidity where you were finishing? Outside on a damp day or a particularly cold day?

Were any stains ever applied?

 

[earlthegoat2]

As others have suspected, I too believe it to be moisture induced. BLO offers little protection from water intrusion if there is any more than just a light spattering that is quickly wiped off. Dissolving wax in turpentine is an old and traditional finish as you have pointed out. Waxes, in general do no have great resistance to moisture or wear. They are soft and intolerant of heat.

I also believe some moisture intruded and caused the splotching.

You can try wiping with denatured alcohol. Only lightly with just enough solvent to leave a slight vapor trail.
Blush Eliminator is a commercial product used for getting rid of water rings on furniture. Since I think this is water intrusion the same principles apply.
Try sanding with 400 or 600 grit on the affected area with some of your finishing blend. If the blemish is near the surface it should be able to be rubbed out this way.

What else is known about this old English method and how old is it? Was it known for resilience and durability or was it just the best they had at the time? Why I ask is that maybe this was something that happened back then with this finish. By todays standards, it is pretty inferior.

 

[Bill M.]

Sorta interesting it is on the exposed end grain. Maybe it soaked all of something in. Not familiar with what you are using for finish but the wax in it is suspect in my mind.

 

[Scooter22]

It almost looks like you had a concentration of wax that sealed the grain in those areas not letting the oil penetrate into the wood leaving it lighter. Did you make the oil mix or was it bought? Could the ingredients have separated or not been mixed thoroughly?

 

[Jessesky]

It almost looks like you had a concentration of wax that sealed the grain in those areas not letting the oil penetrate into the wood leaving it lighter. Did you make the oil mix or was it bought? Could the ingredients have separated or not been mixed thoroughly?

I made the mix myself, simmered all the ingredients together on the stove.

 

[Jessesky]

As others have suspected, I too believe it to be moisture induced. BLO offers little protection from water intrusion if there is any more than just a light spattering that is quickly wiped off. Dissolving wax in turpentine is an old and traditional finish as you have pointed out. Waxes, in general do no have great resistance to moisture or wear. They are soft and intolerant of heat.

I also believe some moisture intruded and caused the splotching.

You can try wiping with denatured alcohol. Only lightly with just enough solvent to leave a slight vapor trail.
Blush Eliminator is a commercial product used for getting rid of water rings on furniture. Since I think this is water intrusion the same principles apply.
Try sanding with 400 or 600 grit on the affected area with some of your finishing blend. If the blemish is near the surface it should be able to be rubbed out this way.

What else is known about this old English method and how old is it? Was it known for resilience and durability or was it just the best they had at the time? Why I ask is that maybe this was something that happened back then with this finish. By todays standards, it is pretty inferior.

I know it’s similar to the finishes on some of my old double guns based on research and the time period of what was common use and they hold up beautifully. That was my main purpose, I know it’s not the most durable finish, but I wanted that old rigby, Holland, Jeffery, griffin and Howe look. And unlike varnish, I feel the finish ages better (when this doesn’t happen if course).

I’m going to try your method of sanding it out, maybe let the water near the surface ‘breathe’ if that is the case.

 

[skeeterfogger]

I've had simular on furniture. Every time it cropped up I scrubbed it off with steel wool and reaplied stain to the area. Once it stopped I lightly scrubbed the entire piece and one more coat of stain. Never could figure out what it was but it did go away and that's what counts.

 

[Jessesky]

Sanding and reapplying alkanet oil seem to be helping. I’m going to wait a week or so before I apply finishing oil again in case it’s moisture that needs to escape.

 

[Bill M.]

That is good news.

 

[243winxb]

This crack bothers me. Anyone else?

Looks like a fault line.

 

[Catman42]

next time you do a stock make sure all of the old finish is out of it. if you have to glue cracks, stain the wood and dry before you glue. doing all this then use a medium brown leather dye, not the oil type but the thin watery type. you will get a more even grain stain and it will bring out the grain better than even the real good job you did. then suface finish as you did. when all done rub for hours the stock with a flannel cotton cloth with brownells 5 f gun finish polish. you wont believe the finish you will get. if you want the gun never ever again to take on water, on the butt on the back of it under the butt stock rub in watery type super glue until it will take no more. sand even with the surface. when you put the put the butt plate on you will not see it. no water will enter your stock ever again. ive done dozens of stocks this way. if you ever want a super high gloss finish that is very very durable. do as you did and wipe all the oil off of it. then lightly spray with a can of high quality acrilic clear top coat for auto finishes. let dry and rub out with HUTS PLASTIC polish on a cotton cloth then brownells 5f. you wont believe the results and it lasts and takes the weather. make sure the high gloss top coat is acrilic clear. their you are, every one has secrets, now you know mine.

 

[Weflyfast]

Hmmmm ....heat....