Col. Plink
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'baked with' step? Sorry, just couldn't tell if there was another application of something to bring the old stuff out of the wood. Thanks again!
Refinishing with Boiled Linseed Oil
- Thread starter maskedman504
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maskedman504
Member
I mis-typed!
I basically I held it infront of one of these at varying distances to boil most of the cosmoline out of the stock. This method allowed alot of control over the heat and I could focus on problem areas. When you see it bubbling out of the wood, wipe it with a towel, hold it back to the heat and repeat until no more is coming out!
I basically I held it infront of one of these at varying distances to boil most of the cosmoline out of the stock. This method allowed alot of control over the heat and I could focus on problem areas. When you see it bubbling out of the wood, wipe it with a towel, hold it back to the heat and repeat until no more is coming out!
Re: Wood finishing
Well, first, rottenstone is very finely ground pumice (volcanic rock - highly aerated lava, actually) originally used for "French Polishing" in the cabinet trade. For more than you will ever probably want to know about French Polish, see this link:
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/FrenchPolish.htm
Second, re the various mixes of linseed, tung, etc.
I have used a formula, or actually, formulas of the above for about forty years, which somehow got named "juice" in the early days.
Juice I: 1/3 BLO, 1/3 Tung, 1/3 Gum Turpentine. This is a fairly "thin" solution with great penetrating qualities. Builds VERY slowly, about 4 hours between coats.
Juice II: 3/8 BLO, 1/2 Tung, 1/8 Gum Turpentine. Heavier bodied than Juice I, quicker build, kicks quicker, dries harder. This is my everyday, go to mix.
Juice III: "Cheater Juice." 3/8 BLO, 1/2 Tung, 1/8 Varathane. Varathane is compatible with both BLO and Tung, and Varathane's driers greatly accelerate the time it takes for a coat to kick off. Warning: if you don't stay on right on top of wiping this one down, it will turn into varnish on you and you will be digging out the sandpaper. Good for hard service.
Juice IV: "Butter Juice." 1/2 BLO, 3/8 Tung, 1/8 Gum Turpentine. Add 3-4 oz. Beeswax per quart. This is a very soft and creamy finish, great for furniture, not so great for hard service. I have a lot of older furniture which I have refinished with this.
As you might have guessed, there are damn near infinite variations on the above, depending on the species of wood being used and the service its being put to. But that is a book in itself.
Enjoy
isher
ps. SAFETY NOTE. RAGS OR PAPER TOWELS USED WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE CAN SELF IGNITE IF NOT DISPOSED OF PROPERLY.
Well, first, rottenstone is very finely ground pumice (volcanic rock - highly aerated lava, actually) originally used for "French Polishing" in the cabinet trade. For more than you will ever probably want to know about French Polish, see this link:
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/FrenchPolish.htm
Second, re the various mixes of linseed, tung, etc.
I have used a formula, or actually, formulas of the above for about forty years, which somehow got named "juice" in the early days.
Juice I: 1/3 BLO, 1/3 Tung, 1/3 Gum Turpentine. This is a fairly "thin" solution with great penetrating qualities. Builds VERY slowly, about 4 hours between coats.
Juice II: 3/8 BLO, 1/2 Tung, 1/8 Gum Turpentine. Heavier bodied than Juice I, quicker build, kicks quicker, dries harder. This is my everyday, go to mix.
Juice III: "Cheater Juice." 3/8 BLO, 1/2 Tung, 1/8 Varathane. Varathane is compatible with both BLO and Tung, and Varathane's driers greatly accelerate the time it takes for a coat to kick off. Warning: if you don't stay on right on top of wiping this one down, it will turn into varnish on you and you will be digging out the sandpaper. Good for hard service.
Juice IV: "Butter Juice." 1/2 BLO, 3/8 Tung, 1/8 Gum Turpentine. Add 3-4 oz. Beeswax per quart. This is a very soft and creamy finish, great for furniture, not so great for hard service. I have a lot of older furniture which I have refinished with this.
As you might have guessed, there are damn near infinite variations on the above, depending on the species of wood being used and the service its being put to. But that is a book in itself.
Enjoy
isher
ps. SAFETY NOTE. RAGS OR PAPER TOWELS USED WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE CAN SELF IGNITE IF NOT DISPOSED OF PROPERLY.
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Honestly my method involves BLO, turpentine, a tin can and a candle. It's not 'labor intensive' it can be done in an afternoon or at worst a couple of evenings.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=67005&highlight=refinishing
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=232387&highlight=mauser
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=67005&highlight=refinishing
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=232387&highlight=mauser
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GBExpat
Member
Sounds like you used a Tung Oil Finish product rather than real Tung Oil. If you did use real Tung Oil, you obviously applied it incorrectly.
dirtyjim
Member
i prefer blo for all my finishes regardless of whether its a milsurp or a fine custom.
if it's good enough for H&H it's good enough for me.
i usually mix up some red oil first with blo & alkanet root. red-oil will give a slightly reddish cast to the finish.
i use the method from clyde bakers modern gunsmith to put the finish on, its very time consuming but well worth it.
if it's good enough for H&H it's good enough for me.
i usually mix up some red oil first with blo & alkanet root. red-oil will give a slightly reddish cast to the finish.
i use the method from clyde bakers modern gunsmith to put the finish on, its very time consuming but well worth it.
Oh thank god you mentioned that. I took a argentine cavalry carbine out a while back that I had just, and it was a hot day and I noticed the sweating you mentioned. Now I finally get an answer to why it was doing that, I was very puzzled at the time.
jcwit
member
2nd edition printed 1933, now thats modern tech. Finishes we now have are much better in protection and ease of application.
Don't use this logic in regards to your engine oil.
Someone beat me to it but rotten stone is used to fill pores with a mixture of sawdust and shellac in the french polishing process.
At the moment I am using BLO but it takes a lot more work to get a good finish then say tung oil. I made a beeswax polish and that gave me a nice polish and water barrier on top of the BLO. This is my M1A with many many layers of BLO with polishing between with steel wool and finishing off wit the wax. It is inside so the pics are not great.
Float Pilot
Member
If you still use Linseed oil, add some Japan Drier (Japan Dry) to it, it will dry in half the time.
Usually with large pores I steel wool the entire first and sometimes second coats down to the wood again, this only leavesthe pores filled and then start your surface coats.
I also use a mix very similar to Ishers Tung and varithane mix.
Usually with large pores I steel wool the entire first and sometimes second coats down to the wood again, this only leavesthe pores filled and then start your surface coats.
I also use a mix very similar to Ishers Tung and varithane mix.
I've only used it on custom furniture, not a gun stock. I can't recall the book, but one author's advice for BLO was that it's best reserved for folks that can afford a full-time butler to constantly reapply it.
Teak oil might also be interesting here, if you want the oil look with UV protection (combo of BLO and tung oil, depending on manufacturer, though it's usually mostly tung oil + UV inhibitors.)
I'd use wipe-on poly myself, I think. But then, I tend to use combat tupperware, so high maintenance is not my goal.
Oil finishes redux.
Coupla wiki quickies here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil
In my experience, BLO "likes" water way more than Tung.
Which is why it gets gummy and sticky if you are out all day in the rain.
Second note:
Most, if not all, "Tung Oil Finishes" sold today have a witches brew
Of synthetic/petroleum based additives as part of their makeup.
Which defeats the purpose of Tung.
Might as well buy Ace Hardware varnish.
isher
Coupla wiki quickies here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil
In my experience, BLO "likes" water way more than Tung.
Which is why it gets gummy and sticky if you are out all day in the rain.
Second note:
Most, if not all, "Tung Oil Finishes" sold today have a witches brew
Of synthetic/petroleum based additives as part of their makeup.
Which defeats the purpose of Tung.
Might as well buy Ace Hardware varnish.
isher
dirtyjim
Member
i always hear that blo will bleed out in hot weather & never dries, i've never had that problem.
blo & even raw linseed oil do dry & the trick to getting a good finish is to make sure your first coat has properly dried before doing anything else to the stock. whenever i get a new can of blo i take a pane of glass & mark the date on it with a sharpie then put a small amount of blo on the other side, a 3 or 4" circle about 1/32" thick & see how long it takes to dry. then a add a week to that & mark it on the can. if your first coat is not completely oxidized the other coats will remain gummy.
i also seal the wood after the first coating of blo has fully cured, not before.
to seal the wood i use one of two mixtures depending on how porous or soft the wood is. i normally start out with this mixture.
1/2pint of red-oil or blo
3oz spar varnish
1oz turpentine
about 10 drops of venice turpentine.
i apply this liberally to the stock then allow it to dry for about 3 days before doing any more coats of blo.
if that mixture is soaked in almost immediately i use this mixture instead.
4oz red-oil or blo
2 1/2oz of white or clear shellac flakes cut with denatured alcohol
1oz spar varnish
about 10 drops of venice turpentine.
let dry for at least 3 days.
then i switch back to red-oil or blo.
i apply a thin coat of blo & let it sit for about an hour then rub it out with the palm of my hand for about 15 minutes. i do that once a day for about a week. then i let the stock sit for about 3 days.
after about 3 days i put another thin coat on & let it sit for at least a week.
after a week i rub it out with red-oil or blo & a felt pad with rottenstone. put the rottenstone in a salt shaker & its easier to use.
it's not a fast process but will give you a pre-war H&H quality finish that requires very little maintence. about once a year rub in a teaspoon of blo with the palm of your hand to maintain the finish & after about 20 years it will have developed a nice patina
blo & even raw linseed oil do dry & the trick to getting a good finish is to make sure your first coat has properly dried before doing anything else to the stock. whenever i get a new can of blo i take a pane of glass & mark the date on it with a sharpie then put a small amount of blo on the other side, a 3 or 4" circle about 1/32" thick & see how long it takes to dry. then a add a week to that & mark it on the can. if your first coat is not completely oxidized the other coats will remain gummy.
i also seal the wood after the first coating of blo has fully cured, not before.
to seal the wood i use one of two mixtures depending on how porous or soft the wood is. i normally start out with this mixture.
1/2pint of red-oil or blo
3oz spar varnish
1oz turpentine
about 10 drops of venice turpentine.
i apply this liberally to the stock then allow it to dry for about 3 days before doing any more coats of blo.
if that mixture is soaked in almost immediately i use this mixture instead.
4oz red-oil or blo
2 1/2oz of white or clear shellac flakes cut with denatured alcohol
1oz spar varnish
about 10 drops of venice turpentine.
let dry for at least 3 days.
then i switch back to red-oil or blo.
i apply a thin coat of blo & let it sit for about an hour then rub it out with the palm of my hand for about 15 minutes. i do that once a day for about a week. then i let the stock sit for about 3 days.
after about 3 days i put another thin coat on & let it sit for at least a week.
after a week i rub it out with red-oil or blo & a felt pad with rottenstone. put the rottenstone in a salt shaker & its easier to use.
it's not a fast process but will give you a pre-war H&H quality finish that requires very little maintence. about once a year rub in a teaspoon of blo with the palm of your hand to maintain the finish & after about 20 years it will have developed a nice patina
Tinpig
Member
I gently rub old oil, grit, dirt, and grime off my military stocks with a soft rag soaked in denatured alcohol.
I wipe on-and-off one thin coat of alcohol-based Chestnut Ridge dark military stock stain, and then a couple of coats of BLO.
Very quick and easy.
Here are three examples:
Tinpig
I wipe on-and-off one thin coat of alcohol-based Chestnut Ridge dark military stock stain, and then a couple of coats of BLO.
Very quick and easy.
Here are three examples:
Tinpig
GBExpat
Member
Some folks will immediately strip (not clean, chemically strip) old filthy/oily/yucky oil-finished milsurp stocks. I figured out early-on that that was the wrong approach.
I always start by getting them as clean as I can and then perform a cleaning step with a MS-cut-BLO mixture and a ½ biscuit of de-oiled 0000 steel wool. After I thoroughly & energetically scrub the piece (turning and rewetting the steelwool as required) I wipe off the YUCK that the process generates, buff the wood with a clean rag and place it in front of a fan in a low RH environment. The following day I buff the wood again and closely inspect it for condition before deciding the next step.
Using this method I have discovered several beeeooootiful stocks that were hiding under layers of crap ... and I have rarely found it necessary to strip a stock and start over with a bare-wood refinish.
I always start by getting them as clean as I can and then perform a cleaning step with a MS-cut-BLO mixture and a ½ biscuit of de-oiled 0000 steel wool. After I thoroughly & energetically scrub the piece (turning and rewetting the steelwool as required) I wipe off the YUCK that the process generates, buff the wood with a clean rag and place it in front of a fan in a low RH environment. The following day I buff the wood again and closely inspect it for condition before deciding the next step.
Using this method I have discovered several beeeooootiful stocks that were hiding under layers of crap ... and I have rarely found it necessary to strip a stock and start over with a bare-wood refinish.
Col. Plink
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2009
- Messages
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Max C.:
Explain a bit more about the process you used in sanding and urethane coats. I stripped my stock with 100grit and then used 150 and 220 to finish the sanding and put on an initial coat of urethane semigloss. It did what I wanted it to do, which is show up the coloring of the wood a little better and bring out the grain discolorations/knockabout marks/engravings that make it unique. Now I just need to know how best to utilize a process of finer grits and more urethane coats to best bring out what's there. Is it best to use each of the different grits (up to the fine stuff for the sheen I'd like) with a urethane coat in between; or go through them all, coat, repeat. Thanks for your help!
Explain a bit more about the process you used in sanding and urethane coats. I stripped my stock with 100grit and then used 150 and 220 to finish the sanding and put on an initial coat of urethane semigloss. It did what I wanted it to do, which is show up the coloring of the wood a little better and bring out the grain discolorations/knockabout marks/engravings that make it unique. Now I just need to know how best to utilize a process of finer grits and more urethane coats to best bring out what's there. Is it best to use each of the different grits (up to the fine stuff for the sheen I'd like) with a urethane coat in between; or go through them all, coat, repeat. Thanks for your help!
O'DubhGhaill
Member
This topic comes up a great deal. Here's an article on surplus rifle wood cleaning and preservation that I found on the CMP site some time ago that has guided me to some outstanding refinishes, refurbs, etc.: Entry Level Care and Preservation Tips and Considerations for CMP Wood. Deals with the BLO v. Tung Oil v. Tung Oil Finish v. Casey issues really well. I've used 100% Pure Tung Oil on some rifles and Minwax products on others (never mixing the Pure Tung Oil with the Minwax products) as suggested in the article with outstanding results. I've read about Fairtrimmer's Military oX oil, but have not tried it. YMMV, as always, but hope this info helps one way or another...
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I re-did an oak bathroom vanity with my 'gun stock finish' it came out a gorgeous deep blonde.
So, basically, there's about a jillion ways to refinish rifle stocks, huh? All are right, and all are wrong, depending on who you ask? That's clear as mud. I have an M1 stock and a Mosin 91/30 stock to refinish, I can see this will bear much studying.
Rondog -
Well, I could start a thread called
"What is the ideal caliber of rifle when needing to refinish the stock?"
Hell, I could even make it into a poll...........
Nah, you are right, there are a jillion ways.
However, this thread has an incredible amount of great information
For both us old dogs and young dogs who might be just starting.
isher
Well, I could start a thread called
"What is the ideal caliber of rifle when needing to refinish the stock?"
Hell, I could even make it into a poll...........
Nah, you are right, there are a jillion ways.
However, this thread has an incredible amount of great information
For both us old dogs and young dogs who might be just starting.
isher
browningguy
Member
I do a lot of woodworking, building tables etc. that will get a lot of use, and normally use a polyurathane. I've also done french polishes, danish oil etc. but find I can get a very nice finish with poly. I started using it on gun stocks a couple of years ago and believe it's the ideal finish. I normally use a satin or matte finish poly, spray it through my HVLP system in very thin coats, a wipe with 4-0 steel wool between coats, a final wax when it's dry and it seems to hold up to anything and looks decent. Spray cans would work just as well if you don't have a spayer.
Kymasabe
Member
MY method... a little different.
I've done some mil-surp weapons and I prefer a matte finish to mine so I sand them smooth, then I dunk them in the tub for a minute which raises all the little hairs and grains in the wood. I smooth all that out with 0000 steel wool, then I stain it the color I want, usually a nice dark deep red from MinWax. Then, to seal it, I mix equal parts of boiled Linseed oil, turpentine, and beeswax, warm it all over a FLAMELESS heat until tha wax melts, stir it all up and let it sit and cool to a paste.
Once cooled, you can scoop out a little paste by hand and rub it into the wood. The heat from your hand melts it and the porous wood soaks it right up. The oil and wax provide excellent weatherproofing and it has a nice matte military finish and look to it. The paste will last forever, store it in a sealed metal container. Some people have reported that finishing up with a silicone impregnated cloth makes the gun really shine but I haven't tried that yet.
I've done some mil-surp weapons and I prefer a matte finish to mine so I sand them smooth, then I dunk them in the tub for a minute which raises all the little hairs and grains in the wood. I smooth all that out with 0000 steel wool, then I stain it the color I want, usually a nice dark deep red from MinWax. Then, to seal it, I mix equal parts of boiled Linseed oil, turpentine, and beeswax, warm it all over a FLAMELESS heat until tha wax melts, stir it all up and let it sit and cool to a paste.
Once cooled, you can scoop out a little paste by hand and rub it into the wood. The heat from your hand melts it and the porous wood soaks it right up. The oil and wax provide excellent weatherproofing and it has a nice matte military finish and look to it. The paste will last forever, store it in a sealed metal container. Some people have reported that finishing up with a silicone impregnated cloth makes the gun really shine but I haven't tried that yet.
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