Gunsmithing dull oil finish
- Thread starter jona
- Start date
Re: dull oil finish
Rub it on, lightly sand, rub it on again, lightly sand to remove any more fibers that are loose.... on and on.
Finally the last couple of coats you rub on with 0000 steel wool and wipe down.
Linseed oil polymerizes when it's exposed to air and hardens as it cures. It is also exothermic during this stage, so don't leave any cloths or paper towels in the trash can or balled up anywhere. Spread them out and don't stack them up before disposing of them. You should wait about 24 hours between coats from my experience.
The more coats you use the darker it gets (duh) and will vary from a very light poplar color (in similarly colored woods) to a medium/dark brown with walnut and cherry.
It's a labor intensive process.
Rub it on, lightly sand, rub it on again, lightly sand to remove any more fibers that are loose.... on and on.
Finally the last couple of coats you rub on with 0000 steel wool and wipe down.
Linseed oil polymerizes when it's exposed to air and hardens as it cures. It is also exothermic during this stage, so don't leave any cloths or paper towels in the trash can or balled up anywhere. Spread them out and don't stack them up before disposing of them. You should wait about 24 hours between coats from my experience.
The more coats you use the darker it gets (duh) and will vary from a very light poplar color (in similarly colored woods) to a medium/dark brown with walnut and cherry.
It's a labor intensive process.
Re: dull oil finish
Well described by Bohem above, you might want to check out a very good alternative to linsed oil, which is Fairtrimmers military ox gunstock oil. Very good product which gives a great finished result.
Well described by Bohem above, you might want to check out a very good alternative to linsed oil, which is Fairtrimmers military ox gunstock oil. Very good product which gives a great finished result.
Re: dull oil finish
And, a little bit of Japan Drier added to the linseed oil will help the polymerizing. Birchwood Casey used to sell a gunstock finish that was a linseed oil based product. Personally I prefer the Tung Oil finish. It comes in a satin finish also. Tougher than linseed and easy to touch up scratches. JMHO
And, a little bit of Japan Drier added to the linseed oil will help the polymerizing. Birchwood Casey used to sell a gunstock finish that was a linseed oil based product. Personally I prefer the Tung Oil finish. It comes in a satin finish also. Tougher than linseed and easy to touch up scratches. JMHO
Re: dull oil finish
Use bohem's technique with real Tung Oil from Brownell's.
In the world of US battlerifles (M1, 1903, 03A3), the correct finish is Tung oil (not "Tung oil finish" from Formby's). BLO was applied as a field maintenance finish.
Battlerifles were done via a dip, soak, and hang/dry process. Doing it by hand with multiple coatings will result in a deeper finish. After 3-5 coats, no more than 1 per day, and steel wooling in between and after the final coat, will give you a matte finish. If you want a true original battlerifle finish, do not steel wool the last coat. Leave it "fuzzy", just like the real thing, and let use polish it. Just like the originals.
Using 25% Jap Drier and 75% real Tung Oil will make sure you can do a coat a day. Without the Jap Drier you may have to wait longer between coats.
Use bohem's technique with real Tung Oil from Brownell's.
In the world of US battlerifles (M1, 1903, 03A3), the correct finish is Tung oil (not "Tung oil finish" from Formby's). BLO was applied as a field maintenance finish.
Battlerifles were done via a dip, soak, and hang/dry process. Doing it by hand with multiple coatings will result in a deeper finish. After 3-5 coats, no more than 1 per day, and steel wooling in between and after the final coat, will give you a matte finish. If you want a true original battlerifle finish, do not steel wool the last coat. Leave it "fuzzy", just like the real thing, and let use polish it. Just like the originals.
Using 25% Jap Drier and 75% real Tung Oil will make sure you can do a coat a day. Without the Jap Drier you may have to wait longer between coats.
Re: dull oil finish
I have used a 1:1 mix of linseed oil and turpentine and double boil it. I then used a rag to wipe it on. When I was done I used the same rage to wipe it down. I did this like three times. Its worked well on the 4-6 rifles I've done.
I have used a 1:1 mix of linseed oil and turpentine and double boil it. I then used a rag to wipe it on. When I was done I used the same rage to wipe it down. I did this like three times. Its worked well on the 4-6 rifles I've done.
Re: dull oil finish
True tung oil is the way to go. BLO was used in WWII production, but bear in mind the stocks were soaked in the stuff for days. Tung oil will penetrate and protect better. A month or so after you finish the stock, start using gunny paste on it once in a while. The recipe is simple: 1 part each bees wax, BLO and mineral spirits. You just need to melt the wax separately and then combine the ingredients away from any open flame. I sealed up a canning jar and left it for several hours in a hot water bath.
True tung oil is the way to go. BLO was used in WWII production, but bear in mind the stocks were soaked in the stuff for days. Tung oil will penetrate and protect better. A month or so after you finish the stock, start using gunny paste on it once in a while. The recipe is simple: 1 part each bees wax, BLO and mineral spirits. You just need to melt the wax separately and then combine the ingredients away from any open flame. I sealed up a canning jar and left it for several hours in a hot water bath.
Re: dull oil finish
A couple quick questions about BLO and Tung oil. I’ve read multiple threads from various forums about this very subject. To the point I’m either confused or simply don’t remember. Am I correct in assuming that Tung oil penetrates the wood for protection, but with BLO you more or less build up layers for protection? Is it best to use one or the other? If my previously assumption is correct, would there be any advantage of using Tung Oil to penetrate the wood and then BLO as a “coating”?
I’ve used a couple different methods myself with decent success. The only real conclusions I’ve come up with are that “you can’t polish a turd”(no matter the effort, you may end up with a well sealed ugly stock), don’t do it on the living room floor even if you’re single, and It’s going to take at least 3x longer to complete than you thought.
A couple quick questions about BLO and Tung oil. I’ve read multiple threads from various forums about this very subject. To the point I’m either confused or simply don’t remember. Am I correct in assuming that Tung oil penetrates the wood for protection, but with BLO you more or less build up layers for protection? Is it best to use one or the other? If my previously assumption is correct, would there be any advantage of using Tung Oil to penetrate the wood and then BLO as a “coating”?
I’ve used a couple different methods myself with decent success. The only real conclusions I’ve come up with are that “you can’t polish a turd”(no matter the effort, you may end up with a well sealed ugly stock), don’t do it on the living room floor even if you’re single, and It’s going to take at least 3x longer to complete than you thought.
Re: dull oil finish
True tung oil (as mentioned, NOT hardware store varieties like Formby's) will penetrate. I wouldn't coat that with BLO afterwards but would make up a jar of gunny paste. If anything, it's therapy for you to rub it into the stock. The smell is great too.
True tung oil (as mentioned, NOT hardware store varieties like Formby's) will penetrate. I wouldn't coat that with BLO afterwards but would make up a jar of gunny paste. If anything, it's therapy for you to rub it into the stock. The smell is great too.
Re: dull oil finish
I've probably refinished Garand stocks while at 8th & I, and we use Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil with some pretty great results. I'm currently using it on my Marlin lever gun stock, due to some nasty scratches it got from some tree spikes. It does a pretty good job of sealing out the weather, and if you want a more satin look finish, just rub it down lightly with 0000 steel wool. We were required to have two new coats every night while going through Silent Drill School, which was certainly a pain, but the end result looked great. We either applied it with our bare fingers or with a piece of paper towel, and let it dry in front of a space heater.
I've probably refinished Garand stocks while at 8th & I, and we use Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil with some pretty great results. I'm currently using it on my Marlin lever gun stock, due to some nasty scratches it got from some tree spikes. It does a pretty good job of sealing out the weather, and if you want a more satin look finish, just rub it down lightly with 0000 steel wool. We were required to have two new coats every night while going through Silent Drill School, which was certainly a pain, but the end result looked great. We either applied it with our bare fingers or with a piece of paper towel, and let it dry in front of a space heater.
