Gunsmithing Finishing Striped Walnut

[kytrapper]

Not the usual subject but I am sure the expert with the right answer is on this forum.......I am putting walnut on a 10/22 setting it up as a trainer for the M1. The stock has some light stiping.. What would be the best way to finish this and keep the stiping visible?

Thanks in Advance for your Time,Insight and Advice!!!

Charles

 

[insight3b]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

I've had good results with multiple coats of Boiled linseed oil

 

[smschulz]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

Tung oil.

 

[Willys46]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

Oil finishes are great but take time to complete. For a quicker method I use automotive clear coat. It gives a nice finish quickly. Lay it down in layers and let dry for a couple days and wet sand it smooth. Wait tell each layer gets tacky, about every 15 min and put another coat.

I have used a quality rattle can touch up clear coat and it worked pretty good.

 

[ltfirehunter]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

Is it already stripped?
If so you can use a tooth brush to work stain or finish in to the stippled areas and use a paper towell to remove excess stain from this area to keep it from gettin to thick, do not wipe, just blot.

I usually tape these areas off and do th checkering first and after it has dried enough I will tape over the checkered area and proceed to finishing the reast of the stock.

 

[gun007]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

+1 for the method that Milo-2 describes. I did a stock like this and it came out like glass!

 

[kytrapper]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

Thanks for the suggestions...I had to fill a couple of knots I used epoxy.....I mixed ome fine walnut dust in will this cause a problem with using tung or linseed?

ltfirehunter.....there is some lightstripe visible I am wanting to make them stand out a little more: am I correct in understanding I need work stain in those stripes then finish the stock..what stain will work with the oil finish?

Thanks Willy.. I am not set up to apply that method

..I am a rookie at stock finishing but I have some wood working skills

Thanks

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

KY,
Unless you're trying to change the color of the stock, no stain is needed with tung oil, or oil finish, it will just enhance or bring out natural color.
Where you epoxied, no oil or stain will be able to penetrate it, no biggie.
Another way to finish it would be to buy some Minwax natural stain, or your preference, stain it. Then buy some spray Minwax spar urethane, NOT polyurethane, and spray it on. I did this on a Rem 788 stock, came out beautiful. Steel wool in between coats. I probably had 12 light coats on it. Compressed air is your buddy here, to get the steel wool shavings off. And don't buy gloss, all imperfections show too easy.
Good luck.

 

[Bigshooter42]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

I'm no expert by any means but I just refinished a 1100 walnut stock. I put 12 or so coats of tung oil and finished it with birchwood casey stock wax and was very pleased with the results. I do however wish I would have paid more attention to the checkering areas as I had some buildup in there now. A firm brush scrub during the refinish process should take care of that ( I figured that out a little late).

 

[Rainier42]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

I've refinished numerous wood stocks from WW II rifles. Best results so far is pure Tung oil cut with either mineral spirits or a citrus-based solvent. Tung oil by itself will take forever to cure. If you use mineral spirits your stock will have more of a sheen; citrus solvent will give you a more dulled look. Good place to purchase is here:

 

[kytrapper]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

I am only wanting to bring the stripes out a little more I am leaning to the oil finish......thanks for the link Rainier42

milo-2..would you use the sanding sponge technique with tung or linseed oil??

Thanks Gents

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

KY,
Not sure about linseed oil, I'd shitcan that thought. It very well might work with tung oil, I've just never used tung oil, there is so much easier stuff out there. Cutting the tung oil with say 15% mineral spirits sounds like a sound idea though.
I wish you were here in my town, we'd rip this out this afternoon!
Once a year apply a coat of finishing wax, lightly buff.

 

[kytrapper]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

Well between the great advice and an old book I took the jump.....So far the stripes are still showing up .......I will post as pic when I get done. By the way i decided to go with the Oil finish...........

Thanks for sharing all the great ideas....

 

[xs hedspace]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

I hope you mean tung oil. Linseed oil, from old info, will turn into flypaper if you get it wet in the rain. Tru-oil brand stock finish is mostly tung oil, and stays hard when wet. Drys in a few hours, so you can do several coats(thin coats), rub with 0000 steel wool, and get a nice non reflective oil satin finish. If you want some shine, just use good furniture wax after the 0000 steel wool. Filling the pores needs the 400 grit rub when wet treatment between the first few coats, with steel wool between coats. Military finishes were mostly tung oil after WW1.

 

[kytrapper]

Re: Finishing Striped Walnut

thanks xs,

I did use tung oil finish....got a few coats on now....stripes are still showing!!! I am skeered i will jack it up but I will wet sand after holes for my sling studs and butt plate are drilled ...........