Sealing a gunstock before finishing

[JSH]

Jim, talked to another gent last night on the phone. He gave me the same recipe. I went somthing that just shows the color and grain, but nothing bright or shiney. Any shine I get will be kind of flat from wax.
I may have flubbed up a bit. I put one coat of Formby's on it nite before last. I am going to hit it with the steel wool tonight and see what I have. I did a couple of stocks when I was in high school with the stuff. I don't have either of those guns any more but do remember about 4-5 coats of Formby's and a couple of coats of wax and I was pretty happy with the out come. I hunted with one of those rifles for several years and it was a pretty durable finish. May be to shiney for what I am after.................
Jeff

[shooter575]

Jeff,Here is a couple pics.The first is a 1855 rifle I built from scratch.It is new wood,no stain.just BLO and the paste followup.I built this one in 98.Has 4-5000 rounds through it.
The second pic is three rifles I was working on.Orgional wood.Unfinished one was striped with easy off oven cleaner.Darker one has a coat of mahogony leather dye.Compleat one had just a couple coats of blo in this pic.Nice thing about this method is nothing is screwed up .You can strip and do somthing else pretty easy.The more coats you add the better it gets.

[shooter575]

I went and found the link to the method above by Dick Culiver
http://www.jouster.com/Bulletin/refinishing.htm
His method is the 3rd one.I figure if it worked for that old trooper at Camp Perry it is good enough for me. This is a HUGE site BTW lots of good info.

[JSH]

Well, that is a great read! I have been over to Colver's several time while chasing some info and parts for 03's. Didn't even think to look over there. The Formby's should be dry by now. I will burnish it down with some steel wool and then a scotch bright pad to see how it looks. If it doesn't look to bad I may try the Bee's wax stuff over the top of it?
I am gonna have to find another rifle to fool with just to do it all in that stuff.
I new this was gonna cost me more $$, lol.
Thanks again Jim.
Jeff

I will get some pic's and send to Ken to have him post them, as I have a hard time getting them on here. Will dig out the Swede along with my 03 project gun along with Dad's 03.

[JSH]

I new this was going to cost me. I got to looking around to see how much of the ingredients I had for the above. Welllllll, I didn't think I had enough BLO to do a small batch. The kids wanted a movie so I stopped by the Home Debt. Now I have to say the quart of BLO that I have has to be close to 25 years old. Well all HD has is a gallon. So I was just gonna say the heck with it and use what I had. Some kid with an apron walked by and I asked him if the had any BLO in quarts. He says nope gallons is it. Off he goes..... I am leaving and he hollers at me to come and look behind the counter. There is a gallon can kinda bunged up but not leaking. He does a price check and I get it out the door for $7. My son is with me and thinks, I am nuts any way. I tell him that there is enough BLO to last till he has grand kids, lol.

I did make a batch of 24 ounces of the stock salve tonight. It is cooling as I type. Be warned if ya whip up a batch of this. That warm turpintine will clean out your sinus's. I figure if it doesn't work for stocks it should be good as a chest rub or poking up your nose for head colds.
The only thing I would say if any of you try the above. Premeasure and heat the turpintine and BLO. I melted my wax and then dumped in the BLO and turpintine. The wax clabbered and had to heat the whole works a bit longer than I think necassary.
Looks good, smells good.
Bob, if you are following this thread I have a tin of this salve for you if you want it.
Jeff

[Blackwater]

Pat, here's a site that I trust for anything gun related. I found his comments about Tru Oil being a "plastic" interesting! I didn't know that! FWIW, here's the link to the site:

http://www.gunshop.com/phiatt3.htm

Also, I've been hanging out at americanlongrifles.com, and in the section on building a gun, there's some VERY interesting threads on traditional finishes that you'll likely find interesting. The vinegar finish for maple is particularly interesting, at least to me. Lots of info and ideas there.

My big problem is that I know just enough to know how LITTLE I know about finishing wood. I guess that's at least a big part of the reason why I stick with oil finishes.

Can anyone comment on Tru Oil being a "plastic" finish???? That one has me perplexed. I'd always thought it was a linseed product with driers and spar varnish added???? I've been wrong before, though.

[PatMarlin]

That's a good link Dennis.

THis is the best wood I own and it needs a refinish but it wouldn't match the worn blue if I did that. Somethings are just better left old I think, specially when you have no choice..

I paid $350 for this rilfe in hawk shop if you can believe that. Shoots tiny groups at 100 with 150gr Remington core loctks. 1978 vintage 300 Winchester Magnum.

[shooter575]

Jeff,sorta looks like a lava lamp in the pot eh. After time the paste will get harder.I think some of the volitiles in the turpentine evaporates out.I just add a bit more to soften it up.

[waksupi]

Blackwater, the term plastic, refers to the properties of a finish, ie; it will expand and contract, with heat and moisture conditions. A non-plastic finish will crack and craze. Just a term, not actual plastic.

[carpetman]

Boiled linseed oil doesnt mean it was heated. It means there are drying agents added. For most applications boiled is the preferred over the plain.

[shooter575]

Carpetman
I have heard that the boiled linsead of yore is diffrent from what is sold as such today?I have a 50 year old can and some new stuff.I dont see much diffrence. Although I have been using the old stuff on my stocks.I also have a bunch of raw linsead,I should see if by adding some jap driers it could be used.Idontknow? I would be dangerous if I had passed chemestry.On second thought I am dangerous now

[fourarmed]

Jeff, got the paste, and thanks. It should be just the thing for that shotgun stock that started this whole thread.

[Blackwater]

Well, DUH! Thanks, Waksupi. Ain't the English language FUN!

And what exactly constitutes a "dryer," or a "drying agent" in ref to BLO?

[steveb]

Blackwater, thats an informative site among others. Out of all the things ive tried I think Tru-Oil is the cats meow for refinishing gunstocks. Its easy to use,and is a very nice and durable finish.We all have favorite different bramds that we like and have worked well for us. For me, its Tru-Oil all the way

[krag35]

I have stripped the finish off of a couple of Remington stocks with a bit of broken glass, then sanded, works pretty good. that plastic finish plugs up sandpaper to fast.

for a finish, I use "Howard Feed -N- Wax" Set the stock behind the stove for a while and slop some on, then put it back behind the stove. I continue this untill the stock don't soak up any more. If you get a scratch, just wipe some more feed -N- wax on it. It'll darken the natural color of the wood a bit, but not much.
krag35

[shooter575]

Blackwater Jap dryier is a additive to oil paint that speeds up drying.Good paint stores has it in pt cans for 10 bucks or so. Some links...


http://www.woodworking.com/wwtimes_oilstain.cfm

http://www.eezimmermanco.com/products_files/Japan.html

http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.co...d/pagewood.htm

[Blackwater]

Thanks, Jim. Have heard of mixing BLO with spar varnish. As above, I know just enough about the chemicals used to finish wood to know how much I DON'T know. However, anyone who's ever spent much time in good gun museum knows that those old timers of 1 to 300 years ago did some mighty good work with some pretty plain ingredients. The natural finishes have to be maintained occasionally, but that just gives me an excuse to take them out and "pet" them a bit every few years or so. Not too bad a deal, after all.

[shootrj2003]

I also use Tru-oil to do it all,I have used other finishes,I get bored and experiment,and some are great,Tru oil always seems to work and I have never had it wash off in the rain

[Shawlerbrook]

Used to use Tru Oil , but recently switched. One or two coats of Sealcoat shellac then 5-10 coats of Minwax Rub on polyurethane, matte or satin.

[GregLaROCHE]

It depends what finish you want. The prep is different if you want a high gloss finish or a more mat like with linseed or other oils. No matter what, be very careful if you start sanding. Be very careful not to round sharp edges.