Treating dried wood stocks

by Tree of Liberty on Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:37 am

What is the best way to treat a dried wooden stock on an old milsurp rifle? I have heard that Linseed oil is good and that Tung oil helps the finish as well. Does anybody have any old tricks? Anything to avoid?

God bless

by Reloader on Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:46 pm

I have used lemon oil in the past.

by PhillipM on Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:08 pm

Tree of Liberty wrote:What is the best way to treat a dried wooden stock on an old milsurp rifle? I have heard that Linseed oil is good and that Tung oil helps the finish as well. Does anybody have any old tricks? Anything to avoid?

God bless

I hand rub linseed oil bought from Mississippi art supply. If you use the gallon can of boiled linseed oil from the hardware store cut it 50/50 with mineral spirits. You can also add a stain if need be. Note that this is a very labor intensive process, I rub in a coat, wait a day or two, rub in another, lather rinse & repeat until it gets as you like. I like to do this while watching TV.

Pitfall: If you slop on a heavy coat, it will never dry and be a sticky mess you have to wipe off with mineral spirits.

The quick method that looks just as good is to pick up a Birchwood Casey product, Tru-oil.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/326934/birchwood-casey-tru-oil-gunstock-finish-3-oz-liquid

Long thread on the subject: http://www.msgunowners.com/t16100-tung-oil-stock-finish

Good luck! thumbs up

by PhillipM on Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:15 pm

My 1903 stock job

by Tree of Liberty on Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:21 am

wow you have got a great touch. i will try your method this month when some free time pops up.

i have a Yugo sks and the stock is so dry on it. I would sure like to restore it. once it is finished I can post pics of the finished job

by shoeshooter on Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:12 am

The Tru-Oil contains varnish, so you get some sheen. You can dull it down when dry with some 0000 steel wool. It's a really nice finish, but a little too "fancy" for me for a Mil Surp. That's just personal taste.

You could spend days researching this...everybody has their own recipe. The trick with any of them though, as Phillip said, are multiple thin coats.

Google "refinish rifle stock" and do a little reading.

by Tree of Liberty on Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:40 am

will do.

I just want the stock to not look so dry. No need to make it look fancier than it should look., but do want to restore the stock close to original appearance.

by oldironsights on Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:29 pm

Tree of Liberty, if you don't want to use the better BLO method as described above, a quick way to replenish some moisture to the old stock is to use Howards Feed N' Wax.
It is mainly beeswax & orange oil.
I use it on my military surplus stocks.
It is not messy & leaves the wood with a sumptuous, silky feel to the finish of the wood.

by sidroski on Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:41 pm

Pipe in there 22LRFAN. He redid a remington 550 .22 he got from somewhere. Same model as one I had that was my Dad's. He used straight tung oil (if memory serves) and it looks great. I can take it out whenever and keep Dad's for the grandkids.
As good a re-finish as I've seen.

by 22lrfan on Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:52 pm

All the stocks I've redone have been with tru oil and tung oil. Neither of these look right on a mil-surp rifle. They leave a slick finish with a gloss or sheen, according to how you finish the final coat. I tried BLO once and it never dried. After reading Philips comments it sounds like I may have put on to heavy of a coat. I've been considering this finish on a garand stock but I haven't ordered any yet.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=42368/Product/MILITARY-oX-STOCK-OIL
This is a garand stock that was done with tru oil. It has a little to much shine.
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by Tree of Liberty on Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:24 pm

great job on that stock. so you think the BLO method is preferred on surplus stocks?

by 22lrfan on Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:31 pm

That would probably be the most authentic.

by PhillipM on Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:11 pm

Yota says "Finish you seek, must know end to find where to start"

by BigDaddyQ on Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:18 pm

Tree I did a bunch of 22's a few years ago. 2 i wanted a high gloss and 1 I wanted flat. I used tru oil on the shiny ones and hit it with 0000 steel wool at the end. I apply true oil by putting a little bit on a right woven rag and rub little small circles until it disappears. Then in the end I cover with johnson floor wax and buff for ever. The matte finish was truoil and no wax. When I get some time I'll take the pictures. 1 is my son's black walnut stocked marlin crown prince and the other is a POS winchester i got at gun show for $60 that I just wanted to try and clean up. Its a good shooter and looks good now too.

by 22lrfan on Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:20 pm

PhillipM wrote:Yota says "Finish you seek, must know end to find where to start"

by Tree of Liberty on Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:18 am

BigDaddyQ wrote:The matte finish was truoil and no wax. When I get some time I'll take the pictures. 1 is my son's black walnut stocked marlin crown prince and the other is a POS winchester i got at gun show for $60 that I just wanted to try and clean up. Its a good shooter and looks good now too.

please do take some pictures. I am thinkin more along the matte lines and less glossy since this is on an older milsurp

Treating dried wood stocks

Treating dried wood stocks

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