finishing stock

[bushwack]

I've been doing some research on finnishing stocks but I need more in put from those who have acually done it. I just got rossi lever action and want to refinnish the stock with tru oil. Is it best to use a furniture stain remover or just sand it with a sanding block? Do i need to put anything on the wood before using the tru oil? I don't want to stain it, just go with the natural color. I plan on putting 15-20 coats on. What is best to put on top of the tru oil? i have heard of some guys putting on a couple coats of johnson's paste wax or stock sheen and conditioner. I have read that for a less of a sheen that after the last coat of tru oil to rough it up with 0000 steel wool. I'd apprieciate any help or suggestions. thanks, bushwack

[two dogs]

dont sand it.use the proper finish stripper.tru oil ,then wax.i have done several guns with tru oil.easy to touch up if you scratch it.

[Beekeeper]

Bushwack,
Do you mind doing a little reading?
Go to www.surplusrifle.com and go to their forum.
A little more than half way down there is a forum for stock repair and refinishing moderated by candyman.
Read his stickies as they are the best I have ever seen.
That said I clean with denatured alchol and refinish with a mixture of boiled linsead oil and amber shelac.
It is a finish my Grand father used on furniture and so did my Dad.
Works great for me.


Jim

[docone31]

I have always used Easy Off! to remove the old finish. It is fairly passive to the wood, and removed everything. It takes several applications, but it works real well.
Then, I apply a really thinned coat of Tung Oil. Tru-Oil has varnish in it. I prefer Tung Oil, and a gazillion coats. I rub between coats, and let dry.
I do sand. I use 660 wet or dry, wet. I sand the Tung Oil to the wood, filling the voids. It works on the small ones. Large ones are a different story.
If there is checkering, that is different. Much different.
If I want to use the rifle in something like 1 month, then I use Fornby's Tung Oil. I thin it, and go to town. It drys a little quicker. I rub with steel wool, and plastic scratchy pads.
The steel wool I do dry, the plastic pads, I do wet.
Either way, it comes out great.
The difference between the slower finish with Tung Oil, or the faster with Fornby's, the finish is more full with the slower finish. Both techniques work well for me.
It is very satisfying finishing a stock. You can touch up a lot of little details the factory did not have either time, or presence to do.
Enjoy.

[MtGun44]

Watco Danish Oil puts a really great finish on wood. Easy to use, too.
In my opinion far superior to True Oil, tung oil or boiled linseed oil.

Bill

[calaloo]

You would be doing yourself a favor if you would try Minwax Wipe On Poly. It is an oil finish that is far superior to anything else I have tried.

After the wood is stripped it will have to be sanded with very fine paper to remove wood fibers that have been raised. The whiskers are all that needs to be removed.

[bushwack]

Beekeeper: Thanks for that link, it had a lot of good info in it. In fact I was up until 2:00 am reading it and still only got half way through.

Thanks everyone else for your input, I think I have just about got everything figured out.

bushwack

[johnlaw484]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned "spar varnish"? It drys fairly quickly, hard as nails, weather resistant, fills great and had a great sheen.
I have used it on several stocks and will rate it with Tru-oil. It can hand rubbed or sprayed with an air brush.

[quack1]

I'll mention it- Helmsman Spar Urethane made by Minwax. Good stuff, lots of solids, I use the satin type. I thin it 50-50 for the first coat, slop it on and let it penetrate. Let dry for a couple days. Then wet sand using the finish full strength, with 320 grit, get some "mud" built up on the surface. Once there is a good coat of mud, wipe across grain with paper towels, forcing the mud into the pores. You dont have to do the whole stock at once, do an area, wipe it off and then move on to another area. Let dry for a couple days then keep repeating until the pores are mostly filled. Then wet sand with 400 grit, same method. You can even go to 600 grit if you want. Once the pores are filled you can then put on a few light coats of finish to get the final sheen you want. The wet sanding process will fill the pores (even the large ones) much faster and with less work than applying a coat and sanding it off. If the stock is checkered, just cover the checkering with masking tape. When done finishing, take an old toothbrush and apply a little finish to the checkering after removing the tape.